| The Wall Live In Berlin |
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| Recorded: July 21, 1990 Running Time: Apprx. 120 mins. Ranking: #4 out of 5 videos Video Highlight: Comfortably Numb Video Weak Point: Another Brick In The Wall part 2 Comments: None of the songs in this video are in their best version. There is something wrong with each of them, but that doesn't mean they're not enjoyable. In fact, this video is a very enjoyable video to watch, in that you get to see a live performance of "The Wall" in concert. There is a broad range of guest performers who add a touch of variety to this, and while some of them don't even come close to singing the songs as well as they were sung in their original versions, they add unique touches to each of the songs, which is a good thing most of the time. |
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| In The Flesh? Written by: Waters Performed by: The Scorpions Best Version: Is There Anybody Out There? Rating: **** Comments: Before the music begins, you hear motorcycles and the cameras pan to the street, where a limousine drives up, and a band jumps out. The leader of this band may look somewhat like Roger Waters to the untrained eye, but once he begins singing it's obvious that he's not. The playing is great here, but the singing is pitiful. He does manage to redeem himself somewhat towards the end of the song, with the shouting he does. Lyrics: 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 Words: lights...roll the sound effects...action...drop it...drop it on 'em...drop it on them! |
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| The Thin Ice Written by: Waters Performed by: Ute Lemper & Waters Best Version: The Wall Rating: *** Comments: The playing is fair, and the singing is good. Ute Lemper doesn't dazzle with her voice, but she doesn't make you cringe either. She sings the first verse, then Roger comes in for the main portion, for which she does the background vocals, which does add a nice touch. Lyrics: mama loves her baby daddy loves you too and the sea may the warm to you, baby and the sky may look blue but ooh ooh ooh ooh baby ooh ooh ooh baby blue ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh babe 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 |
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| Another Brick In The Wall part 1 Written by: Waters Performed by: Garth Hudson & Waters Best Version: The Wall Rating: ***** Comments: Both the playing and singing are excellent here. Roger sings the lyrics with just the right touch of emotion behind them. His voice is older now, and there is something about it that seems more serious adn less sarcastic than other versions. The real treat here is once the lyrics are over and the instrumental portion begin. Garth Hudson plays the saxophone, adding a great touch to the song that isn't found in any other version. Lyrics: 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? all in all it was just a brick in the Wall all in all it was all just bricks in the Wall |
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| The Happiest Days Of Our Lives Written by: Waters Performed by: Joe Chemay, John Joyce, Stan Farber, Jim Hass, & Waters Best Version: Is There Anybody Out There? Rating: ***** Comments: The playing is great, and the singing is excellent. It begins with a man in the helicopter screaming the opening words, and the gigantic teacher puppet appearing behind the wall. The first few lines are sung by the four men who give it a very low-pitched and serious quality. Then Roger comes in to belt out the last few lines and the music picks up to make the transition to the second part of this historic meddley. Lyrics: when we grew up and went to school there were certain teachers who would hurt the children any way they could 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 |
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| Another Brick In The Wall part 2 Written by: Waters Performed by: Cyndi Lauper Best Version: Is There Anybody Out There? Rating: ** Comments: What usually is the best song of the first half of The Wall is now the worst song of them all. Cyndi Lauper is a disgrace. Once the previous song has built the intensity as high as it can go, she marches out in a schoolboy's uniform with her giant hair flailing about, making pathetic "dance" moves and singing despicably. She obviously has no real comprehension of what the lyrics she's singing actually mean. It seems as though she's some stupid little school girl who's just getting a little bored in class. The song is about much more than not enjoying school, which she doesn't seem to understand, and it shows. She prances around the stage, rips off her shirt, and sings in such a whiny little voice that it makes you want to throw something very heavy at her. Once the solo begins, it gets a bit better, as you see Andy Fairwether Low playing guitar quite competently, but then she goes up to him and starts dancing very stupidly and flailing her hair at him. He seems more than just a little distracted. Still, I have to give the song credit more the great instrumental, but she really ruins what should be an excellent song. Lyrics: we don't need no education we don't need no thought control no dark sarcasm in the classroom teacher, leave them kids alone hey, teacher, leave them kids alone all in all you're just another brick in the Wall all in all you're just another brick in the Wall we don't need no education we don't need no thought control no dark sarcasm in the classroom teacher, leave them kids alone hey! teacher! leave them kids alone! all in all you're just another brick in the Wall all in all you're just another brick in the Wall Words: wrong, do it again!...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, you behind the bikesheds, stand still laddy! |
