[dorio]

submission courtesy of alexparker


Band: Pink Floyd -
Album The Wall




Released in 1979

Disc 1

In The Flesh?
The Thin Ice
Another Brick In The Wall (Part I)
The Happiest Days Of Our Lives
Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)
Mother
Goodbye Blue Sky
Empty Spaces
Young Lust
One Of My Turns
Don't Leave Me Now
Another Brick In The Wall (Part III)
Goodbye Cruel World

Disc 2

Hey You
Is There Anybody Out There?
Nobody Home
Vera
Bring the Boys Back Home
Comfortably Numb
The Show Must Go On
In The Flesh
Run Like Hell
Waiting For The Worms
Stop
The Trial
Outside The Wall


Recorded between April and November 1979
in Super Bear Studios, France
CBS, New York
Producers' Workshop, Los Angeles



Produced by David Gilmour, Bob Ezrin, Roger Waters
CO-producer and engineer: James Guthrie
Engineers: Nick Griffiths, Patrice Quef, Brian Christian, John Mclure, Rick Hart
Orchestra arrangements: Michael Kamen, Bob Ezrin
Sound equipment: Phil Taylor
Sleeve design: Gerald Scarfe, Roger Waters






Roger Waters constructed The Wall, a narcissistic, double-album rock opera about an emotionally crippled rock star who spits on an audience member daring to cheer during an acoustic song. Given its origins, it's little wonder that The Wall paints such an unsympathetic portrait of the rock star, cleverly named "Pink," who blames everyone — particularly women — for his neuroses. Such lyrical and thematic shortcomings may have been forgivable if the album had a killer batch of songs, but Waters took his operatic inclinations to heart, constructing the album as a series of fragments that are held together by larger numbers like "Comfortably Numb" and "Hey You." Generally, the fully developed songs are among the finest of Pink Floyd's later work, but The Wall is primarily a triumph of production: Its seamless surface, blending melodic fragments and sound effects, makes the musical shortcomings and questionable lyrics easy to ignore. But if The Wall is examined in depth, it falls apart, since it doesn't offer enough great songs to support its ambition, and its self-serving message and shiny production seem like relics of the late-'70s Me Generation.

Guests:

Bruce Johnston, Toni Tennille, Joe Chemay, John Joyce, Stan Farber, Jim Haas and pupils from Islington Green School Choir.

[dorio]

I praise that album Primarily for Roger Waters Sonwriting abilities and inspiration.
but i thought that you could have elaborated a little more about such a great concept album ...

But if The Wall is examined in depth, it falls apart, since it doesn't offer enough great songs to support its ambition, and its self-serving message and shiny production seem like relics of the late-'70s Me Generation.

I disagree with that because the Wall is also the first time when the Floyd asked
the services of such a brillant producer like Bob Ezrin, which you fail to mention
and he gave to The Wall that 'special sound' never heard before with Pink Floyd

The brillant melodies abound althrough that double album. OK it can be argued
that they have recorded two nice albums without Waters ....... but yet without his genious and songwriting, i've always felt that it's never been the same.

The Wall is not their best IMO but it derserves more praise cauz it's such a classic
now ...

[xcharlie]

Everybody get amazed with this album, but when I listened to it, it almost drove me crazy! What a strange album! I don't like it!
But there are master pieces as "Comfortably Numb", "Goodbye Blue Sky", "Mother", "Run Like Hell" and of course "Another Brick In The Wall Part 2".

[JPRPJBJPJ]

i felt the same way when i first listened to that but wait until ur on like a long road trip then listen to the whole cd and close ur eyes ull feel the brilliance

[Pickled Fig]

Comfortably Numb has the greatest guitar solo I have ever heard. I damn anyone to say a song that has a solo that can move me more. Run Like Hell is awesome. Another Brick in The Wall pt. 2 and Best Days of Our Lives are awesome. Yound Lust has admirable guitar work. Mother has great lyrics. The rest of the album does not appeal musically to me as much as the whole concept and story does.

