In The Flesh

Album: The Wall (1979)
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  • So ya
    Thought ya
    Might like to
    Go to the show

    To feel the warm thrill of confusion
    That space cadet glow
    I've got some bad news for you, sunshine
    Pink isn't well, he stayed back at the hotel
    And they sent us along as a surrogate band
    We're going to find out where you fans really stand

    Are there any queers in the theater tonight?
    Get 'em up against the wall (get them up)
    Now, there's one in the spotlight
    He don't look right to me
    Then get him up against the wall (get them)

    Now, that one looks Jewish
    And that one's a coon
    Who let all this riffraff into the room?
    There's one smoking a joint
    And another with spots

    If I had my way, I'd have all of them shot Writer/s: Roger Waters
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 27

  • Johnson Not From Ohio from The State Next To Ohio That Starts With One Of The Other VowelsWelp, here we are in 2022 and how anyone can still ignore the original meaning of "In The Flesh" and who it refers to gives me a more hopeless vision for the fate of mankind in the Eternal than I could have ever dreamed since The Wall was released. With the Second Coming and Judgement Day quickly approaching, will YOU be " put up against the wall"?
  • Nick, Also From Ohio from From OhioHey, Honest Monster (from Ohio), I think most people are referring to the character in the movie, "The Wall," since that is whose perspective this song is being sung. I believe most people know on this site that Pink Floyd isn't a person in the band.
  • KingIm not 100% on all the detail but it was also partly inspired by his montreal breakdown when he spit in a fans face on July 6th 1977. That incident as a whole was a large source of inspiration for The Wall
  • Honest Monster from OhioFFS, Pink Floyd wasn't a single person in the band.
  • Tyler Smith from Ohio (close Enough, Eh)This is pretty wierd. As a person living in 2020 I find Floyd as a seriously unstable man. This song really shines light on the fact that it is a story about someone, not Pink Floyd in general.
  • Jaybird from Arizona I know to me this song represents Pink Floyd in general. When I was little I used to use the what nots and talk about the philosophy of Floyd. Years later with my head right it dawned on me playing this song working outside. This song's about all Floyd and that space cadet glow the confusion and debating certain groups that followed Floyd thought about. Basically its music that people dug deep into and Roger Waters knew it. "In The Flesh" shows how ridiculous people get over music and he throws it right out on the table to observe any way you like. The song's not racist, but it is a bold statement to show how stupid we can all be and how controlling music can be.
  • Chloe from St. Louis, Moits not racist, its about a racist guy! the wall is a story- its more of a movie without visuals than an album, in some ways. the main character, pink, has just had a schizophrenic break from the pressures of society, in other words, LOST HIS FREAKIN MIND, and starts acting like a nazi!
  • Oldpink from New Castle, InSadly, I once worked with a guy who loved this song because Roger's lyrics were literal, as the guy was a rabid racist.
    All I could do was shake my head in amazement that a person could ever be so incredibly obtuse.
  • Patrick from Bremen, GaThe "another with spots" lyric reflects what the Nazis thought about those who stayed constantly sick, or became ill for more than a couple of days. They also believed a lot of the minority races spread disease, and if you caught it, it meant you had some portion of that minority in you. The Nazis dealt with the sickly in the same manner how some people might deal with a gravely sick dog or horse.

