The Wall by Pink Floyd, released in 1979, is a concept album that tells the story of Pink, a character who isolates himself due to emotional struggles, fame, and societal pressures.

The album features iconic tracks like Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2), which critiques the education system, and Comfortably Numb, known for its haunting guitar solo.

Combining progressive rock with deep storytelling, The Wall showcases themes of alienation, loss, and personal walls we build to protect ourselves, making it a powerful and timeless piece of music.

1. In the Flesh?

Intro: Richard Wright

…we came in?

Verse: Roger Waters

So you thought you 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 want to find out what’s behind these cold eyes
You’ll just have to claw your way through this disguise

Bridge: Roger Water

Lights!
Roll the sound effects!
Action!
Drop it, drop it on them
Drop it, drop it on them!
*Airplane descending*

Outro

*Baby Crying*

2. The Thin Ice

Intro

*Baby Crying*

Verse 1: David Gilmour

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

Verse 2: Roger Waters

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 slip out of your depth and out of your mind
With your fear flowing out behind you
As you claw the thin ice

3. Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 1

Verse

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 you leave behind for me?

Post-Verse

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

Instrumental Break

Outro

Hey!
*Children playing*

4. The Happiest Days of Our Lives

Intro: Roger Waters

You! Yes, you! Stand still, laddie!

Verse: Roger Waters

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

5. Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2

Intro

Verse 1: Roger Waters & David Gilmour

We don’t need no education
We don’t need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teacher, leave them kids alone

Pre-Chorus: Roger Waters & David Gilmour

Hey, teacher, leave them kids alone

Chorus: Roger Waters & David Gilmour

All in all, it’s just another brick in the wall
All in all, you’re just another brick in the wall

Verse 2: Islington Green School Students

We don’t need no education
We don’t need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers, leave them kids alone

Pre-Chorus: Islington Green School Students

Hey, teacher, leave us kids alone!

Chorus: Islington Green School Students

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

Guitar Solo

Outro: Roger Waters

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)
(If you don’t eat your meat)
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)

6. Mother

Verse 1: Roger Waters

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?

Verse 2: Roger Waters

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?

Chorus: David Gilmour

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 cozy and warm

Post-Chorus: David Gilmour

Ooh babe, ooh babe, ooh babe
Of course Mamma’s gonna help build the wall

Guitar Solo

Verse 3: Roger Waters

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?

Chorus: David Gilmour

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

Post-Chorus: David Gilmour

Ooh babe, ooh babe, ooh babe
You’ll always be “baby” to me

Outro: Roger Waters

Mother, did it need to be so high?

7. Goodbye Blue Sky

Spoken Intro: Harry Waters

Look, Mummy!
There’s an aeroplane up in the sky

Verse 1: David Gilmour

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?

Verse 2: David Gilmour

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

Outro: David Gilmour

Goodbye, blue sky
Goodbye, blue sky
Goodbye
Goodbye

8. Empty Spaces

Intro: Roger Waters, James Guthrie

yakO
!enohp eht no s’enyloraC, regoR
…tnoflahC ,mraF ynnuF eht fo erac ,kniP dlO ot rewsna ruoy dnes esaelP
egassem terces eht derevocsid tsuj evah uoY
snoitalutargnoC
akuL ,olleH

Verse: Roger Waters

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?

9. Young Lust

Verse 1: David Gilmour

(Ah) I am just a new boy
A stranger in this town
Where are all the good times?
Who’s gonna show this stranger around?

Chorus: David Gilmour & Roger Waters

Ooh, I need a dirty woman
Ooh, I need a dirty girl

Verse 2: David Gilmour

Will some woman in this desert land
Make me feel like a real man?
Take this rock-and-roll refugee
Ooh, baby, set me free

Chorus: David Gilmour & Roger Waters

Ooh, I need a dirty woman
Ooh, I need a dirty girl

Guitar Solo

Chorus: David Gilmour & Roger Waters

Ooh, I need a dirty woman
Ooh, I need a dirty girl
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Outro

*Phone beeping*
“Hello?”
“Yes, a collect call for Mrs. Floyd from Mr. Floyd. Will you accept the charge, it’s from the United States?”
*Phone clicks*
“Oh, he hung up. That’s your residence, right? Well, I wonder why he hung up. Is there supposed to be someone out there besides your wife there to answer?”
*Phone redials and beeps again*
“Hello?”
“This is the United States calling. Are we reaching…”
*Phone clicks*
“See, he keeps hanging up, and it’s a man answering.”