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| Mother Written by: Waters Performed by: Sinead O'Connor, The Band Best Version: The Wall (film) Rating: **** Comments: This isn't one of the best songs of The Wall, but this is definitely one of the best performances of this concert. At first, it seems odd that a woman sings the part of the obviously male narrator (mother, do you think they'll try to break my balls?), but Sinead O'Connor does a fantastic job. She doesn't smile at all, unless the sound she wants coming from her mouth makes it necessary, and she clearly puts every ounce emotion into the lyrics that can go there. Unlike the previous performer, she seems to know exactly what the words mean, and she even seems to have an understanding of the deeper meaning. The refrain is sung by The Band, who do a nice job, but don't compare at all to the beauty of Sinead O'Connor's voice. She really makes this song as beautiful as it can be. Lyrics: mother, do you think they'll drop the bomb? mother, do you think they'll like the song? mother, do you think they'll try to break my balls? oooh, mother, should i build the Wall? mother, should i run for president? mother, should i trust the government? mother, will they put me in the firing line? oooh, is it just a waste of time? hush now, baby baby, don't you cry mama's gonna make all of your nightmares come true mama's gonna put all of her fears into you mama's gonna keep you right here under her wing she won't let you fly but she might let you sing mama, will you keep baby cozy and warm? ooh babe, ooh baby, ooh babe of course mama's gonna help build the Wall 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? oooh, mother, will she break my heart?! hush now, baby baby, don't you cry mama's gonna check out all your girlfriends for you mama won't let anyone dirty get through mama's gonna wait up until you get it mama will always find out where you've been mama's gonna keep baby healthy and clean ooh babe, ooh baby, ooh babe you'll always be a baby to me mother, did it need to be so high? |
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| Goodbye Blue Sky Written by: Waters Performed by: Joni Mitchell Best Version: The Wall Rating: **** Comments: The most noticably thing aside from the female voice about this song is that it's a lot longer. Joni Mitchell sings very well, but I think she's almost to the point of over-doing it. It almost seems as though she resents only singing such a short song, so she tries to pour it all on at once, and lengthen it. It hardly takes much away from the beauty of this song, though. On the circular screen, Gerald Scarfe's animation is projected, and on the t.v. screen it's transparent so you can watch it and Joni Mitchell at the same time. Lyrics: 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? 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 goodbye, blue sky goodbye, blue sky, goodbye, goodbye... |
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| Empty Spaces / What Shall We Do Now? Written by: Waters Performed by: Bryan Adams & Waters Best Version: The Wall (film) RANKING (different version): #12 (this version *****) Comments: This is normally my favourite song of the first half of The Wall, and in this concert, a unique version is offered. The opening doesn't sound the same as it usually does, but there are some powerful chords played. The audience is seen holding up their paper masks during the first lines, which Waters sings. Now, I'm not the world's biggest Bryan Adams fan, but I have to admit that he does a damn good job here. Still, the song doesn't sound quite right until Roger joins him in this extremely powerful number. Lyrics: what shall we use to fill the empty spaces where waves of hunger gnaw? shall we set out across this sea of faces in search of more and more applause? shall we buy a new guitar? shall we drive a more powerful car? shall we work straight through the night? shall we get into fights leave the lights on drop bombs do tours of the east contract diseases bury bones break up homes send flowers by phone take to drink go to shrinks give up meat rarely sleep keep people as pets train dogs race rats fill the attic with cash bury treasure store up leisure but never relax at all? with our backs to the Wall |
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| Young Lust Written by: Waters, Gilmour Performed by: Bryan Adams Best Version: Is There Anybody Out There? Rating: *** Comments: This version of this songs doesn't differ greatly from the Is There Anybody Out There? version, other than the person singing and playing guitar. Bryan Adams sings these trite lyrics as well as they can be sung, and his guitar playing is equally good. Still, there is nothing too special about this song. Once the music ends, a projection is placed up against the wall of the operator phone conversation, while the recording of it is played. Lyrics: i am just a new boy a stranger to this town where are all the good times? who's gonna show this stranger around? ooh, i need a dirty woman ooh, i need a dirty girl where's a woman in this desert land? make me feel like a real man take this rock n' roll refugee ooh baby, set me free ooh, i need a dirty woman ooh, i need a dirty girl ooh, i need a dirty woman ooh, i need a dirty girl Words: ...hello?...we have a collect call from mr. Floyd to mrs. Floyd, will you except the charges from united states? he hung up. is this your residence? i wonder why he hung up? is there supposed to be someone else there besides your wife, sir, to answer?...hello?...this is united states calling, are we reaching...? he keeps hanging up, and it's a man answering... |
