STWallEra

SOLO

INDEX

IN THE FLESH ? (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

David Gilmour: 1970 Fender Stratocaster; Roger Waters: lead vocals, bass guitar, VCS3; Rick Wright: Synthetizer; Nick Mason: drums; Freddie Mandell: Hammond B3 Organ; Bruce Johnston, Toni Tenille, Joe CHemay, Jon Joyce, Stan Farber, Jim Haas: Backing vocals.

Roger Waters :

« In the Flesh? fait référence à notre tournée de 1977, qui s’appelait In the Flesh. C’est le logo que nous avions pris pour la tournée. C’est sensé planter le décor. Sur l’album, j’imagine que personne ne peut s’en rendre compte parce que pendant le concert, à ce moment-là, nous devions être reconnaissables mais déguisés ».

« Reflexions on the Wall », Bob Carruthers, 2005.

Roger Waters :

« At the end of “In the Flesh”, you hear somebody shouting “roll the sound effects” da-da-da, and you hear the sound of bombers, so it gives you some indication of what’s happening…. So it’s a flashback, we start telling the story. In terms of this, it’s about my generation»

«Jim Ladd interview», Capital Radio, 30 November 1979

« … We came in ? »

So ya thought ya might like to go to the show

To feel the warm thrill of confusion, that space cadet glow

Tell me, is something eluding you, sunshine?

Is this not what you expected to see?

If you wanna find out what's behind these cold eyes

You'll just have to claw your way through this disguise

Lights!

Roll the sound effects!

Action!

Drop it, drop it on 'em

Drop it, drop it on them!

THE THIN ICE (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979)

David Gilmour: Lead vocals, Prophet-5 synthesizer, 1970 Fender Stratocaster; Roger Waters: lead vocals, bass guitar; Rick Wright: Hammond B3 organ, piano; Nick Mason: drums.

Roger Waters:

« It's supposed to be about how...I think it's about how parents start inducing, almost inject, their own fears and worries into their children from a very early age. Particularly in my case when they had just been through a world war or something like that -- we all go through devestating experiences and we tend to pass them onto our children when they are very young -- I suspect »

« Innerview with Jim Ladd », Capital Radio, March 1980

Momma loves her baby

And Daddy loves you too

And the sea may look warm to you, babe

And the sky may look blue

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, babe

Ooh-ooh-ooh, baby blue

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, babe

If you should go skating

On the thin ice of modern life

Dragging behind you, the silent reproach

Of a million tear stained eyes

Don't be surprised when a crack in the ice

Appears under your feet

You'll slip out of your depth and out of your mind

With your fear flowing out behind you

As you claw the thin ice

Daddy's flown across the ocean

Leaving just a memory

A snapshot in the family album

Daddy, what else did you leave for me?

Daddy, what'd ya leave behind for me?

All in all, it was just a brick in the wall

All in all, it was all just bricks in the wall

« Hey! »

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 1) (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

David Gilmour: Harmonies vocals, guitars; Roger Waters: lead vocals, harmonies vocals; bass guitar; Rick Wright: Hammond B3 organ, piano; Nick Mason: drums.

Roger Waters:

It works on various levels; it doesn’t have to be about the war. I mean it should work for any generation really. The father is also... people who leave their families to go and work, not that I would leave my family to go and work, but lots of people do and have done, so it’s not meant to be a simple story about, you know, somebody’s getting killed in the war or growing up and going to school, etc, etc, etc but about being left, more generally»

«The Friday Rock Show- interview by Tommy Vance», Capital Radio, 30 November 1979

Roger Waters:

«On the simplest level, whenever something bad happens, he [Pink] isolates himself a bit more; i.e., symbolically he adds another brick to his wall to protect himself»

«A Saucerful of Secrets», Nicholas Schaffner, 1992

Roger Waters:

« My school life was very like that. Oh, it was awful, it was really terrible. When I hear people whining on now about bringing back Grammar schools it really makes me quite ill to listen to it. Because I went to a boys Grammar school and although… I want to make it plain that some of the men who taught (it was a boys school) some of the men who taught there were very nice guys, you know I’m not… it’s not meant to be a blanket condemnation of teachers everywhere, but the bad ones can really do people in–and there were some at my school who were just incredibly bad and treated the children so badly, just putting them down, putting them down, you know, all the time. Never encouraging them to do things, not really trying to interest them in anything, just trying to keep them quiet and still, and crush them into the right shape, so that they would go to university and « do well » »

«The Friday Rock Show- interview by Tommy Vance», Capital Radio, 30 November 1979

THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF OUR LIVES (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979)

David Gilmour: Backing vocals, guitars; Roger Waters: Lead and backing vocals, bass guitar; Rick Wright: Hammond B3 organ, Höhner Clavinet D6; Nick Mason: Floor tom, snare, kick drum, percussions; James Guthrie: hi-hat, choke cymbals.

