Pink Floyd - The Wall (full album 1979)

The Wall is the eleventh studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 30 November 1979 by Harvest/EMI and Columbia/CBS Records. It is the last album to include all four post-Barrett–era band members. The album is a rock opera that follows the story of "Pink", a jaded rock star, as he constructs a psychological "wall" of social isolation. The Wall topped the US charts for 15 weeks and reached number three in the UK. It initially received mixed reviews from critics, many of whom found it overblown and pretentious, but later received accolades as one of the greatest albums of all time.
The group's bassist Roger Waters conceived The Wall during Pink Floyd's 1977 In the 
Pink Floyd's 1977 "In the Flesh" tour, modelling the character of Pink after himself and former member Syd Barrett. Recording spanned from December 1978 to November 1979. Co-producer Bob Ezrin helped to refine the concept and bridge tensions during recording, as the band members were struggling with personal and financial problems. The group's keyboardist, Richard Wright, was fired by Waters during production but stayed on during the tour as a salaried musician.

Three singles were issued: "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2" (Pink Floyd's only UK and US number-one single), "Run Like Hell", and "Comfortably Numb". From 1980 to 1981, Pink Floyd performed the album on a tour that featured elaborate theatrical effects. In 1982, The Wall was adapted into a feature film written by Waters. Some outtakes were used on the next Pink Floyd album, "The Final Cut" (1983).

"The Wall" is one of the best-known concept albums. With over 30 million copies sold, it is the second-best-selling Pink Floyd album behind "The Dark Side of the Moon" (1973), the best-selling double album of all time, and one of the best-selling albums of all time. In 2000, it was voted number 30 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums. In 2003, 2012, and 2020, it was included in Rolling Stone's lists of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". From 2010 to 2013, Waters staged a new "The Wall" live tour that became one of the highest-grossing tours by a solo musician. In 2011, Waters declared "The Wall" to be his favourite album he recorded with Pink Floyd.

 

„The Wall” este al unsprezecelea album de studio al trupei rock engleze Pink Floyd, lansat pe 30 noiembrie 1979 de Harvest/EMI și Columbia/CBS Records. Este ultimul album care îi include pe toți cei patru membri ai trupei de după epoca Barrett. Albumul este o operă rock care urmărește povestea lui „Pink”, o vedetă rock dezamăgită, în timp ce construiește un „zid” psihologic de izolare socială. „The Wall” a fost în fruntea topurilor americane timp de 15 săptămâni și a ajuns pe locul trei în Marea Britanie. Inițial a primit recenzii mixte din partea criticilor, mulți dintre aceștia considerându-l exagerat și pretențios, dar ulterior a fost elogiat ca fiind unul dintre cele mai mari albume din toate timpurile.

Basistul trupei, Roger Waters, a conceput „The Wall” în timpul turneului „In the Flesh” din 1977 al trupei Pink Floyd, modelând personajul lui Pink după el și fostul membru Syd Barrett. Înregistrările s-au desfășurat din decembrie 1978 până în noiembrie 1979. Coproducătorul Bob Ezrin a ajutat la rafinarea conceptului și la reducerea tensiunilor în timpul înregistrărilor, deoarece membrii trupei se luptau cu probleme personale și financiare. Claviaturistul grupului, Richard Wright, a fost concediat de Waters în timpul producției, dar a rămas în timpul turneului ca muzician salariat.

Au fost lansate trei single-uri: „Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2” (singurul single numărul unu al trupei Pink Floyd în Marea Britanie și SUA), „Run Like Hell” și „Comfortably Numb”. Din 1980 până în 1981, Pink Floyd a interpretat albumul într-un turneu care a inclus efecte teatrale elaborate. În 1982, "The Wall" a fost adaptat într-un lungmetraj scris de Waters. Unele extrageri au fost folosite pe următorul album Pink Floyd, "The Final Cut"(1983).

"The Wall" este unul dintre cele mai cunoscute albume conceptuale. Cu peste 30 de milioane de exemplare vândute, este al doilea cel mai bine vândut album Pink Floyd după "The Dark Side of the Moon" (1973), cel mai bine vândut album dublu din toate timpurile și unul dintre cele mai bine vândute albume din toate timpurile. În 2000, a fost votat numărul 30 în topul All Time Top 1000 Albums al lui Colin Larkin. În 2003, 2012 și 2020, albumul a fost inclus în lista Rolling Stone cu „Cele mai mari 500 de albume din toate timpurile”. Din 2010 până în 2013, Waters a organizat un nou turneu live "The Wall", care a devenit unul dintre cele mai încasate turnee ale unui muzician solo. În 2011, Waters a declarat "The Wall" albumul său preferat înregistrat cu Pink Floyd.

