Beyond the Wall: Another Brick in the Wall

Found in 1965, Pink Floyd is undoubtedly one of the best bands ever. Their songs are still listened to and valued around the world, making their impact on music as an art and society permanent. However, one song is critically acclaimed and analyzed: Another Brick in the Wall.

The band’s original members were Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright. Another member, David Gilmour, joined as their fifth member. Though Syd was the primary lyrics writer, Roger Waters later took over the position due to Syd’s health problems. The song, which was released in 1979, was written by Roger Waters as a three-part composition. It sold over 4 million copies around the globe and won Waters the 1983 British Academy Award for Best Original Song.

The song was originally part of the 1979 rock opera The Wall; however, over time, it has taken on a broader meaning beyond its original context. The story begins with a fictional rock star named Pink, and it revolves around his traumas and sufferings throughout his life; he eventually creates a wall. In an interview for The Wall with Tommy Vance 1979, Waters expresses:

 ‘Well, the idea for “The Wall’ came from ten years of touring, rock shows, I think, particularly the last few years in ’75 and ’77 we were playing to very large audiences, some of whom were our old audience who’d come to see us play, but most of whom were only there for the beer, in big stadiums, and, er, consequently, it became rather an alienating experience doing the shows. I became very conscious of a wall between us and our audience, and so this record started as being an expression of those feelings.’

The wall is a metaphorical barrier that isolates us from the world between one’s self and our surroundings. Roger Waters’ father left him to go fight in World War II and died when Roger was only five months old. In the first part of the song, Pink, the main character, never had the chance to know his father, which led him to build a brick in the wall.

‘Daddy's flown across the ocean

Leaving just a memory…

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

In the first part of Another Brick in the Wall, there is a boy, pink, and his mother who is crying for the loss of her husband in church. After church, Pink sees an older man that he took for his father at the park. He goes up to him and grabs his hand, but the man does not pay attention and ignores him. With no one to push him on the swing, he sits on the swing in complete solitude.

The second part of the story focuses on Pink’s restrictive surroundings and the people who are the reason behind his alienation. Its primary focus is on abusive teachers and the system overall. An obstacle that limits students and doesn’t let them be themselves. The teacher in the video is depicted as a cruel, authoritarian figure who humiliates students. However, he is also portrayed as a victim of the system. In one scene, he is shown being reprimanded by his wife, indicating that his oppressive behavior stems from his lack of authority. When we look closely at the scene, there is a picture of the Queen, which determines the Queen’s role as the ultimate authority. This case points out the chain of oppression with dual roles as both oppressor and oppressed that starts from the top of society, reinforcing the idea that institutional systems dehumanize everyone involved.

‘We don't need no education

We don't need no thought control’

Also, the children’s choir and additional catchy melodies contribute to the song. The phrase ‘another brick in the wall’ refers to people or events that lead us to alienation, as Waters states. The school system aims to train children according to their standards through both physical and emotional damage. Teachers immediately force children to conform to society’s expectations and turn them into faceless and hollow figures. It is a critique of modern education systems, which strip children’s identities away, leaving only mindless, identical workers. Children tear down the institution that oppressed them, and this symbolizes breaking the wall—the desire to break free.

In the last part, the protagonist (Pink) has reached a point of total isolation and emotional detachment. The phrase "I have seen the writing on the wall" references the biblical story of Belshazzar’s feast, where a mysterious figure writes a warning on the wall, foretelling the king’s downfall. In this context, Pink sees his doom coming, yet he still embraces his detachment.