‘The tyrannical school master was inspired by the teacher named Arthur William Eagling of the Cambridgeshire High School for Boys on Hills Road. The headmaster, was nicknamed 'Crippen' after the infamous Victorian murderer by Storm Throgerson and Roger Waters who were together

« You! Yes, you! Stand still, laddie! »

When we grew up and went to school

There were certain teachers who

Would hurt the children in any way they could (Oof!)

By pouring their derision upon anything we did

Exposing every weakness

However carefully hidden by the kid

But in the town,

it was well known,

when they got home at night

Their fat and psychopathic wives

would thrash them

within inches of their lives

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2) (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979), « A collection of great Dance Songs » (1981) & « Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd » (2000) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

David Gilmour: Lead vocals, 1955 Les Paul Goldtop guitar, 1954 Fender Stratocaster, 1957 Fender green Stratocaster; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, Fender Precision bass guitar; Rick Wright: Hammond B3 Organ (on Leslie 122), Prophet-5 synthesizer; Nick Mason: Ludwig drums kit with Paiste cymbals; Islington Green School 4th class (Ian Abbott, Sybilla Agasee, John Brewer, Wendy Brexer, Lee Briscoe, Simon Brown, Elisabeth Caulton, Lutfi Celul, Angela Chondhury, Eddie David, Caroline Greeves, Trudy Gunner, Dulice Liecier, Georgina McElroy, Tabitha Mellor, Alex Osmann, Liam Southwood, Virgina Swingler, David Szyszko, Peter Thorpe): Vocals children choir.

Maybe the most popular song of Pink Floyd is one of the few from « The Wall » featuring all the members playing their own instrument. Gilmour was the responsible of the disco version of this track by writing all the rhythm, organ and the last part (solo).

David Gilmour:

« It isn’t the track of our oeuvre I would have chosen. It’s quite a thrill for kids to hear this « we don’t need no education » chant - a little anthemic piece, but too easy to take out of context. For me to say the height of our artistic career, a hundred others would come to mind first ».

«This Wall is more like an iron curtain», The Los Angeles Times, 12 December 1999

Nick Mason:

« Another Brick est devenu un single en partie grâce à l’influence de Bob Ezrin, qui, curieusement, a toujours voulu produire un single disco. D’un autre côté, nous avons abandonné l’idée de sortir des singles, dans un accès de dépit quand Point Me at the Sky n’avait pas atteint le niveau que nous voulions dans les charts. Bob a toujours gardé l’espoir de faire un single et c’est à la dernière minute que le morceau a été mis à la bonne durée pour cela. Le morceau était bâti sur un tempo de 100 battements par minute, ce qui était le rythme idéal du disco, et donc le concept d’un hit disco était né à notre grand étonnement. Un étonnement qui est devenu encore plus fort quand nous avons fini numéro un pour Noël 1979 ! ».

« Inside Out - A personal story of Pink Floyd », Nick Mason, 2005.

David Gilmour:

«It wasn’t my idea to do disco music, it was Bob’s. He said to me, “Go to a couple of clubs and listen to what’s happening with disco music,” so I forced myself out and listened to loud, four-to-the-bar bass drums and stuff and thought, “Gawd awful!” Then we went back and tried to turn one of the Another Brick In The Wall parts into one of those so it would be catchy. We did the same exercise on Run Like Hell».

«Danger! Band imploding!», Mojo Magazine, December 1999

Bob Ezriin:

By the time we recorded Another Brick In The Wall Part 2, I had learned that David was very good on a first take. I had a sound setup for him, but I kind of lied a little bit. I said, « David, can I just run the ending of the song so I can set up a sound for you? » So I let the song run, and of course I recorded it, and that solo that’s on Another Brick In The Wall Part 2 is exactly what he played. Just like that, off the top of his head. It was so good I decided: « We’re not touching it. We’re gonna let it go all the way to the very end »

«The solo in Comfortably Numb is actually a first take! », Total Guitar, July 2022

We don't need no education

We don't need no thought control

No dark sarcasm in the classroom

Teacher, leave them kids alone

Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone!

All in all, it's just another brick in the wall

All in all, you're just another brick in the wall

We don't need no education

We don't need no thought control

No dark sarcasm in the classroom

Teacher, leave them kids alone

Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone!

All in all, it's just another brick in the wall

All in all, you're just another brick in the wall

« Wrong, do it again!

Wrong, do it again!

If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!

(Wrong, do it again!)

How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?

(Wrong, do it again!)

You! Yes! You behind the bike sheds! Stand still, laddie!

(If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!

How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?)

(You! Yes! You behind the bike sheds! Stand still, laddie!) »

Mother, do you think they'll drop the bomb?

Mother, do you think they'll like this song?

Mother, do you think they'll try to break my balls?

Ooh-ah, Mother, should I build the wall?

Mother, should I run for president?

Mother, should I trust the government?

Mother, will they put me in the firing line?

