Another Brick in the Wall
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| "Another Brick in the Wall (Parts I, II, and III)" | ||
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| Song by Pink Floyd | ||
| from the album The Wall | ||
| Released | 30 November 1979 (US), 8 December 1979 (UK) | |
| Recorded | April-November, 1979 | |
| Genre | Art rock/Progressive rock | |
| Length | 3:21/4:00/1:48 | |
| Label | Harvest Records (UK), Columbia Records (US)/Capitol Records (US) | |
| Writer(s) | Roger Waters | |
| Producer(s) | Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour and Roger Waters | |
| The Wall track listing | ||
| The Thin Ice (2 of disc 1) ---- The Happiest Days of Our Lives (4 of disc 1) ---- Don't Leave Me Now (11 of disc 1) |
"Another Brick in the Wall (Parts I, II, and III)" (3/5/12 of disc 1) |
The Happiest Days of Our Lives (4 of disc 1) ---- Mother (6 of disc 1) ---- Goodbye Cruel World (13 of disc 1) |
| "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" | ||
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| Single by Pink Floyd | ||
| from the album The Wall | ||
| B-side(s) | One of My Turns | |
| Released | 1979 | |
| Format | 7" | |
| Recorded | April-November, 1979 | |
| Genre | Art rock/Progressive rock | |
| Length | 4:00 | |
| Label | Harvest Records (UK), Columbia Records (US)/Capitol Records (US) | |
| Writer(s) | Roger Waters | |
| Producer(s) | Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour and Roger Waters | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Pink Floyd singles chronology | ||
| Have a Cigar (1975) |
Another Brick in the Wall, Part II (1979) |
Comfortably Numb (1980) |
"Another Brick in the Wall" is the title of three songs set to variations of the same basic tune, on Pink Floyd's 1979 concept album, The Wall, subtitled "Part I", "Part II" (hit single), and "Part III", respectively, all of which were written by Pink Floyd's bassist and then- lead songwriter, Roger Waters.
"Part II", best known for the line "We Don't Need No Education", was released as a single, and provided the band's only number-one hit in the UK, the US, West Germany and many other countries. In the UK, it was their first single since 1968's "Point Me at the Sky". It is a protest song against rigid schooling in general and boarding schools in particular[1] which has led to the song being banned in several countries.
For "Part II", Pink Floyd needed a school choir, and approached music teacher Alun Renshaw of Islington Green, near their Britannia Row Studios. The chorus was overdubbed twelve times to give the impression that the choir was larger. Though the school received a lump sum payment of £1000, there was no contractual arrangement for royalties. Under 1996 UK copyright law, they became eligible, and after choir members found each other through the website Friends Reunited, they sued. Music industry professionals estimated that each student would be owed around £500.
"Part II" gave Pink Floyd a Grammy nomination for Best Performance by a Rock Duo or Group and lost to Bob Seger's "Against the Wind".
In 1980, the song was adopted as a protest anthem by black students during the "Elsie's River" uprising in South Africa, protesting against the racial propaganda and bias in the official curriculum. On May 2, it was banned by the government.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Concept
[edit] Part I
[edit] Composition
Part one of the song is very quiet in dynamics, and features a long, subdued guitar solo. The vocals are softer and more gentle in tone than in Parts II & III, although there is a short, sharp rise in dynamics and tone for a brief period towards the end of the lyrical portion.
No drums are used at any point in the song.
[edit] Plot
The Thin Ice discussed during the previous song breaks when Pink becomes older and learns of the death of his father. Pink is devastated by this reality and begins to build the wall.
[edit] Film Version
Pink's mother is seen praying in a church, after the death of her husband overseas. Pink however is, at this point, oblivious of his death, playing with a toy airplane. The song continues with Pink playing in a public park. His mother leaving him to go shopping. Pink sees a man who he takes a liking to in the absence of his own father. He gives Pink a lift onto a ride, and Pink feels as if this is his real father. Pink follows the man's son around, copying him, but doesn't understand why the other boy's father isn't paying attention to him. He grabs the man's hand, he then shooes Pink away, only to have him grab his hand again. The man pushes Pink away again, dejected he sits on the swing, pitifully.