    In the classic Disney cartoon "Education For Death," which talks about how a child in Nazi Germany is raised to think like a Nazi, there is a scene where the main character gets sick. The narrator then describes how a Nazi soldier arrives to the boy's home, and warns the mother to stop the mollycoddling, and that if the boy's health doesn't improve soon, they will take him away.
  • Al from Philidelphia, Pamy interpretation is that it is making fun of the racist stupidity of supremacist groups(nazis, KKK, black panthers) and the morons who go to concerts and such and whatever the performer does is instantly amazing and needs to be done everywhere.
  • Ziggy from Redding, Cayes, in the movie, pink appears to be a neo-nazi type character, and hes picking out people from the audience that stood out from others, just like hitler did. In response to what Matt from NY said, he said "another with spots" just because thats another person that doesnt fit in with all the rest.
  • Allie from A Little Ol' Town In, MiVery racist i must say, but if you look at the music, intresting music
  • Kris from Wichita, KsIdk i'm pretty sure that muff is right with his answer. Waters put to pride in his writing and it would seem wrong if he just threw in somthin that rhymed with shot. I have to say that this song is great and it's not the beliefs of Pink Floyd so don't think they're a racist band
  • Matt from New York, NyI really think the "another with spots" line was just written out of pure laziness. Waters just needed a rhyme for "shot."
  • James from Bedford, CanadaI think this is the point in the album where Pink feels he cannot put up with his situation anymore, and tries using 'fleshy' or earthly instincts (anger and blame) as a solution. he is now creating suffering to forget that of his own. the wall- a symbol of an impassable barrier, is something Pink puts them up against- he's giving them that feeling of being trapped that he has felt before. something he says is "pink's not well, he stayed back at the hotel"- he says this because he feels he can no longer relate to the person he was- the person crying out from behind the wall. he has snapped into an angry person to become someone.
  • Muff from Siouxer City, Ia"and another with spots" I think Waters put this line in there as an exaggeration to show how far some people will go with there prejudice. It is not just a matter of being a noe-nazi or any other kind of orginized hate group. We all have our little and big bricks that make up this section of the wall. Be it taught to us as kids by parants, teachers, political leaders, or our own personal interactions with other people of differant race or background that cause us to make a judgment on all people like that. stereotyping if you will. Or even that we should fear what is differant or what we dont understand.
  • Steveb from Spokane, WaComplete satire, I hope everyone realizes that.

    And David, that craziness is a good feeling. Embrace it, get through it, see where it takes your mind, and once the bad parts are over you'll awaken an intellectually enlightened individual like Waters. Too bad ole Rog sold out, bought an island and ruined this masterpiece in a BS Berlin-located publicity stunt. Sinead O Connor needs to die painfully.
  • Shelby from Out Beyond The Wall, Kythe end of this is amazing
  • Jordan from Calgary, CanadaThis song inspired a group of skinheads called the Hammerskins, which is considered on e of the most organized skinhead group. Their symbol is the two hammers, like on the movie.
  • James from Lexington, KyIt's mostly based on Roger Waters' observation over the course of the band's last few big stadium tours that what was going on reminded him of a Nazi rally, and that he could scream out anything he wanted to and get applause, because the audience had basically given up their own thought.
  • Slim from Champaign, IlYou'll just have to claw your way through this disguise.
  • Slim from Champaign, Ilthe ones thats pink, always said, If you cant take a joke then F*** Ya
  • Dave from Toledo, OhOK folks you need to understand this is a "concept album" it tells a story; like a book, from start to finish. The whole album was spawned from Rogers disconnect from his fans. (the whole spitting incident) This song refers to how he feels the fans are so "blinded" and how he has become so "comercialized" it doesent matter how insulting or offensive he has become the fans will keep cheering-- he creates this image of himself (Pink)as well not liking what he has become-- notice "run like hell" is a warning of the band being out of control-- and follows(not immedietly) in the flesh.
  • David from Port Hawkesbury, CanadaThe movie really is something....makes me feel kinda crazy
  • Petter from Ã?ngelholm, Swedenwhen the movie The Wall came out, Alan Parker (director) and Roger Waters were afraid that the fascist/nazi elements in this song (and more) would inspire real life neo-nazis, and that the hammer sign (used by neo-nazi Pink like the swastika got used by Hitler). in fact, some nazis and fascists (like the real-life skinheads that got cast as the nazis in the movie) did not get the message (that Pink had become a lunatic) and began to use the symbols etc. from the movie.
  • Katie from Tallahassee, FlI love the beginning of The Wall where the people break through the gates/doors right as Part 1 gets started. The visual and audio look great together. The movie and album are just pure magic.
  • Johnny from Los Angeles, CaJEEZ! Nobody has commented! I can't believe you guys. My father forbid me to play this at my Bar Mitzvah, looking at the lyrics I now know why!?!?!
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