Ooh-ah, is it just a waste of time?

Hush now, baby, baby, don't you cry

Mamma's gonna make all of your nightmares come true

Mamma's gonna put all of her fears into you

Mamma's gonna keep you right here, under her wing

She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing

Mamma's gonna keep baby cosy and warm

Ooh babe, ooh babe, ooh babe

Of course, Mamma's gonna help build the wall

Mother, do you think she's good enough… For me?

Mother, do you think she's dangerous… To me?

Mother, will she tear your little boy apart?

Ooh-ah, Mother, will she break my heart?

Hush now, baby, baby, don't you cry

Mamma's gonna check out all your girlfriends for you

Mamma won't let anyone dirty get through

Mamma's gonna wait up until you get in

Mamma will always find out where you've been

Mamma's gonna keep baby healthy and clean

Ooh babe, ooh babe, ooh babe

You'll always be “baby” to me

Mother, did it need to be so high?

« Look, Mummy!

There's an aeroplane up in the sky »

Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Did-did-did-did you see the frightened ones?

Did-did-did-did you hear the falling bombs?

Did-did-did-did you ever wonder why we had to run for shelter when the promise of a brave new world unfurled beneath the clear blue sky?

Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Did-did-did-did you see the frightened ones?

Did-did-did-did you hear the falling bombs?

The flames are all long gone

But the pain lingers on

Goodbye, blue sky

Goodbye, blue sky

Goodbye

Goodbye

What shall we use to fill the empty spaces

Where we used to talk?

How shall I fill the final places?

How should I complete the wall?

I am just a new boy

A stranger in this town

Where are all the good times?

Who's gonna show this stranger around?

Ooooh, I need a dirty woman

Ooooh, I need a dirty girl

Will some woman in this desert land

Make me feel like a real man?

Take this rock and roll refugee

Oooh, baby set me free

Will some woman in this desert land

Make me feel like a real man?

Take this rock and roll refugee

Oooh, baby set me free

Ooooh, I need a dirty woman

Ooooh, I need a dirty girl

Ooooh, I need a dirty woman

Ooooh, I need a dirty girl

YOUNG LUST (David Gilmour, Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979)

David Gilmour: Lead vocals, Workmate Telecaster guitar, bass guitar; Roger Waters: Harmonies vocals; Rick Wright: Hammond B3 organ, Wurlitzer piano;

Nick Mason: Drums; Chris Fitzmorris: Voices.

This track was considered for the 2000 compilation «Echoes - The best of Pink Floyd» but was eventually rejected.

Roger Waters:

«Young Lust reminds me very much of a song we recorded years and years ago called ‘The Nile Song’. It’s very similar, Dave sings it in a very similar way. I love the vocals. But it’s meant to be a pastiche of any young rock and roll band out on the road»

«Interview with Tommy Vance», Radio One, November 1979

David Gilmour:

«Several tracks from the original demo were dropped, whole chunks were changed and the original ‘Young Lust’ only survived in its chorus»

«Is There Anybody Out There? · The Wall Live - Deluxe Limited Edition

MOTHER (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

David Gilmour: Lead vocals, bass guitar, electric guitar solo, acoustic guitar; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar; Bob Ezrin: organ, piano, synthesizer; Jeff Porcaro: drums.

Nick Mason was replaced for the drums part since he wasn’t comfortable with the unusual 5/4 rythm pattern. This track was considered for the 2000 compilation «Echoes - The best of Pink Floyd» but was eventually rejected. The song is slightly altered in the soundtrack of the film.

Roger Waters:

«It’s got 5/4 bars in it. Nick, to his great credit, has no presence about that, it was quite clear he couldn’t play it. He said «I can’t play that». Or maybe somebody said to him «Nick, maybe you should get somebody else to play this because you’re struggling»».

«The show must go on», Rock Classic, January 2000.

David Gilmour:

« (…) So I hired Jeff Porcaro to do it. And Roger latched on this idea, the way he always did with my ideas and began to think, I Nick really necessary ? ».

« The third coming », Mojo, May 1994.

Roger Waters:

« When the record came out, I talked to (my mother) about it, and warned her what it was about »

« A Roger Waters Interview by Karl Dallas », Roliing Stone, 22 September 1982

GOODBYE BLUE SKY (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

David Gilmour: Lead vocals, Harmonies vocals, Fender Precision bass guitar, Ovation 1613-4 nylon string acoustic, synthesizers; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, harmonies vocals, VCS3; Rick Wright: Synthesizer; Harry Waters: Voices.

The voice of the child in the beginning of the song come from the Waters’ son Harry.

