Another Brick In The Wall #6

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

We've just finished listening to "Vera" in which Pink mourns over how he will never meet his father who died in the war. We are then swept into a loud choral song called "Bring the Boys Back Home," which Roger Waters calls the central and unifying song of the whole Wall Rock Opera. In an interview with Tommy Vance in 1980 Waters says that the song is "...partly about not letting people go off and be killed in wars, but it's partly about now allowing rock and roll, ... or anything that anybody might do ... not letting that become such an important and 'jolly boy's game' that it becomes more important than friends, wives, children, or other people." Though the song is loud and full of people, the song ends abruptly on a minor chord when Pink realizes that he is still alone. 

Wall Projection During The Wall Live Tour For "Bring the Boys Back Home."

Segueing into "Comfortably Numb," we find that Pink has moved from lonely to delusional. Pink has just been found unconscious in his room, mostly likely from a drug overdose. The dialogue is between a doctor who treats Pink (the verses Waters sings) and Pink's thoughts (verses sung by David Gilmour). This song was written by Waters about being treated for Hepatitis right before a show and how numb and delirious he felt during the performance.

After being revived (in the film version at least), Pink knows that "The Show Must Go On" and he prepares himself to perform. It's very short and almost like a pep talk for him to get ready for the show he starts playing. The backing vocals were supposed to sound Beach Boys-esque, especially after the Beach Boys cancelled the morning of the actual recording. This song was omitted from the movie and has been omitted in post-Pink Floyd concerts in the 1990s.

The Iconic Crossed Hammers - Pink's Logo

We hear the show Pink is playing in "In the Flesh" - not to be confused with the introductory song "In the Flesh?" In this segment, Pink envisions himself as a fascist dictator and his concert is a large political rally. Pink questions his fans loyalty and singles out the "queers" and the "coons." The incited crowd chants "Pink! Floyd! Pink! Floyd!" until the end of the song. This song is where the iconic Hammer salute comes from and projections of marching hammers can be seen during performances and in the movie.

Now that Pink is in a heightened delusional state - what will he do next? Find out in Part 7!