Childhood's End
Pink Floyd · Obscured By Clouds [1972]
Perhaps the price is just too steep.
Is your conscience at rest
If once put to the test?
You awake with a start
To just the beating of your heart.
Just one man beneath the sky,
Just two ears, just two eyes.
You set sail across the sea
Of long past thoughts and memories.
Childhood's end, your fantasies
Merge with harsh realities.
And then as the sail is hoist,
You find your eyes are growing moist.
All the fears never voiced
Say you have to make your final choice.
Who are you and who am I
To say we know the reason why?
Some are born; some men die
Beneath one infinite sky.
There'll be war, there'll be peace.
But everything one day will cease.
All the iron turned to rust;
All the proud men turned to dust.
And so all things, time will mend.
So this song will end.
Childhood's End
Childhood's End serves as the closing track on Pink Floyd's 1972 album Obscured by Clouds, a project created specifically for the film La Vallée. The song reflects the band's signature atmospheric style, blending psychedelic textures with a somber, reflective mood. Written by Roger Waters, the piece explores themes of loss and the transition from innocence to experience, a recurring motif in the group's broader discography. Musically, the track features a gentle, melodic progression that contrasts with the heavier, more experimental sounds found on their contemporaneous releases. As the final statement on the album, it provides a poignant resolution to the record's narrative arc, showcasing the band's ability to craft immersive soundscapes that resonate with listeners long after the music fades.