Roger Waters:

«.Since we compiled the album I haven't really clearly tried to think my way through it, but I know that this area is very confusing. I think the best way to describe it is as a recap if you like of side one. (This is the start of side two.) And you could look upon "Goodbye blue sky" as a recap of side one. So, yes, it's remembering one's childhood and then getting ready to set off into the rest of one's life. »

« Friday Rock Show », BBC, 30 November 1979

EMPTY SPACES (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

David Gilmour: Guitars, Hohner Clavinet D6, Prophet-5, Strings on ARP Solina; Roger Waters: Vocals, CS3, bass guitar; Rick Wright: Piano; James Guthrie: Strings on ARP Solina.

There is a hidden message at 1:12 mark with the voice of Roger and James Guthrie. This backward message is a reference to Syd: « Hello looker. Congratulations. You’ve just discovered the secret message. Please send your answer to Old Pink, care of the funny farm, Chalfont… Roger! Carolyne’s on the phone! Okay ».

Roger Waters:

« It's just about the ways that one protects oneself from one's isolation by becoming obsessed with other people's ideas. Whether the idea is that it's good to drive...have a powerful car, you know, or whether you're obsessed with the idea of being a vegetarian...adopting somebody else's criteria for yourself. Without considering them from a position of really being yourself; on this level the story is extremely simplistic, I hope that on other levels there are less tangible, more effective things that come through. I think it's ok in a show, where you only hear the words, you probably won't hear the words at all the way rock and roll shows get produced »

« Interview with Tommy Vance », Radio One, 30 November 1979

ONE OF MY TURNS (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979)

David Gilmour: Lead electric guitar; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, bass guitar; Rick Wright: Piano; Nick Mason: Drums, percussion; Lee Ritenour: Rhythm guitar; Trudy Young: Vocals.

David Gilmour:

«I got a rhythm player in on One of my Turns because I couldn’t think of a good part to play. Lee Ritenour played that part on the last half of that»

David Gilmour:

«I can say Pink is not like the external Roger. Maybe Roger is like that inside. But Roger doesn’t sit in hotel rooms brooding, or go around smashing up hotel rooms. A lot of what the character does is fiction borrowed from other people’s lives»

«Pink Floyd promotes ‘The Wall’», Valley News, 27 August 1982

«Oh my God! What a fabulous room! Are all these your guitars ?

(I’m sorry sir, I didn't mean to startle you)

«God! This place is bigger than our apartment!»

(Let me know when you're entering a room)

(Yes sir)

«Um, can I get a drink of water ?»

(I was wondering about)

«You want some, huh ?»

(Yes)

«Oh wow! Hey, look at this tub! Wanna take a bath ?»

(I'll have to find out from Mrs. Bancroft what time she wants to meet us, for her main)

« What are you watching ?»

(If you'll just let me know as soon as you can,

Mrs Bancroft, Mrs Bancroft)

«Hello ?»

(I don't understand)

«Are you feeling okay?»

Day after day, the love turns gray

Like the skin of a dying man

And night after night we pretend it's all right

But I have grown older

And you have grown colder

And nothing is very much fun any more

And I can feel one of my turns coming on

I feel cold as a razor blade

Tight as a tourniquet

Dry as a funeral drum

Run to the bedroom

In the suitcase on the left

You'll find my favourite axe

Don't look so frightened

This is just a passing phase

One of my bad days

Would you like to watch TV?

Or get between the sheets?

Or contemplate the silent freeway?

Would you like something to eat?

Would you like to learn to fly?

Would ya?

Would you like to see me try ?

Would you like to call the cops?

Do you think it's time I stopped?

Why are you running away?

DON’T LEAVE ME NOW (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Bob Ezrin & James Guthrie.

David Gilmour: Guitars, sounds effects, backing vocals, bass guitar; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, Fender Stratocaster guitar, VCS3; Rick Wright: Hammond B3 organ, piano, synthesizers; Nick Mason: Drums.

Ooooh babe, don't leave me now

Don't say it's the end of the road

Remember the flowers I sent

I need you, babe

To put through the shredder

In front of my friends

Ooooh babe, don't leave me now

Ooooh babe, don't leave me now

How could you go?

When you know how I need you

To beat to a pulp on a Saturday night

Ooooh babe, don't leave me now

How can you treat me this way?

Running away

Ooooh babe

Why are you running away ?

Ooh, babe

Ooh, babe

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 3) (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

David Gilmour: Prophet-5 synthesizer, guitars; Roger Waters: lead vocals, guitar; Rick Wright: Prophet-5 synthesizer; Nick Mason: drums.

I don't need no arms around me

And I don't need no drugs to calm me

I have seen the writing on the wall

Don't think I need anything at all

No!

Don't think I'll need anything at all

All in all it was all just bricks in the wall

All in all you were all just bricks in the wall

GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

Roger Waters: Lead vocals, Bass guitar; Rick Wright: Prophet synthesizers.