10. One of My Turns

Intro

“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?”

Verse 1: Roger Waters

Day after day, the love turns grey
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

Verse 2: Roger Waters

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 you? Would you like to see me try?
Ah, no!

Outro: Roger Waters

Would you like to call the cops?
Do you think it’s time I stopped?
Why are you running away?

11. Don’t Leave Me Now

Refrain: Roger Waters

Ooh, babe, don’t leave me now

Verse 1: Roger Waters

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

Refrain: Roger Waters

Oh, babe, don’t leave me now

Verse 2: Roger Waters

How could you go?
When you know how I need you
(Need you, need you, need you, need you, need you, need you)
To beat to a pulp on a Saturday night

Refrain: Roger Waters

Oh, babe, don’t leave me now

Verse 3: Roger Waters

How can you treat me this way?
Running away
Ooh, babe, why are you running away?

Outro: Roger Waters & David Gilmour

Ooh, babe
Ooh, babe
Ooh, babe
Ooh, ooh
Argh!

12. Another Brick In the Wall, Pt. 3

Intro

*televisions being smashed*
“Thought you’d like to know-“

Verse

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

Chorus

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

13. Goodbye Cruel World

Verse: Roger Waters

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

14. Hey You

Acoustic Guitar Intro

Verse 1: David Gilmour

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

Verse 2: David Gilmour

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

Guitar Solo

Bridge: Roger Waters

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

Breakdown

Verse 3: Roger Waters

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

Outro: Roger Waters

(We fall, we fall, we fall, we fall, we fall, we fall, we fall, we fall…)

15. Is There Anybody Out There?

Intro

”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”

Refrain

Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Ah, is there anybody out there?

Acoustic Guitar Solo

16. Nobody Home

Intro

“But there’s somebody else that needs taking care of in Washington…”
“Who’s that?”
“Rose Pilchitt!”
“Rose Pilchitt? Who’s that?”
*child screams*
(Shut up!)
“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… ”

Verse 1: Roger Waters

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

Chorus 1: Roger Waters

And that is how I know
When I try to get through
On the telephone to you
There will be nobody home

Verse 2: Roger Waters

I’ve got the obligatory Hendrix perm
And the inevitable pinhole burns
All down the front of my favorite satin shirt
I’ve got nicotine stains on my fingers
I’ve got a silver spoon on a chain
I’ve got a grand piano to prop up my mortal remains
I’ve got wild staring eyes
And I’ve got a strong urge to fly
But I’ve got nowhere to fly to

Chorus 2: Roger Waters

Ooh, babe, when I pick up the phone
(“Surprise, surprise, surprise…”)
There’s still nobody home

Outro: Roger Waters

I’ve got a pair of Gohil’s boots
And I’ve got fading roots
(“Where the hell are you?”)
(“Over 47 german planes were destroyed with the loss of only 15 of our own aircraft”)
(“Where the hell are you, Simon?”)

17. Vera

Intro

“Where the hell are you?
“Where the hell are you, Simon?” *Shots*

Verse: Roger Waters

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?

18. Bring the Boys Back Home

Verse: Roger Waters

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

Outro

“Wrong, do it again!”
*Knock* “Time to go!”
“Are you feeling okay?”
“He keeps hanging up, and it’s a man answering!”
“Hahahahaha!!!!!!”
Is there anybody out there?

19. Comfortably Numb

Intro

Verse 1: Roger Waters

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?

