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Roger Waters wrote this song about his views on formal education, which were framed during his time at the Cambridgeshire School for Boys. He hated his grammar school teachers and felt they were more interested in keeping the kids quiet than teaching them. The wall refers to the wall Waters built around himself because he wasn't in touch with reality. The bricks in the wall were the events in his life which propelled him to build this proverbial wall around him, and his school teacher was another brick in the wall.
Waters told Mojo, December 2009, that the song is meant to be satirical. He explained: "You couldn't find anybody in the world more pro-education than me. But the education I went through in boys' grammar school in the '50s was very controlling and demanded rebellion. The teachers were weak and therefore easy targets. The song is meant to be a rebellion against errant government, against people who have power over you, who are wrong. Then it absolutely demanded that you rebel against that."
The chorus came from a school in Islington, England, and was chosen because it was close to the studio. It was made up of 23 kids between the ages of 13 and 15. They were overdubbed 12 times, making it sound like there were many more kids.
The addition of the choir convinced Waters that the song would come together. He told Rolling Stone: "It suddenly made it sort of great."
Pink Floyd's producer, Bob Ezrin, had the idea for the chorus. He used a choir of kids when he produced Alice Cooper's "School's Out" in 1972. Ezrin liked to use children's voices on songs about school.
There was some controversy when it was revealed that the chorus was not paid. It also didn't sit well with teachers that kids were singing an anti-school song. The chorus was given recording time in the studio in exchange for their contribution; the school received 1000 pounds and a platinum record.
The Disco beat was suggested by their producer, Bob Ezrin, who was a fan of the group Chic. This was completely unexpected from Pink Floyd, who specialized in making records you were supposed to listen to, not dance to. He got the idea for the beat when he was in New York and heard something Nile Rodgers was doing.
Pink Floyd rarely released singles that were also on an album. They felt their songs were best appreciated in the context of an album, where the songs and the artwork came together to form a theme. Producer Bob Ezrin convinced them that this could stand on it's own and would not hurt album sales, and when the band relented and released it as a single, it became their only #1 hit. Two more songs were subsequently released as singles from the album: "
Run Like Hell" and "
Comfortably Numb."
The concept of the album was to explore the "walls" people put up to protect themselves. Any time something bad happens, we withdraw further, putting up "another brick in the wall."
The Wall was one of 2 ideas Waters brought to the band when they got together to record in 1978. His other idea was The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking, which he ended up recording as a solo album.
Water's original demo for this was just him singing over an acoustic guitar, and he saw it as a short interstitial piece for the album. He explained in Mojo magazine: "It was only going to be one verse, a guitar solo and out. Then the late Nick Griffths, the engineer at Britannia Row, recorded the school kids, at my request. He did it brilliantly. It wasn't until I heard the 24-track tape he sent while we were working at Producer's Workshop in Los Angeles that I went, 'Wow, this now a single.' Talk about shivers down the spine."
When they first recorded this song, it was one verse and one chorus, and lasted 1:20. Producer Bob Ezrin wanted it longer, but the band refused. While they were gone, Ezrin made it longer by inserting the kids as the second verse, adding some drum fills, and copying the first chorus to the end. He played it for Waters, who liked what he heard.
This is often paired with "Happiest Days of Our Lives" when played on radio stations, and it follows "Happiest" on the album. "Happiest Days of Our Lives" depicts how childhood was great and there was nothing to worry about, until the teachers came along and tried to oppress and suppress the children. Waters then describes that the teachers must have it rough in their own homes, and take out their frustration on the students. (thanks, Patrick - Conyers, GA)
To make this album, they came up with the concept of the character "Pink." Bob Ezrin wrote a script, and they worked the songs around the character. The story was made into the movie The Wall, starring Bob Geldof as "Pink." Many people believe you have to be stoned to enjoy the film.
For the stage show, a giant wall was erected in front of the band using hidden hydraulic lifts as they played. It measured 160x35ft when completed, and about halfway through the show, the bricks were gradually knocked down to reveal the band.
Waters sang lead. When he left Pink Floyd and the band toured without him, Gilmour sang it.
The original idea for the concept of the actual Wall they wanted to create came from a problem Roger Waters was having during their concerts. When he started thinking about the show, he wanted to isolate himself from the public because he couldn't stand all the yelling and shouting. "The Wall" was not just a symbol and a concept, but a way of separating the band from their audience. (thanks, raul - Buenos Aires, Argentina)
The line "We don't need no education" is grammatically incorrect. It's a double negative and really means "We need education." This could be a commentary on the quality of the schools.