Roger Waters:

« That’s him going catatonic if you like, that final and he’s going back and he’s just curling up and he’s not going to move. That’s it, he’s had enough, that’s the end. »

«The Friday Rock Show- interview by Tommy Vance», Capital Radio, 30 November 1979

Goodbye cruel world

I'm leaving you today

Goodbye

Goodbye

Goodbye

Goodbye, all you people

There's nothing you can say

To make me change my mind

Goodbye

HEY YOU (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

Roger Waters: Lead vocals; David Gilmour: Lead vocals, Red Sunburst Fender Precision-style bass guitar, Ovation 1619-4 acoustic guitar, Martin D12-28 acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel guitar; Rick Wright: Hammond B3 organ, electric piano, synthesizers; Nick Mason: Drums; James Guthrie: Sounds effects.

TAt the last minute, the title was originally placed at the end of the side 3 of the disc before being moved to the beginning. (As the checklist shown below)

Hey you, out there in the cold

Getting lonely, getting old

Can you feel me?

Hey you, standing in the aisles

With itchy feet and fading smiles

Can you feel me?

Hey you, don't help them to bury the light

Don't give in without a fight

Hey you, out there on your own

Sitting naked by the phone

Would you touch me?

Hey you, with your ear against the wall

Waiting for someone to call out

Would you touch me?

Hey you, would you help me to carry the stone?

Open your heart, I'm coming home

But it was only fantasy

The wall was too high, as you can see

No matter how he tried, he could not break free

And the worms ate into his brain

Hey you, out there on the road

Always doing what you're told

Can you help me?

Hey you, out there beyond the wall

Breaking bottles in the hall

Can you help me?

Hey you, don't tell me there's no hope at all

Together we stand, divided we fall

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE ? (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

Roger Waters: Bass guitar, lead vocals backing vocals; David Gilmour: Sounds effects, backing vocals; Rick Wright: Prophet-5 organ Bob ezrin: Synthesizers; Ron Di Blasi: Classical acoustic guitar.

David Gilmour:

«There was another guy, whose name escapes me, who played the Spanish classical guitar part on "Is There Anybody Out There?" because I felt I couldn't do it quite cleanly enough or well enough for the record. Onstage, of course, I ended up doing it, and it wasn't a problem. I can't quite remember how we came across Snowy White. He was a great guitar player, but I honestly can't remember who recommended him, or why, or when. I don't think at that time I was too used to hiring other musicians, so I can't remember how we went about it. Since then, I've started noticing other musicians with an eye to using them, from the point of view of who I might use in the future. I've been keeping a little book on musicians of all sorts who I thought were interesting, not just guitar players»

«David Gilmour - The guitar interview», Guitar, September 1995

Joe Di Blasi (guitarist): «So I got called by Frank DiCaro, who knew (…) that I played classical or fingerstyle. And I got the call because David Gilmour, they had tried to play something with a felt pick. He didn't play fingerstyle at all. So I got the call and I showed up at the studio and they didn't have anything written. (The song was) Is there anybody out there?»

Interviewer: «Was there anything recorded or were you the first thing on tape?»

Joe Di Blasi: «No, I was the only thing»

Interviewer: «Yeah, because that's all you»

Joe Di Blasi: «Well, yeah. And then they added everything else after the fact (…) Bob Ezrin had come up with the three note... You know, it's... Almost James Bond. I mean, E, F, F sharp, back to F, back to E.

So he came... He had come up with that, that three note pattern. And that's all they had.. So he and David Gilmour and I sat down in the booth and they kind of told me what they were looking for. So I'd play something else. And we constructed the whole thing that way. Then I went in and recorded it (…) We did about 10 takes. Bob Ezrin is an amazing producer and he had a specific performance that he wanted. He was looking for something that just... He wanted a specific performance. And, you know, I probably... One of the first... Two or three takes would have been my choice. But he wanted more. And finally, maybe after about 10 takes, he goes, that's the one. So it was the 10th one. David Gilmour is the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet. He was so nice. And Roger Waters, who took the writing credit for what I did, wasn't even there. So he may have had something to do with the three-note phrase, you know, the E-F-F-sharp or James Bond kind of thing. But he took the writing credit for it and then learned it note for note and put out a video of himself saying that»

«Joe DiBlasi and his Contribution to Pink Floyd's The Wall», Pro guitar secrets YouTube channel, 6 February 2023

Roger Waters:

« « Is There Anybody Out There ? » is really just a mood piece »

«The Friday Rock Show- interview by Tommy Vance», Capital Radio, 30 November 1979

« Well, only got an hour of daylight left, better get started.

Isn't it unsafe to travel at night? It'll be a lot less safe to stay here.

Your father's gonna pick up our trail before long. Can Lorca ride? He'll have to ride. Lorca, time to go! Chengra, thank you for everything. Let's go. Goodbye, Chengra, Goodbye, Missy! I'll be back one day »

Is there anybody out there?

Is there anybody out there?

Is there anybody out there?

Ah, is there anybody out there?

NOBODY HOME (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

Roger Waters: Lead vocals, VCS3; David Gilmour: Bass guitar; Rick Wright: Prophet-5 organ; Bob Ezrin: Piano; New York Orchestra: String & brass.