 List of tracks

Side one

1.         "In the Flesh?"                                                                                    3:19

2.         "The Thin Ice"          Waters, David Gilmour                                       2:29

3.         "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1"                                                     3:09

4.         "The Happiest Days of Our Lives"                                                      1:51

5.         "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2"          Waters, Gilmour                  3:59

6.         "Mother"             Waters, Gilmour                                                        5:37

                                                                                       Total length:        20:11

Side two

7.         "Goodbye Blue Sky"                      Gilmour                                         2:47

8.         "Empty Spaces"                                                                                   2:08

9.         "Young Lust"           Gilmour, Waters       Gilmour                                         3:29

10.      "One of My Turns"                                                                              3:37

11.      "Don't Leave Me Now"                  Waters, Gilmour                            4:16

12.      "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 3"                                                      1:14

13.      "Goodbye Cruel World"                                                                      1:13

                                                                                       Total length:        18:43

Side three

14.      "Hey You"                Gilmour, Waters                                                 4:41

15.      "Is There Anybody Out There?"                                                         2:39

16.      "Nobody Home"                                                                                  3:24

17.      "Vera"                                                                                                 1:33

18.      "Bring the Boys Back Home"                                                              1:27

19.      "Comfortably Numb"          Gilmour, Waters       Waters, Gilmour     6:23

                                                                                        Total length:      20:09

Side four

20.      "The Show Must Go On"              Gilmour                                       1:36

21.      "In the Flesh"                                                                                     4:16

22.      "Run Like Hell"        Gilmour, Waters                                                4:23

23.      "Waiting for the Worms"               Waters, Gilmour                          3:57

24.      "Stop"                                                                                                0:30

25.      "The Trial"     Bob Ezrin, Waters                                                      5:19

26.      "Outside the Wall"                                                                             1:43

                                                                                       Total length:      21:39

                                                                                                                 80:42

Personnel

Pink Floyd

Roger Waters – vocals, bass guitar (1–6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 19, 21), EMS VCS 3 (1, 7, 8, 11, 16, 21, 23), acoustic guitar (6, 17), electric guitar (12),[131] sleeve design, co-production

David Gilmour – vocals, electric guitar (1–6, 8–12, 14, 15, 19, 21–23, 25), acoustic guitar (6, 7, 14, 17, 19, 20), bass guitar (7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25), Prophet-5 (2, 7, 8, 19, 23) and ARP Quadra synthesisers (8, 21), co-production

Nick Mason – drums (except 3, 6–8, 13, 15–18, 24, 26), percussion (10, 25)

Richard Wright – Hammond organ (2, 4, 5, 9–11, 13, 14, 19, 23), Prophet-5 (1, 3–5, 7, 10–13, 15–17, 20, 22), piano (2, 8, 11, 25), ARP Quadra (14) and Minimoog synthesisers (3), Fender Rhodes (14) and Wurlitzer electric pianos (9), clavinet (4)

Additional musicians

Bob Ezrin – co-producer, piano (6, 10, 16, 20, 23, 24), Hammond organ and harmonium (6), Prophet-5 (15, 20, 21), orchestral arrangement and music (25), backing vocals (23)

James Guthrie – co-producer, engineer, percussion (4), ARP Quadra (8, 21), sound effects (14, 22)

Michael Kamen – orchestral arrangement (15, 19)

New York Orchestra – orchestra (16, 17, 18, 25)

New York Opera – choral vocals (18)

Fred Mandel – Hammond organ (1, 21)

Jeff Porcaro – drums (6)

Lee Ritenour – rhythm guitar (10), additional acoustic guitar (19)

Joe (Ron) di Blasi – classical guitar (15)

Joe Porcaro[132] – snare drums (18)

Bobbye Hall – congas and bongos (22)

Frank Marocco – concertina (26)

Larry Williams – clarinet (26)

Trevor Veitch – mandolin (26)

Bruce Johnston – backing vocals[133] (1, 20, 21, 23)

Toni Tennille – backing vocals (1, 20, 21, 23)

Joe Chemay – backing vocals (1, 20, 21, 23)

Jon Joyce – backing vocals (1, 20, 21, 23)

Stan Farber – backing vocals (1, 20, 21, 23)

Jim Haas – backing vocals (1, 20, 21, 23)

Children of Islington Green School – vocals (5)

Harry Waters – child's voice (7)

Trudy Young – voice of the groupie (10)

Vicki Brown and Clare Torry (credited simply as "Vicki & Clare") – backing vocals (25)

Phil Taylor – sound effects (22)

Chris Fitzmorris – male telephone voice (9)

Production 

Nick Griffiths – engineer

Patrice Quef – engineer

Brian Christian – engineer

Rick Hart – engineer

Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab

John McClure – engineer

Phil Taylor – sound equipment

Gerald Scarfe – sleeve design

Krieg Wunderlich – remastering on Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab 24kt gold CD

Doug Sax, James Guthrie – 1994 remastering at The Mastering Lab

James Guthrie, Joel Plante – 2011 remastering at das boot recording