Pink Floyd’s Festive Anti-Establishment Anthem: The Making of “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2.”
“Another Brick in the Wall P2” wasn’t exactly what comes to mind when one thinks of holiday tunes. In fact, this Yuletide chart topper of 1979 turned the traditional Christmas number one on its head. This wasn’t a song about mistletoe and reindeer, but a track teeming with the rebel yell fitting of its creators – Pink Floyd.
While at the heart of it all lay an anti-establishment message, delivered with insistent insistence. Featuring a children’s choir chanting, “We don’t need no education!”, and heavy, driving rhythm, "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2." was far removed from any sort of holiday cheer. The track was an unexpected surprise coming from an album woven with conceptual depth – a concept album titled The Wall.
A Disco Beat Makes its way into Rock
The disco-tinged heartbeat of the rhythm section, the product of producer Bob Ezrin’s vision, became the magic ingredient that propelled the song onto the charts.
Roger Waters, the creative behemoth behind The Wall, penned the lyrics and the skeletal structure of the song, but Ezrin’s studio prowess aimed it toward its fate as a chart-topping hit.
“It was great," Waters said about Ezrin’s contribution. "Exactly what I expected from a collaborator.”
The “another brick in the wall” was metaphorical – a representation of conformity. Ezrin heard the disco beat pulsating skyscraper loud in his mind after encountering the infectious groove while he was in the studio.
“I’d just done a session in New York,” Ezrin recounted. “Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards [from Chic] were in the next studio. I heard this drum beat and went, ‘Wow, would that ever work great with rock ‘n’ roll!’
In 1979, disco’s infectiousness was invading every corner, and Ezrin’s intuition told him it could be the key to unlocking a hit. “When we played with the discos beat I said, ‘Man, this is a hit! But it’s one minute 20, it’s not going to play. We need two verses and two choruses.’”
The Iconic Solo
Of course, no Pink Floyd song, especially in 1979, would be complete without the unmistakable voice of David Gilmour’s guitar solos.
Pushing against his comfort zone and wielding his 1955 Les Paul, Gilmour laid down what’s become an iconic guitar solo.
“It wasn’t my idea to do disco music, it was Bob’s. He said, ‘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.”
Gilmour’s initial recording of the solo was directly into the mixing desk, but it lacked "meat," according to Gilmour. He sought Ezrin’s help, re-amping it to give it a unique blend.
He expertly crafted two memorable hooks in the solo – a repeating lick that climbed back and forth, ending with a satisfying sense of resolution because of its familiarity. It cemented the repetitive notoriety
The solo comes bursting out, fueled by youthful
– What role did producer Bob Ezrin’s innovative approach play in making “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2” accessible to a wide audience?
## Pink Floyd’s Unexpected Holiday Hit: A Conversation with [Guest Name]
**Interviewer:** Welcome to the show! Today, we’re diving into one of rock’s most surprising Christmas chart-toppers – Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2.” Joining us is [Guest Name], a [Guest Credentials related to music, Pink Floyd, or sociology/cultural trends]. [Guest Name], thanks for being here!
**Guest:** Thanks for having me! It’s always a pleasure to talk Pink Floyd.
**Interviewer:** Let’s start with the obvious: a song about a metaphorical wall, with lyrics like “We don’t need no education” hitting the top of the charts during the holidays? Not your typical Christmas carol, is it?
**Guest:** Absolutely not! [Reflect on the atypical nature of the song in relation to traditional holiday music].
“Another Brick in the Wall Part 2” was an anomaly, its success reflecting the cultural tensions of the time and Pink Floyd’s ability to tap into that.
**Interviewer:** The article mentions that producer Bob Ezrin’s vision played a key role in the song’s chart success. How did he manage to infuse this anti-establishment anthem with a disco vibe that made it so irresistible?
**Guest:** Ezrin was a brilliant producer. [Discuss Ezrin’s contributions, perhaps mentioning his experience with Alice Cooper and the innovative sound he brought to “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2”]. The disco beat effectively creates a paradoxical juxtaposition with the song’s message, making it both catchy and subversive.
**Interviewer:** Roger Waters, the lyricist, called the song ”metaphorical.” Can you elaborate on what “another brick in the wall” represents?
**Guest:** The “wall” in the song symbolizes [explain the concept of the wall, conformity, isolation, control], reflecting themes of [mention relevant social or political contexts of the time]. It’s a powerful image, especially when coupled with the chants of the children’s choir.
**Interviewer:** It seems ironic that a song about resisting conformity would become such a commercial success. What do you think this says about the climate of the late 70s and early 80s?
**Guest:** I think it shows a [analyze the irony of the song’s success, perhaps linking it to a desire for change, questioning authority, or the rise of youth culture].
“Another Brick in the Wall Part 2” sparked a lot of debate, but ultimately its success demonstrated the power of music to challenge norms, even during the festive season.
**Interviewer:** Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us, [Guest Name]. This has been a captivating conversation!
**Guest:** My pleasure!