This track was considered for the 2000 compilation «Echoes - The best of Pink Floyd» but was eventually rejected.

David Gilmour:

«I remember Nobody Home came along when we well into the thing and Roger had gone off in a sulk the night before and come in the next day with something fantastic. It’s often good to be geed up into a little state of rage»

«The Story of The Wall», Mojo, December 1999

I've got a little black book with my poems in

Got a bag with a toothbrush and a comb in

When I'm a good dog, they sometimes throw me a bone in

I got elastic bands keeping my shoes on

Got those swollen hand blues

I've got thirteen channels of shit on the T.V. to choose from

I've got electric light

And I've got second sight

I've got amazing powers of observation

And that is how I know

When I try to get through

On the telephone to you

There will be nobody home

« But there's somebody else that needs taking care of in Washington… »

« Who's that? »

« Rose Pilchitt! »

« Rose Pilchitt? Who's that? »

« child screams »

« 36-24-36 Laugh Track does that answer your question? »

« (Oi! I've got a little black book with me poems in!) »

« Who's she? »

« She was 'Miss Armored Division' in 1961… «

« Where the hell are you ? »

« Where the hell are you, Simon? »

Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn?

Remember how she said that

We would meet again some sunny day?

Vera, Vera, what has become of you?

Does anybody else in here feel the way I do?

Bring the boys back home

Bring the boys back home

Don't leave the children on their own, no, no

Bring the boys back home

« Wrong, do it again! »

« Time to go! »

« Are you feeling okay ? »

« He keeps hanging up, and it's a man answering! »

« Hahahahaha!!!!!! »

Is there anybody out there?

BRING THE BOYS BACK HOME (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

Roger Waters: Vocals; Jeff Porcaro: Drums; Blue Ocean: Snare drums; New York Orchestra: Strings; New York City Opera: Choir.

Roger Waters:

« The loss of a father is the central prop upon which the whole thing stands. As the tears go by, children lose their fathers again and again, for nothing. You see it now with all of these fathers, good men and true, who lost their lives and limbs in Iraq for no reason at all »

« The Wall », Mojo Magazine, December 2009

VERA (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979)

Roger Waters: Lead vocals; David Gilmour: Bass guitar, acoustic guitar; Rick Wright: Prophet-5 organ; New York Orchestra: String.

Sounds Fx: « The Battle of Britain » movie dialogue sequence.

COMFORTABLY NUMB (Roger Waters, David Gilmour) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

Roger Waters: Lead vocals, bass guitar; David Gilmour: Lead vocals, bass guitar, Ovation 1619-4 acoustic guitar, 1970 Fender Stratocaster, pedal steel, Prophet-5 organ; Rick Wright: Hammond B3 organ; Nick Mason: Drums; Lee Ritenour: Acoustic guitar; New York Orchestra: Orchestra section.

Roger Waters:

« (The inspiration) comes from 1974 or 1975 in the canteen at the EMI studios, and I was with the band eating dinner in the middle of a recording session and looking down the table and suddenly the whole scene looked as if I was looking at it through a pair of binoculars the wrong way. And I went ‘Oh, this is not good‘. This is what having a nervous breakdown must feel like. I thought … and I remember standing up and somehow making my way up the stairs and going into number three studio where there was a piano. And I sat and started playing the piano and slowly it came back again. But it was the scariest thing. A really, really strong, solid hallucination, visual hallucination. And I though, «God, I’m going mad» »

«The making of Pink Floyd The Wall», Gerald Scarfe, 2010

Bob Ezrin:

« Comfortably Numb started off as a demo of Dave’s – a piece in D with a lovely, soaring chorus and a very moody verse. At first Roger had not planned to include any of Dave’s material but we had things that needed filling in. I fought for this song and insisted that Roger work on it. My recollection is that he did so grudgingly, but he did it. He came back with this spoken-word verse and a lyric in the chorus that to me still stands out as one of the greatest ever written. The marriage of that lyric and Dave’s melodies and emotionally spectacular guitar solo – every time I hear that song I get goosebumps»

«Danger! Band imploding!», Mojo Magazine, December 1999

David Gilmour:

« For the very palpable joy that things like Comfortably Numb and Wish You Were Here give to an audience, I never tire of them. I suppose playing that same old thing again can be seen as being tedious, but really I’m always happy to do the ones people love »
« Someone would count in or start laying … And then you’d just fly! », Total Guitar, July 2022

Hello? (Hello, hello, hello)

Is there anybody in there?

Just nod if you can hear me

Is there anyone home?

Come on (Come on, come on), now

I hear you're feeling down

Well, I can ease your pain

And get you on your feet again

Relax (Relax, relax, relax)

I'll need some information first

Just the basic facts

Can you show me where it hurts?