On July 21, 1990, Waters staged a production of The Wall in Berlin to celebrate the destruction of The Berlin Wall.
The 1998 movie The Faculty has a version of this song remixed by Class Of '99. (thanks, Riley - Elmhurst, IL)
In England, this was released in November 1979 and became the last UK #1 of the '70s. (thanks, Alan - Blackpool, Lancs, England)
Part 1 of this song is often overlooked. It is saying that because Pink's father went off and died in WWII, he built The Wall to protect him from other people. In the movie you see him at the playground with the other kids and their fathers, then one of the kids leaves with his father and Pink tries to touch the father's hand. The father pushes him away quite aggressively then leaves. (thanks, Andres - Santa Rosa, CA)
In 2004, Peter Rowan, a Scottish musician who runs a royalties firm, started tracking down the kids who sang in the chorus, who were by then in their 30s. Under a 1996 copyright law, they were entitled to a small amount of money for participating on the record. Rowan was no so much interested in the money as in getting the chorus together for a reunion.
On July 7, 2007, Roger Waters performed this as the Live Earth concert at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. Live Earth was organized to raise awareness of global warming, and the slogan for the event was "Save Our Selves" (S.O.S.). Waters poked fun at Pink Floyd and the event by flying a giant inflatable big overhead, which was a classic Pink Floyd stage prop, except this one was emblazoned wit the words "Save Our Sausages." (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)
Roger Waters did the Scottish voices on the track. He told Mojo magazine December 2009 laughing, "I can do mad Scotsman and high court judges."
The teacher character in this song shows up again in Pink Floyd's next album,
The Final Cut (1983), notably in the song "
The Hero's Return." He is based on the many men who returned from war and entered the teaching profession, as they had no other opportunities.
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At any rate, I definately don't think this song is ANTI-education, it's definately PRO. I think Waters is just protesting the way it was provided to the kids, whether it trys to eliminate individuality, if the teachers were abusive to the kids, or if they just didn't give a sh*t about the kids and just wanted to get payed. I don't know, I wasn't there.
And Michael, from NY, I felt EXACTLY the same way as a kid when hearing there songs on the radio, so I can see where you're coming from. It wasn't until after I went through hell (sort of) in my life and learned to like darker, more somber, even depressing types of music, along with learning more about the band and what they were talking about in their songs that I learned to love Pink Floyd. They're now one of my favorite bands (along with Metallica, I'm a metalhead so I like fast, heavy stuff too!) I don't know how old you are for all I know you're older than I am and more experienced, maybe you just like more upbeat music that's fine.
All right I'm done with my rant, peace out!
I hypothesize that Pink Floyd/Bob Ezrin were reacting to the Punk D.I.Y. movement, esp. Sex Pistols(who freq. spoke poor english-obviously intentionally). By '79 "corporate bands" (The Who, Queen and labels like "EMI" were sufficiently mocked as establishment providing enough incentive for Floyd to speak double negatives.
I want to perform this song but until now I have got no chance.This is an excellent song for us,students,
"If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding. How can you
have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?"
"You! Yes, you behind the bikesheds, stand still laddie!"
School can be a demeaning experience that punishes kids for individuality in the hands of the wrong people. In this case, you have to consider the 'characters' of the story. The Final Cut fleshes out the pitiful Schoolmaster character as well as the lyrics of "Happiest Days.." He's a pissed-off old codger who feels he gets no respect as a war vet after all of the parades died down, no respect from his wife at home and no respect from his students (who have no idea of his heroics in the war - although his 'heroics' included firebombing Dresden to ashes). From Pink's perspective, this yelling, sarcasm and bullying is just another 'brick' in his eventual Wall. One of many. So, to dwell too much on this is to miss the point of the "Another Brick" theme in the overall album. As mentioned here. The song has 3 parts and you can also hear the music theme repeated throughout. War, daddy gone, bad schoolmasters (not necessarily bad school), mothers, girlfriends, drugs, etc..they are all Bricks.
On a purely musical track, the disco beat in this Part was Ezrin's suggestion to milk a single out of all this. Nick Mason had to learn a straight 4 on the floor beat, which was not his style of drumming at all. In fact, he ahd to lear to read drum charts for the first time. His style is known as being loosey-goosey which fits their jam-band style fine, but the Wall was tight project with no room to improvise. Also, for the guitarists, Gilmour's lead was a straight line-input injection into the mixing console. No amp, no effects - just pure guitar. Amazing.