[epearson]

This was the first album I ever became obsessed with it. I've listened to it countless times and I've seen the movie and I'm still fascinated with it. It's truly the last great concept album and I think the Floyd's hardest rocking album.

[randomorwhat]

Not my personal favorite Floyd album; I found it a little dull and, though meant to be samey and listened to in one, just not their best work.

Some genius pieces (most have been mentioned), but I think other Floyd albums have been better

[metallicac/dc]

Good review. Just got the album today and listened to the whole thing. Love the story throughout this great album.

This post has been edited by metallicac/dc: 26 December 2004 - 02:12 AM

[dorio]

Huh ? You've just discovered the Wall ? Man ! i envy you

[AcousticSmash]

This album rocks, better than Dark Side of The Moon if you ask me. Another Brick in The Wall is a awesome song as well as Comfortably Numb

[ak_attack]

I think that when someone mentions Pink Floyd, they automatically think "The Wall" or "Another Brick.." It is a very good album, but I think they've made better. Also, I think that it can get repetitive in some parts...

The guitar work in it is awesome and so are the lyrics

[dorio]

If you mean the overture theme and another brick part I II & III which keep comin
back yes it's repetitive and it helps to glue the concept together; the music stays the same, but the lyrics change, adding another dimension all the time.

Before writing this message i was thinking of concept albums and i reckon the most
powerful are still 'The Wall' 'Tommy' and Supertramp's 'Crime Of Century' ...

[metallicac/dc]

If you mean the overture theme and another brick part I II & III which keep comin
back yes it's repetitive and it helps to glue the concept together; the music stays the same, but the lyrics change, adding another dimension all the time.

Before writing this message i was thinking of concept albums and i reckon the most
powerful are still 'The Wall' 'Tommy' and Supertramp's 'Crime Of Century' ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Like the part that says "You're just another brick in the wall". Now I get it

[dorio]

If you mean the overture theme and another brick part I II & III which keep comin
back yes it's repetitive and it helps to glue the concept together; the music stays the same, but the lyrics change, adding another dimension all the time.

Before writing this message i was thinking of concept albums and i reckon the most
powerful are still 'The Wall' 'Tommy' and Supertramp's 'Crime Of Century' ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Like the part that says "You're just another brick in the wall". Now I get it

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not really. Part 1 & 3 say 'all in all it was just another brick in the wall' it's part 2 that says 'all in all you're just ... another brick in the wall'.... Slightly different

[ACDC kid 1]

The music for The wall part 2 is the best. I got this cd years ago

[dorio]

I've found this site by chance, here is everything you ever wanted to know about
The Wall ... i mean ... everything !

One total track by track analysis ...

[Rhoads is thy master]

This album is awesome.I think it is quite a bit better than Dark Side of the Moon

[The Audience Is Listening]

I've listened to The Wall several times all the way through and i've seen the film once. I used to hate Pink Floyd because EVERYONE liked them. Eh, I wised up. This isn't for the pop music fan who buys a CD based on one or two hit songs. I believe it's meant to be listened to all the way through even though I have my own favorite strings of tunes. Nobody Home then Vera, then Bring The Boys Back Home, then Comfortabley Numb--oh hell, the whole thing is GENIUS! And another thing, everyone always goes "Oh you need to be SO high to understand the movie!" Then how come I was able to digest it easily at 15? I dunno, I think the people who say that haven't even seen the film. I wish Waters hadn't taken as much control as he did but it all worked out well. I always think of the desperate vocals on Vera when The Wall's mentioned. I say it's genius.

[ravaging]

The Wall is easily one of the greatest albums of all time in my opinion. it's odd, yes, but that's the beauty of it. the songwriting is amazing, the musicianship is impeccable, and the whole concept is simply epic. if i was forced to listen to a single album for the rest of my life, my first choice would definitely be The Wall.