There is no pain, you are receding

A distant ship, smoke on the horizon

You are only coming through in waves

Your lips move, but I can't hear what you're saying

When I was a child, I had a fever

My hands felt just like two balloons

Now I've got that feeling once again

I can't explain, you would not understand

This is not how I am

I have become comfortably numb

I have become comfortably numb

Okay (Okay, okay, okay)

Just a little pinprick

There'll be no more

But you may feel a little sick

Can you stand up? (Stand up, stand up)

I do believe it's working, good

That'll keep you going through the show

Come on, it's time to go

There is no pain, you are receding

A distant ship, smoke on the horizon

You are only coming through in waves

Your lips move, but I can't hear what you're saying

When I was a child, I caught a fleeting glimpse

Out of the corner of my eye

I turned to look, but it was gone

I cannot put my finger on it now

The child is grown, the dream is gone

I have become comfortably numb

THE SHOW MUST GO ON (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

David Gilmour: Lead vocals, bass guitar, Ovation 1619-4 acoustic guitar, rototoms; Rick Wright: Prophet 5 synthetizers; Bob Ezrin: Prophet 5 synthetizers, piano ; Nick Mason: Drums, Ludwig Rototoms; Bruce Johnston, Toni Tenille, Joe Chemay, Jon Joyce, Stan Farber, Jim Haas: Backing vocals

A recording sessions with some members of The Beach Boys was scheduled but eventually shelved (see the page about the unreleased tracks for more details). An extra verse that was cut from the studio album was nevertheless included in the lyrics printed on its sleeve. This additional verse was played during the « The Wall performed live » 1980-1981 tour.

(Ah-ah) Ooh, ooh-hoo, ooh, ooh

(Ah-ah)

(Ah-ah)

(Ooh-ma, ah, ooh-pa) Must the show go on?

(Ooh-pa, take me home, take me home, take me home)

(Ooh-ma, let me go, let me go, let me go)

There must be some mistake, I didn't mean to let them

Take away my soul, am I too old, is it too late?

(Ooh-ma, ooh-pa) Where has the feeling gone?

(Ooh-ma, ooh-pa) Will I remember the song?

(Ooh, ooh, ah) The show must go on

IN THE FLESH ! (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

David Gilmour: 1970 Fender Stratocaster, ARP Quadra synthesizer; Roger Waters: lead vocals, bass guitar, VCS3; Rick Wright: Synthetizer; Nick Mason: drums; Bob Ezrin: Prophet-5 keyboards; Freddie Mandell: Hammond B3 Organ; James Guthrie: ARP Quadra synthesizer; Bruce Johnston, Toni Tenille, Joe CHemay, Jon Joyce, Stan Farber, Jim Haas: Backing vocals.

The name of the song is a obvious reference to the 1977 tour to promote the album « Animals »

Roger Waters:

« The Animals tour as the biggest embarrassment in my life, because it was only about money and mystification. This is what The Wall as all bout, about my response to what I perceive is the mystification of the relationship between the performer and the audience in a stadium, who can’t hear the music, and backstage, where all you hear is «Do you know how much we grossed ? »»

« Treading Waters », Spin Magazine, 1987.

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 gonna find out where you fans really stand

Are there any queers in the theater tonight?

Get them up against the wall

(Against the wall)

Now there's one in the spotlight, he don't look right to me

Get him up against the wall

(Against the—)

And that one looks Jewish and that one's a coon!

Who let all of this riff-raff into the room?

There's one smoking a joint and another with spots

If I had my way, I'd have all of you shot!

« Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd! »

« Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd! »

« Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd! »

RUN LIKE HELL (Roger Waters, David Gilmour) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

David Gilmour: bass guitar, 1955 Fender ssquire, Fender Workmate Telecaster guitar, sound effects; Rick Wright: Prophet-5 organ; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, Sound effects; Nick Mason: Drums; James Guthrie: Sound effects; Bobbye Hall: Sound effects; Phil Taylor: Sound effects.

« Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd! »

« Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd! »

« Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd! »

Run, run, run, run

Run, run, run, run

Run, run, run, run

Run, run, run, run

ou better make your face up with your favourite disguise

With your button down lips and your roller blind eyes

With your empty smile and your hungry heart

Feel the bile rising from your guilty past

With your nerves in tatters as the cockleshell shatters

And the hammers batter down your door

You better run!

Run, run, run, run

Run, run, run, run

Run, run, run, run

Run, run, run, run

WAITING FOR THE WORMS (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979)

David Gilmour: Lead vocals, backing vocals, bass guitar, Fender baritone guitar, guitars, Prophet-5 organ; Rick Wright: Hammond B3 Organ; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, backing vocals, VCS3; Nick Mason: Drums; Bob Ezrin: Piano, backing vocals; Bruce Johnston, Toni Tennille, Joe Chemay, Jon Joyce, Stan Farber, Jim Haas: Backing vocals.

Eins, zwei, drei, alle!

