Another Brick in the Wall
"Another Brick in the Wall" | |
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Song by Pink Floyd | |
from the album The Wall | |
Published | Pink Floyd Music Publishers |
Released | 30 November 1979 |
Recorded | April–November 1979 |
Genre | Progressive rock |
Length | 8:28 (All three parts)
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Label | |
Songwriter(s) | Roger Waters |
Producer(s) |
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"Another Brick in the Wall" is a three-part composition on Pink Floyd's 1979 rock opera The Wall, written by bassist Roger Waters. "Part 2", a protest song against rigid and abusive schooling, features a children's choir. At the suggestion of producer Bob Ezrin, Pink Floyd added elements of disco.
"Part 2" was released as a single, Pink Floyd's first in the UK since "Point Me at the Sky" (1968). It sold over four million copies worldwide. It was nominated for a Grammy Award and was number 384 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
"Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" | ||||
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Single by Pink Floyd | ||||
from the album The Wall | ||||
B-side | "One of My Turns" | |||
Released | 23 November 1979 | |||
Recorded | April–November 1979 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Roger Waters | |||
Pink Floyd singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2" on YouTube |
Concept
The three parts of "Another Brick in the Wall" appear on Pink Floyd's 1979 rock opera album The Wall. During "Part 1", the protagonist, Pink, begins building a metaphorical wall around himself following the death of his father. In "Part 2", traumas involving his overprotective mother and abusive schoolteachers become bricks in the wall. Following a violent breakdown in "Part 3", Pink dismisses everyone he knows as "just bricks in the wall".[1][2]
Bassist Roger Waters wrote "Part 2" as a protest against rigid schooling, particularly boarding schools.[3] "Another Brick in the Wall" appears in the film based on the album. In the "Part 2" sequence, children enter a school and march in unison through a meat grinder, becoming "putty-faced" clones, before rioting and burning down the school.[4]
Recording
At the suggestion of producer Bob Ezrin, Pink Floyd added elements of disco, which was popular at the time. According to guitarist David Gilmour:
[Ezrin] 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 parts into one of those so it would be catchy.[5]
Gilmour recorded his guitar solo using a 1955 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top guitar with P-90 pick-ups.[6] Despite his reservations about Ezrin's additions, Gilmour felt the final song still sounded like Pink Floyd.[5] When Ezrin heard the song with a disco beat, he was convinced it could become a hit, but felt it needed to be longer, with two verses and two choruses. The band resisted, saying they did not release singles; Waters told him: "Go ahead and waste your time doing silly stuff."[7]
While the band members were away, Ezrin edited the takes into an extended version. He also had engineer Nick Griffiths record children singing the verse at Islington Green School, close to Pink Floyd's studio.[7] Griffiths was instructed to record only two or three children; inspired by a Todd Rundgren album featuring an audience in each stereo channel, he suggested recording an entire school choir. The school allotted only 40 minutes for the recording.[8]
Alun Renshaw, head of music at the school, was enthusiastic, and said later: "I wanted to make music relevant to the kids – not just sitting around listening to Tchaikovsky. I thought the lyrics were great – 'We don't need no education, we don't need no thought control' ... I just thought it would be a wonderful experience for the kids."[9] Renshaw hid the lyrics from the headteacher, Margaret Maden, fearing she might stop the recording.[10] Maden said: "I was only told about it after the event, which didn't please me. But on balance it was part of a very rich musical education."[10] Renshaw and the children spent a week practising before he took them to a recording studio near the school.[11] According to Ezrin, when he played the children's vocals to Waters, "there was a total softening of his face, and you just knew that he knew it was going to be an important record".[5] Waters said: "It was great—exactly the thing I expected from a collaborator."[5]
In exchange for performing vocals, the children of Islington School received tickets to a Pink Floyd concert, an album, and a single.[12] Though the school received a payment of £1,000, there was no contractual arrangement for royalties for the children.[13] Following a change to UK copyright law in 1996, they became eligible for royalties from broadcasts. After royalties agent Peter Rowan traced the choir members through the website Friends Reunited and other means, they successfully lodged a claim for royalties with the Performing Artists' Media Rights Association in 2004.[13]
Reception
"Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" was released as a single, Pink Floyd's first in the UK since "Point Me at the Sky" (1968).[citation needed] It was also the final Christmas number one of the decade in the UK.[14] In the US, it reached number 57 on the disco chart.[15] The single sold over 4 million copies worldwide.[3]
The song won Waters the 1983 British Academy Award for Best Original Song for its appearance in the Wall film.[16] "Part 2" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Performance by a Rock Duo or Group.[citation needed] It appears at number 384 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[17]
The lyrics attracted controversy. The Inner London Education Authority described the song as "scandalous", and according to Renshaw, prime minister Margaret Thatcher "hated it".[11] Renshaw said, "There was a political knee-jerk reaction to a song that had nothing to do with the education system. It was [Waters'] reflections on his life and how his schooling was part of that."[11] The single, as well as the album The Wall, were banned in South Africa in 1980 after it was adopted by supporters of a nationwide school boycott protesting instituted racial inequities in education under apartheid.[18][19]