I find that this song is one of those very few songs that no matter how bad one's singing voice is, you still can sing along with it.
thats my interpertation, but maybe im wrong.
come on people!!
FLOYD 4 EVER!!!
Sorry to sound pissed but I really can't stand it when people over analize songs.
Nowadays, things are different in every way- unionized teachers, kids getting their completely street-stock Hondas and other (read: older American) cars vandalized because they are not like those of "The Fast & The Furious", the music that I grew up on as well as rock and old country would make good fodder for teasing because kids only listen to rap nowadays, the government is creating useless, disabled young men and women in their highly intensified athletic programs (especially soccer and cheerleading), they have turned the Grand Game of Golf into a team sport, and there are too many other abominations to fit into a Songfacts comment box while leaving room for other comments.
After listening to this song for a number of times, I always thought that the line "all in all you're just another brick in the wall" referred to how the teachers simply thought of the children as a unit as opposed to individual students. I based this of the idea that children were "meant to be seen not heard" which was promoted in 20th century and such.
But anyway- I absolutely love this song! Im 13 and I cant STAND school. and also to Micheal from Tuscan: its about Roger Waters. The album, i mean. Viva Pink Floyd!
Waters got the inspiration for this album while they were touring. At a concert, some fans were ecspicially obnoxious, setting of firecrackers and taunting the band. Roger got so angry he stopped the music and made a spech with lots of cussing in it to the crowd. Later he wished he hadn't done it, and thought of the concept of a wall between the audience and band, and other metaphorical walls.
Let's catalog the errors shall we?
Ok:
The concept of the album is not walls that people put up to protect themselves. The concept is the wall that Waters felt was developing between the band and the audience.
"To make this album, they came up with the concept of the character "Pink." Bob Ezrin wrote a script, and they worked the songs around the character. The story was made into the movie The Wall, starring Bob Geldof as "Pink." Many people believe you have to be stoned to enjoy the film."
This is the single most ridiculous thing I have ever read and the webmaster of this site should be ashamed for trying to pass this off as a "fact".
"For the stage show, a giant wall was erected in front of the band using hidden hydraulic lifts as they played. It measured 160x35ft when completed, and about halfway through the show, the bricks were gradually knocked down to reveal the band."
WRONG. The show started with the band in full view. As the show progressed a wall was built in front of the band and stayed that way the entire second half of the show. At the end of the show the wall was knocked down.
"Waters sang lead. When he left Pink Floyd and the band toured without him, Gilmour sang it."
Waters and Gilmour sing lead vocals together on the album.
Pathetic.
"Hey, Joker is Poker with a J! Coincedince?"
Chandler (sarcasticly):
"And Coincedince is Joincedince with a C!"
You guys screw up all the facts to make soething as small and undone as possible. Just listen and love the music.
You can find a link to "The Wall" movie here :o)
Where can I find it?
'Snapshot in the family album'
This song is pretty appropriate since so far I'm failing because I just don't care anymore. Sure, I may be disillusioned, distant, and a music, art and poetry obsessed demented weirdo, and that's also how everyone else sees me. My life is going nowhere, but I don't really care, I just want to get out of school. And that's my rant for the day.
I hope Syd's well and happy.
The movie the wall is about Pink.
Roger Waters is Pink.
The Wall is about Roger Waters.
Logic.
The wall is an awesome album, I do not like all this smack talking about it. Atom Heart Mother is the best album If not that, maybe Ummmagumma. Careful with that axe, Eugene.
Now, if you meet someone that says they like Pink Floyd, and they say "Another Brick in the Wall" is their favorite song....Don't make fun of them, get them a copy of Legendary Rock Stars Greatest Hits, this world needs more Floyd Fans.
- mat, henderson, NC
- LOL
The material that Waters wrote during this period actually spanned two other albums. As was mentioned The Pros and Cons of Hitchiking was an album he wrote while he was writing The Wall. The Final Cut, the last Floyd album with Waters on it, is almost exclusively made up of the songs rejected by the band when they did The Wall.
Waters was never the lead singer for the band. He wrote the material and sang some of it but David Gilmour has always been the band's lead singer since Syd was replaced in 1967.
The Wall is not exclusively about Waters' feelings on being on stage in front of thousands of people, it is not exclusively about Syd, and it is not exclusively about his father. It is a combination of all three. For instance the scene in the movie where "Pink" shaves his head and eyebrows is something Syd did during the period when he was visiting the Floyd in the stuido while they were recording Wish You Were Here.