Ooooh, you cannot reach me now

Ooooh, no matter how you try

Goodbye, cruel world, it's over

Walk on by

Sitting in a bunker here behind my wall

Waiting for the worms to come

In perfect isolation here behind my wall

Waiting for the worms to come

«Testing. One. Two. One. Two. We’re all going to convene at 1:15 outside Brixton Town Hall where we will be going...

(Waiting) To cut out the deadwood

(Waiting) To clean up the city

(Waiting) To follow the worms

(Waiting) To put on a black shirt

(Waiting) To weed out the weaklings

(Waiting) To smash in their windows and kick in their doors

(Waiting) For the final solution to strengthen the strain

(Waiting) To follow the worms

(Waiting) To turn on the showers and fire the ovens

(Waiting) For the queens and the coons and the reds and the Jews

(Waiting) To follow the worms

Would you like to see Britannia

Rule again, my friend?

All you have to do is follow the worms

Would you like to send our coloured cousins

Home again, my friend?

All you need to do is follow the worms

«We will convene at Brixton Bus station. We'll be moving along at about 12 o'clock down Stockwell Road. And then pull in ... to Lambeth Road where comrades will assist us. Keeping close abreast in threes, as we move along Lambeth Road towards Vauxhall Bridge. Now when we get to the other side of Vauxhall Bridge, and we're in the Westminster Borough area, it's quite possible we may encounter some Jew boys from the royal …»

STOP (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979)

Roger Waters: Lead vocals; Bob Ezrin: Piano.

I wanna go home

Take off this uniform and leave the show

But I'm waiting in this cell, because I have to know

(Have to know, have to know...)

Have I been guilty all this time?

(Have to know, have to know, have to know, have to know...)

(Time, time, time, time...)

THE TRIAL (Bob Ezrin, Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979)

David Gilmour: Guitars, bass guitar; Roger Waters: Lead vocals; Nick Mason: Drums; Bob Ezrin: Piano; New York Orchestra: Orchestra; Vicky, Clare: Backing vocals.

David Gilmour:

«I think it was written by Bob with immediate intention to do that with an orchestra, although we did demos of it with synthesizers and stuff»

« Comfortably Numb: A history of « The Wall - Pink Floyd 1978-1981 », Vernon Fitch and Richard Mahon, 2006.

Bob Ezrin:

« I was at home and just started playing. I just had this sort of Kurt Weill, Bertholt Brecht vision, and I even came in with the lyrics for the first verse just to set the tone of it. And then Roger took it from here and made it his »

« Comfortably Numb: A history of « The Wall - Pink Floyd 1978-1981 », Vernon Fitch and Richard Mahon, 2006.

Good morning, Worm your honour

The crown will plainly show the prisoner

Who now stands before you

Was caught red-handed, showing feelings

Showing feelings of an almost human nature

This will not do

Call the schoolmaster!

I always said he'd come to no good in the end, your honour

If they'd let me have my way, I could have flayed him into shape

But my hands were tied, the bleeding hearts and artists

Let him get away with murder, let me hammer him today

Crazy, toys in the attic, I am crazy

Truly gone fishing

They must have taken my marbles away!

(Crazy, toys in the attic, he is crazy)

You little shit, you're in it now, I hope they throw away the key

You should have talked to me more often than you did, but no!

You had to go your own way

Have you broken any homes up lately?

Just five minutes, Worm your honour, him and me, alone

Babe!

Come to mother baby, let me hold you in my arms

M'lud I never wanted him to get in any trouble

Why'd he ever have to leave me?

Worm, your honour, let me take him home

Crazy, over the rainbow, I am crazy

Bars in the window

There must have been a door there in the wall

When I came in

(Crazy, over the rainbow, he is crazy)

The evidence before the court is incontrovertible

There's no need for the jury to retire

In all my years of judging, I have never heard before

Of someone more deserving of the full penalty of law

The way you made them suffer, your exquisite wife and mother

Fills me with the urge to defecate

(Go on, Judge, shit on him!)

Since, my friend, you have revealed your deepest fear

I sentence you to be exposed before your peers

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

Tear down the wall!

OUTSIDE THE WALL (Roger Waters) in « The Wall » (1979) | Produced by David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters & Bob Ezrin.

David Gilmour: Backing vocals; Roger Waters: Lead vocals; Larry Williams: Clarinet; Frank Marrocco: Concertina; Trevor Veitch: Mandolin; Children’s choir: Backing vocals.

According to Russ Castillo (at the time, studio assistant at Producers Workshop who would later become Chief Engineer), producer Bob Ezrin recruited three nurses from the hospital where his father worked to serve as (uncredited) background singers on the track.

All alone, or in twos

The ones who really love you

Walk up and down, outside the wall

Some hand in hand

And some gathered together in bands

The bleeding hearts and the artists make their stand

And when they've given you their all

Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy

Banging your heart against some mad bugger's wall

« Isn't this where… »