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
All-time charts
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Sales and certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada | — | 260,000[54] |
France (SNEP)[56] | Gold | 841,000[55] |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[57] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
Germany (BVMI)[58] | Gold | 250,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[59] | 2× Platinum | 100,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[60] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[62] | Platinum | 1,146,548[61] |
United States (RIAA)[63] physical |
Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[63] digital |
Gold | 500,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 4,000,000[3] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Personnel
Personnel, according to The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia.[64]
Part 1
- Roger Waters – lead vocals, bass
- David Gilmour – guitar, harmony vocals
- Richard Wright – Prophet-5 synthesizer, Minimoog
Part 2
- Roger Waters – bass, vocals (unison with Gilmour)
- David Gilmour – guitar, vocals (unison with Waters)
- Nick Mason – drums
- Richard Wright – Hammond organ, Prophet-5 synthesizer
- Islington Green School students (organized by Alun Renshaw) – vocals
Part 3
- Roger Waters – bass, vocals, rhythm guitar
- David Gilmour – lead guitar
- Nick Mason – drums
- Richard Wright – Prophet-5 synthesizer
Roger Waters versions
"Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 (Live in Berlin)" | ||||
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Single by Roger Waters, with Cyndi Lauper | ||||
from the album The Wall – Live in Berlin | ||||
B-side | "Run Like Hell" (Potsdamer Mix) | |||
Released | 10 September 1990 | |||
Recorded | 21 July 1990 | |||
Genre | Progressive rock | |||
Length | 6:29 | |||
Label | Mercury Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Roger Waters | |||
Producer(s) | Roger Waters Nick Griffiths | |||
Roger Waters singles chronology | ||||
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A live version of "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2" with Cyndi Lauper on vocals, recorded on 21 July 1990 at Potsdamer Platz, was released as a single on 10 September 1990 to promote The Wall – Live in Berlin. The B-side was the live version of "Run Like Hell" performed with Scorpions at the same concert.
In promotion of The Wall – Live in Berlin a new studio version was recorded by Roger Waters & The Bleeding Heart Band that was released on promo compilation titled The Wall Berlin '90 featuring Pink Floyd and Roger Waters solo recordings.
Track listings
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Another Brick In The Wall (Part Two) (Edited Version)" | 4:02 |
2. | "Run Like Hell" | 5:07 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Another Brick In The Wall (Part Two) (Full Version)" | 6:29 |
2. | "Run Like Hell (Potsdamer Mix)" | 6:18 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Another Brick In The Wall (Part Two) (Full Version)" | 6:29 |
2. | "Run Like Hell (Potsdamer Mix)" | 6:18 |
3. | "Another Brick In The Wall (Part Two) (Edited Version)" | 4:02 |
Korn version
"Another Brick in the Wall, Pts. 1–3" | ||||
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Single by Korn | ||||
from the album Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 | ||||
Released | December 2004 | |||
Recorded | 2004 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 7:08 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Roger Waters | |||
Producer(s) | ||||
Korn singles chronology | ||||
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Nu metal band Korn covered all three parts along with "Goodbye Cruel World" in 2004 for the compilation album Greatest Hits, Vol. 1. The cover was released as a single, peaking at number 37 on the Modern Rock chart and number 12 on the Mainstream Rock chart. And this is also the last Korn single recorded with their full original lineup, as their original guitarist "Brian "Head" Welch" who leaves the band in February the following year, until his return in 2013.[65][66] A live music video was released to promote the single, directed by Bill Yukich.[67]
Will Levith of Ultimate Classic Rock called Korn's cover "one of the worst covers of a classic rock song of all time".[68] Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic described it as "overwrought, yet enticingly so".[69]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Another Brick in the Wall" | 7:08 |
Charts
Chart (2004) | Peak position |
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US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[70] | 37 |
US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[71] | 12 |
Personnel
- Jonathan Davis – vocals
- James "Munky" Shaffer – lead guitar
- Brian "Head" Welch – rhythm guitar
- Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu – bass
- David Silveria – drums
See also
- Proper Education – a 2007 remix of the song by Swedish DJ Eric Prydz, with the band credited as Floyd.[72]
References
Citations
- ^ "Rock Milestones: Pink Floyd – The Wall", Movies & TV Dept., The New York Times, retrieved 30 May 2010; Pink Floyd's Roger Waters Announces The Wall Tour, MTV, retrieved 30 May 2010; Top 14 Greatest Rock Operas/Concept Albums Of All Time, ign.com, archived from the original on 9 March 2011, retrieved 30 May 2010
- ^ Schaffner 1991, pp. 210–211
- ^ a b c Rock and Pop Music. "Pink Floyd: 10 things you didn't know about the band, Telegraph, February 28th, 2012". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ "Rock History 101: Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II"". Consequence of Sound. 30 July 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d Simmons, Sylvie, ed. (October 2009). ""Good Bye Blue Sky", (Pink Floyd: 30th Anniversary, The Wall Revisited.)". Guitar World. 30 (10). Future: 79–80. Archived from the original on 13 May 2011.