Pre-Chorus 1: David Gilmour

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

Chorus: David Gilmour

I have become comfortably numb

Guitar Solo 1

Chorus: David Gilmour

I have become comfortably numb

Verse 2: Roger Waters

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

Pre-Chorus 2: David Gilmour

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

Chorus: David Gilmour

I have become comfortably numb

Guitar Solo 2

20. The Show Must Go On

Intro: David Gilmour

(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)

Verse: David Gilmour

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?

[Outro: David Gilmour]
(Ooh, ooh, ah) The show must go on

21. In the Flesh (Reprise)

Intro

“Three, two… fire!”

Verse 1

So you thought you 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

Verse 2

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!

Instrumental Outro

Segue: Crowd Chanting

Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd!
Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd!
Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd!

22. Run Like Hell

Segue: Crowd Chanting

Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd!
Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd!
Pink Floyd! Pink Floyd!

Chorus: David Gilmour & Roger Waters

Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run

Verse 1: Roger Waters

You 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!

Chorus: David Gilmour & Roger Waters

Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run

Verse 2: Roger Waters

You better run all day and run all night
And keep your dirty feelings deep inside
And if you’re taking your girlfriend out tonight
You better park the car well out of sight
Cause if they catch you in the back seat trying to pick her locks
They’re gonna send you back to Mother in a cardboard box
You better run!

Synth Solo

Instrumental Outro

23. Waiting for the Worms

Intro: David Gilmour

“Eins, zwei, drei, alle!”
Ooh-ooh, you cannot reach me now
Ooh-ooh, no matter how you try
Goodbye, cruel world, it’s over
Walk on by

Verse 1: David Gilmour & Roger Waters

Sitting in a bunker here behind my wall
Waiting for the worms to come (Worms to come)
In perfect isolation here behind my wall
Waiting for the worms to come

Bridge: Roger Waters

Testing. One. Two. One. Two. The worms will convene at 1:15 outside Brixton Town Hall where we will be going in force!

Bridge: Roger Waters

(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 queers and the coons and the reds and the Jews
(Waiting) To follow the worms

Verse 2: David Gilmour & Roger Waters

Would you like to see Britannia rule again
(Would you like to see us rule again)
My friend?
All you have to do is follow the worms
Would you like to send our coloured cousins home again
(Would you like to send them home again)
My friend?
All you need to do is follow the worms

Outro: Roger Waters

The Worms will convene outside Brixton Bus Station, where we’ll be moving along at about 12 o’clock down Stockwell Road
At that point, we’ll be heading towards Lambeth Road, where we will walk calmly with resistance, leaving twelve minutes to three as we move along Lambeth Road towards Vauxhall Bridge
Now when we get to the other side of Vauxhall Bridge, we’re in Westminister Borough area. It’s quite possible that we may encounter some Jew boys all the way from 4, 5, and 6 on the way as we go
Now is the time to clean up the city, for this is the beginning! We need to secure our people! We can’t stand around and let ourselves be robbed, maimed, and killed!
And when we make it to the Highclock Corner, I want you to spread out and find them!
Storm the halls, and then tear the walls and the doors! Break down the doors and hunt them where they are!
(Hammer! Hammer! Hammer! Hammer!)
Stop!

24. Stop

Verse: Roger Waters

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…)

25. The Trial

Intro

Verse 1: Prosecutor

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!

Verse 2: 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

Chorus: Pink (and Choir)

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)

Verse 3: Wife

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

Verse 4: Mother

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

Chorus: Pink (and Choir)

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)

Verse 5: The Judge

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!

Outro: Crowd

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!

*explosion*
*bricks crumbling*

26. Outside the Wall

Verse: Roger Waters

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

Outro: Richard Wright

Isn’t this where…

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Significance of The Wall in Rock History?

The Wall is considered one of the greatest rock albums of all time, influencing countless artists and music genres with its unique storytelling and powerful themes.

Was there a Movie Adaptation of The Wall?

Yes, The Wall was adapted into a film in 1982, titled Pink Floyd – The Wall, directed by Alan Parker. It visually represents the album’s themes and story.