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| One Of My Turns Written by: Waters Performed by: Waters Best Version: The Wall Rating: *** Comments: This is one of those songs that just doesn't work very well live. A cartoon drawing of a giant hotel room is projected on the wall at the start of the song, while an actress marches across the stage reciting the girlfriend lines. It seems as though at first she deliberately tries to overdo it, but then half-way through, she realizes what a horrible gig this is and just rushes to get through with it. You then see Roger inside the wall in a tiny hotel-room set. It's a very anti-climactic moment when he's supposed to flip, because almost nothing happens. This is not to blame him, because he can't flip out and sing at the same time. But once the instrumental starts, and he really does start trashing the hotel room, it seems too choreographed and rehearsed. This is the worst version of this otherwise fantastic song. Lyrics: day after day 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 anymore 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 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 like to see me try? would you like to call the cops? do you think it's time i stop? why are you running away? Words: oh my god, what a fabulous room...are all these your guitars?...god, this place is bigger than our apartment...can i get a drink of water?...you want some, huh?...oh wow, look at this tub! wanna take a bath?...what are you watching?...hello?...are you feeling okay? |
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| Don't Leave Me Now Written by: Waters Performed by: Waters Best Version: The Wall Rating: ** Comments: Normally this would be my least favourite song of The Wall, but Cyndi Lauper just makes me so damned mad... at least this song is sung by the man who knows what he's singing, or so it would seem. Only people who have heard The Wall hundreds upon hundreds of times will notice this, but Roger forgets the lyrics and sings the wrong line near the end of the song. It doesn't screw anything up, however, and the song continues and ends as it normally does. Lyrics: ooh babe, don't leave me now 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, ooh babe don't leave me now how could you go? when you know how i need you to beat to a pulp on a saturday night, ooh babe how can you treat me this way? running way? i need you, babe why are you running away? |
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| Another Brick In The Wall part 3 Written by: Waters Performed by: Waters Best Version: Is There Anybody Out There? Rating: ***** Comments: I love what's done here at the beginning. Instead of the usual smashing television, a strange etherial melody takes over as the audience is shown in slow motion: the calm before the storm. It's different, and it's beautiful. Once the lyrics start, the song continues as normal, and once they end, the instrumental, "The Last Few Bricks" takes over as the last few bricks are added to the wall. This is a fascinating thing to see, and it's one of the highlights of the video that no CD can give you. Finally, the song ends as there is only one brick left, and Roger takes his place through the hole to deliver his final lines of the first half of the show. Lyrics: 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 no, don't think i need anything at all all in all it was all just brick in the Wall all in all you were all just bricks in the Wall |
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| Goodbye Cruel World Written by: Waters Performed by: Waters Best Version: The Wall Rating: **** Comments: This is possibly the most haunting moment of the show, as only the upper half of Roger's body can be seen, holding his bass guitar and gently playing those notes, with his sunglasses on to shield him from the rest of the world. The final brick is laid in place at the precise moment he finishes singing, and the first half of the concert ends. Lyrics: 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 |
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| Hey You Written by: Waters Performed by: Paul Carrack Best Version: Is There Anybody Out There? RANKING (different version): #17 (this version *****) Comments: Although I've never heard of him before, Paul Carrack does the best job, in my opinion, of all the male-vocal guest performers. He has an excellent voice, and showcases it well throughout this song, pouring just enough emotion into them without over-doing it. He is singing from behind the Wall, now fully built, and it's an interesting sight to see. During the bridge of the song, he sings back-up while the band sings the main lyrics and Roger sings the famous line about the worms eating into his brain. The guitar solo is the only downside, although it's done very well it doesn't come close to how Gilmour does it, and it sounds like some notes are missing. Still, this is one of the highlights of the video. Lyrics: 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 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 but it was only a fantasy (it was only fantasy) the wall was too hight, as you can see (yeah, yeah, as you can see) no matter how he tried, he could not break free (no, no) and the worms ate into his brain 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 |
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| Is There Anybody Out There? Written by: Waters Performed by: The Rundfunk Orchestra and Choir Best Version: Is There Anybody Out There? Rating: *** Comments: What is supposed to be a very sad and intimate song doesn't work very well here. A giant orchestra isn't really the right way to play this song. The most annoying thing comes during the instrumental, which is supposed to be very slow and sad, but the audience decides to clap along as if it's some sort of country-music ho-down. I've got nothing against clapping along to great music, it works well at the beginning of "Run Like Hell" but this just isn't the right song for it. Lyrics: is there anybody out there? is there anybody out there? is there anybody out there? aaah...is there anybody out there? |