- ^ Fitch & Mahon 2006, pp. 75–76, see also "The David Gilmour Guitar Collection", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E6mIYNO3So at 3:30.
- ^ a b Fielder 2013, p. 135.
- ^ Mason, Nick (2005). Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd. Chronicle. pp. 343–344. ISBN 9780811848244.
- ^ Blake 2008, p. 273
- ^ a b "Pink Floyd pupils sue for royalties". Evening Standard. 26 November 2004. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ^ a b c "Kick against the bricks". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 December 2004. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- ^ "Just another brick in the wall?". 2 October 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ^ a b "Payout after Pink Floyd leaves them kids alone". The Times. 13 March 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ Robinson, Peter (10 December 2015). "Drugs, austerity and Thatcher – what Christmas No 1s tell us about Britain". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 203.
- ^ "Past Winners and Nominees – Film – Awards". BAFTA. Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
- ^ "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- ^ "Counting out time Pink Floyd the wall – song was banned in South Africa in 1980". Dprp.net. 30 November 1979. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ (UPI) "South Africa Bans Floyd's 'The Wall'" The New York Times 15 July 1980: C6
- ^ "The biggest hits that never made No. 1 in Australia". Daily Telegraph. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
- ^ "Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ "Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ "RPM Volume 32, No. 26". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 22 March 1980. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ Schlüter, Johan (25 July 1980). "Official Danish Singles Chart". IFPI Report. No. Week 30. IFPI Danmark.
- ^ Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (Tammi, 2005; ed. Jake Nyman).
- ^ a b "Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ "Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search charts". IRMA. 2008. To use, type "Another Brick in the Wall" in the "Search by Song Title" search var and click search. Archived from the original on 9 June 2009. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
- ^ a b Blake, Mark (2008). Da Capo Press Inc. (ed.). Comfortably Numb: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd. ISBN 978-0-306-81752-6.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ "Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)". Top Digital Download.
- ^ "Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ "Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)". VG-lista. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ Samson, John. "Another brick in the wall (part II) in South African Chart". Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ Davidalic (12 February 2010). "Listas de superventas: 1980". AFE. Listas De Superventas. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ "Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ "Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ "Pink Floyd Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles Week ending APRIL 5, 1980". Retrieved 7 February 2016.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Top 100 Singles (1980)". RPM. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
- ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 1980" (in German). Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1980". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1980". MegaCharts. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/?chart=3869
- ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1980". Retrieved 2 September 2018.
- ^ Swiss Year-End Charts, 1980
- ^ Billboard 20 December 1980: TIA-10
- ^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1980". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- ^ "The UK's biggest selling singles of all time". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ "Juno Album, Singles Data" (PDF). Billboard. 24 January 1981. p. 102. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Les Singles en Or" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ^ "French single certifications – Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
- ^ "Danish single certifications – Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 26 April 2019. Scroll through the page-list below until year 2019 to obtain certification.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Pink Floyd; 'Another Brick in the Wall')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- ^ "Italian single certifications – Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 22 July 2019. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
- ^ Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990 (in Spanish). Iberautor Promociones Culturales. 2005. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ^ Copsey, Rob (19 September 2017). "The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "British single certifications – Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall Pt.2". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Another Brick in the Wall Pt.2 in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ a b "American single certifications – Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ Fitch, Vernon (2005). 'The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia (3rd ed.). pp. 73, 76, 88. ISBN 1-894959-24-8.
- ^ "Korn Another Brick In The Wall Chart History - Alternative Songs". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "Korn Another Brick In The Wall Chart History - Mainstream Rock Songs". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ ""Another Brick in the Wall, Pts. 1-3" by Korn | Music Video | VH1.com". VH1. Viacom Media Networks. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
- ^ Levith, Will (29 August 2013). "Korn, 'Another Brick in the Wall' - Terrible Classic Rock Covers". Ultimate Classic Rock. Townsquare Media. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 - Korn". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "Korn Chart History - Alternative Songs". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
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- ^ https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/2068/eric-prydz-vs-floyd/
Sources
- Fielder, Hugh (2013). Pink Floyd: Behind the Wall. Race Point Publishing. ISBN 978-1-937-99425-9.
Further reading
- Fitch, Vernon and Mahon, Richard, Comfortably Numb – A History of The Wall 1978–1981, 2006
External links
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