[edit] Part II
- Pink Floyd - "Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- 18 seconds (of 3:07)
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
[edit] Composition
In the album version of The Wall, Another Brick in the Wall Part II transitions in from track four, "The Happiest Days of Our Lives", with a trademark scream from Roger Waters (Waters screams like this most notably on the track "Careful With That Axe, Eugene"). The two songs are usually played one after the other on the radio because of how the songs merge together. The song has strong drums and distinctive guitar parts in the background with a smooth yet edgy guitar solo. The song also features a school choir for lead vocals in some sections and back up vocals in other sections. As the song ends you can hear a school teacher yelling in a Scottish accent "Wrong, do it again" followed by "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?" then with "You... Yes, you behind the bike shed... stand still laddie!" and ends with kids screaming and yelling on what sounds like a playground or outside area. You can also hear a faint connecting line signal from a phone with a deep sigh at the very end. The "bricks" are different traumatic events that make up the mental "wall" created by the protagonist.
[edit] Plot
The kids in Pink's school begin to protest against their abusive teachers. This causes Pink to continue to become more isolated from society.
[edit] Film Version/Music Video
Following "The Happiest Days of Our Lives" Pink starts to daydream during his class, he imagines several students marching towards a large machine, then appearing out the opposite ends, dressed with masks and sitting at leaflet desks. Afterwards, the kids are then seen marching single file, throughout corridors. The teacher is then seen in the middle, dressed in a gown, screaming commands. The children are seen in small rectangular enclosures, singing the chorus, it then segues to the teacher, yelling commands once again. It then quickly cycles back to scenes of children singing, and Pink being scolded. Near the end of the song, the children are marching towards a large, metal bin. They fall into it one by one. Panning down, they are seen being extruded into a thick meat-like substance, symbolising being, "fit for society." During the final guitar solo, the children break out, grabbing fire axes and destroying desks and chairs. Some students grab sledge hammers and break down walls. Finally at the end, the school is seen on fire, a massive bonfire ablaze on the exterior of the school, the school teacher is also seen being carried off by students. Pink is then seen, still sitting at his desk, not paying attention.
Prior to the film, the first video for the track depicted students running in a playground and the teacher puppet from The Wall concerts was used. Also, depicted some animated scenes which were used in The Trial and this clip was directed by Gerald Scarfe.
[edit] Part III
Pink decides to finish his wall as a result of his rage after his wife's betrayal. He concludes he no longer needs anything at all, dismissing the people in his life as just "bricks in the wall".
[edit] Cover versions
- In 1980, The Barron Knights recorded a humorous version as part of a Christmas single entitled "Never Mind the Presents" with lyrics including "Hey, Santa, leave the booze alone".
- In 1998, for the film The Faculty, "Part II" was covered by the "Class of '99", which featured Layne Staley (Alice in Chains, singer), Tom Morello (RATM, Audioslave, guitar), Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction, drums), Martyn LeNoble (Porno For Pyros, The Cult, Jane's Addiction, bass) and Matt Serletic.
- In 2001, on D12's debut album Devil's Night, at the end of "Revelation", comes the "How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat??!!" ending from "Part II".
- In 2002 the pop/electronica group, Dirty Vegas, released a self titled album which included a prominent sample of Part II in the song "Simple Things, Part 2".
- In 2004 the nu metal band Korn covered the three parts of "Another Brick in the Wall" as well as "Goodbye Cruel World" for their album Greatest Hits, Volume 1; they frequently perform it in their live shows.
- In 2005, pop group Girls Aloud played a portion of "Part II" as an introduction to their song "No Good Advice" during their UK "What Will the Neighbours Say?" theatre tour.
- Lounge/comedy group Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine covered "Part II" on their 2006 album The Sunny Side of the Moon: The Best of Richard Cheese
- In 2006, dance producer Eric Prydz remixed "Part II" for the single "Proper Education", credited to Eric Prydz vs. Pink Floyd.
[edit] Personnel
- Roger Waters - bass guitar, lead vocals part on "Part I, II, and III", guitar on "Part III"
- David Gilmour - guitars, lead vocals on "Part II", backing vocals on "Part I", synthesizer on "Part III"
- Nick Mason - drums and percussion on "Part II" and "Part III"
- Richard Wright - keyboards
- Islington Green School, led by Noel Davis - choir on "Part II"
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Fitch, Vernon. The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia (3rd edition), 2005. ISBN 1-894959-24-8
[edit] Trivia
- There is a reference to George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four in "Part II". "Thought control" (mentioned in chorus) was often used in the novel. In many times Roger Waters wrote lyrics inspired by Orwell. For example Pink Floyd's album Animals (inspired by Animal Farm).
| Preceded by: "Walking on the Moon" by The Police |
UK number one single December 15, 1979 |
Succeeded by: "Brass In Pocket" by The Pretenders |
| Preceded by: "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single March 22, 1980 |
Succeeded by: "Call Me" by Blondie |