Roger Waters never had a problem with dementia so it is not about him going deeper and deeper into seclusion. However the "bricks" are the things in his life that he feels isolates him from the rest of the world.
The movie is interesting whether you are stoned or not.
The incident where a promoter asked "Which one's Pink?" happened in Seattle around 1968.
Not everyone in the band felt the Wall that Waters did. These feelings in this album are his own.
I thankyou!!!
The old rockers still doing it.
The band not my daughters...................!
After the song was on air, a former principal of a private boarding school killed himself. This school had a great reputation for its musical lessons and the chorus singing in this song's background happened to be from that same school.
Investigators found out that he massively abused students on the attic, which was an open secret there and referred to as "he takes another one up the roof".
The children were too frightened to report, but when asked to perform they took revenge: instead of singing "all in all you're just a..." they sang "hol ihn, hol ihn unters Dach" (german: take him, take him under the roof) which is pronounced very similar. The man killed himself in fear of being prosecuted.
NOTE: This is _not_ a true story. Tell this to a native german speaking person and he will freak out listening to the song, because you really hear the modified lyrics after you heard the story. Funny thing how much one's brain contributes to perception...
Dave, Toronto
1. Roger Waters got the idea for the album when he became frustrated with touring. Many people go to concerts for the experience, and not to listen to the music. These people, screaming, lighting firecrackers, etc., are what frustrated Waters. The 'last straw' was a show in Montreal on the 'Animals' tour (not the 'Wall' tour as somebody said - how would that have been possible?). "I was onstage and there was one guy in the front row shouting and screaming all the way through everything. In the end I called him over and when he got close enough, spat in his face. I shocked myself with that incident enough to think: hold on a minute--this is all wrong. I'm hating this," according to Waters. (quote from http://www.angelfire.com/va/battersea/tour.html)
2. Syd Barrett was the inspiration for several Pink Floyd works, most notably 'Wish You Were Here' ('Shine On You Crazy Diamond' in particular). However, 'The Wall' is indeed based on the life of Roger Waters, not the life of Syd Barrett. Roger's dad was killed in World War II, he had an overprotective mother, befriended a poisoned rat, had horrible teachers, the whole bit. However, once Pink starts to go off the deep end, some of his quirks and behaviors are based on Syd's.
3. "the movie "the wall" is believed to be about roger waters life, even though he denies it"
- james, sudbury, Canada
No, he doesn't. The DVD commentary track features Roger explaining in great detail what inspired the movie, as he has an entertaining conversation with Gerald Scarfe, the film's production designer and animator.
4. The 'Have A Cigar' incident does not relate to The Wall in any way. It's a retelling of an actual occurence and helps to illustrate the cluelessness of most record executives.
5. "Actually the wall wasn't origionally about Pink, or bariers between people. He got the Idea for the movie when he was on the wall tour. he spat on a concert attender when he was trying to climb the wall. Later he realized how cold it was to have done that, and felt really bad. Thus the wall (movie) was born. I found this in the "Making of" on the wall dvd."
- Chas, Webster, NY
That's not what it says. The idea was born during the 'Animals' tour in 1977. How on Earth could he get the idea for The Wall while performing The Wall? That would have created a time paradox and destroyed the Earth.
6. The phrase 'Another brick in the wall' refers to various events in Pink's/Roger's life that encouraged or forced him to build a protective wall around himself. His father's death, his mother's doting, his terrible school experience, the breakup of his marriage, pressures of touring, drugs, etc.
7. "any hardcore fan of Pink Floyd would appreciate the sheer mastermind of Roger Waters' writing in the song but the song itself sucks."
- Cristian, Brentwood, Canada
Wow. Just ... wow.
reenybiddle@yahoo.com
poser: I LOOOOOVE Pink FLoyd
Fan: really? whats your favorite song?
poser: we don't need no education, what else?!?!
fan: you idiot
I ask her, "Girl, what are you doing listening to to Pink Floyd?" She said," I just like the way it sounds." I don't believe she ever really listen the lyrics.
during a concert in the Olympic stadium
(the big O)in Montreal where he did feel a Wall
between the band and the crowd. This stadium is
huge and the band felt isolated on the stage,like
being behind a Wall.
The concert was played before a full house and
was a huge success.
Æ?mile from Sherbrooke, Qu?bec
but everybody (well almost) spoke french increa-
sing the feeling of a Wall