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| Nobody Home Written by: Waters Performed by: Waters Best Version: The Wall Rating: **** Comments: This is such a sad and wonderful song, and the performance of it here is nearly perfect. Waters appears in front of the Wall in a little hotel-room set complete with reclining chair and television. He sings from the chair with his eyes closed, and delivers what is most definitely his best acting performance of the night. You can tell that he is really feeling the lyrics as he sings them. He opens his eyes widely when he sings "wild staring eyes", and sings passionately through the rest of the song. It is somewhat amusing, however, when he skips a few words in the sixth line, but the audience sings "of shit on the t.v." for him. Lyrics: i got a little black book with my poems in i got a bag with a toothbrush and a comb 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 got thirteen channels to choose from i got electric light and i got second sight i've got amazing powers of observation and that is how i know when i try to get through on the telephone to you there'll be nobody home i got the obligatory hendrix perm and the inevitable pin-hole burns all down the front of my favourite satin shirt i got nicotine stains on my fingers i got a silver spoon on a chain i got a grand piano to prop up my mortal remains i got wild staring eyes and i got a strong urge to fly but i got nowhere to fly to ooh babe, when i pick up the phone there's still nobody home i got a pair of go-hills boots and i got fading roots |
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| Vera Written by: Waters Performed by: The Rundfunk Orchestra and Choir & Waters Best Version: The Wall Rating: *** Comments: This a very short song in the show, and also very impassionate. A bunch of political posters are projected on the Wall as Roger sings the simple lyrics. This songs just serves as a lead-in to the extremely powerful performance of the next song. Lyrics: does anybody here rember 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? |
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| Bring The Boys Back Home Written by: Waters Performed by: The Rundfunk Orchestra and Choir, The Military Orchestra of the Soviet Army Best Version: The Wall (film) Rating: **** Comments: As Vera ends and the drum solo takes over to bring in the next song, an army of soldiers takes the stage to set up for this short yet extremely powerful rendition of this chilling song. On the Wall, thousands of names are projected in lights to make it resemble a War memorial. Throughout this lengthened song, the projection changes to simply letters reading "BRING THE BOYS BACK HOME" and finally to a graveyard of thousands of crosses. The soldiers' singing coupled with the emotional projections on the Wall make what can be a very weak song into an extremely powerful number, and its second-best version. Lyrics: 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 bring the boys back home don't leave the children on their own, no no bring the boys back home |
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| Comfortably Numb Written by: Gilmour, Waters Performed by: Van Morrison, The Band, & Waters Best Version: P*U*L*S*E RANKING (different version): #1 (this version ******) Comments: It would take an awful lot to ruin a song like this, and while this is the WORST version of this song ever recorded, it still manages to be the highlight of the show. An ambulance pulls across the stage, and doctors hop out to outfit Waters into a doctor's attire, and he begins singing the lyrics in the way that only he can. The refrain simply lacks Gilmour's voice, the only voice really suited to sing it. However, once you get past the extreme difference in sound, Van Morrison's voice doesn't sound all that bad, and in fact, does give the refrain a good unique touch. The instrumental, blared out by Andy Fairwether Low and Snowy White playing from rafters atop the Wall does not come near Gilmour's level of emotion, but their guitars howl enough to put you in the feeling of hopeless ecstacy that only this magnificent solo can do. When the solo ends, this version breaks all the rules and the second refrain is repeated, which doesn't ruin the song at all, but merely puts a unique touch on the ending that you don't get with any other version. A truly perfect piece of music, despite the absence of the man who wrote it. Lyrics: hello...hello...hello is there anybody in there? just nod if you can hear me is there anyone at home? come on...come on...now i hear you're feeling down well, i can ease the pain and get you on your feet again relax...relax...relax i'll need some information first just the basic facts now can you show me where it hurts? there is no pain you are receding a distant ship's 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 i have become comfortably numb okay...okay...okay just a little pin-prick there'll be no more aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh but you may feel a little sick now 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 there is no pain you are receding a distant ship's 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 and i have become comfortably numb... there is no pain you are receding a distant ship's smoke on the horizon you are only coming thorugh in waves your lips move, but i can't hear what you've 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 and i have become comfortably numb |
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| In The Flesh Written by: Waters Performed by: The Bleeding Heart Band, The Rundfunk Orchestra and Choir, the Military Orchestra of the Soviet Army & Waters Best Version: Is There Anybody Out There? Rating: **** Comments: What ruins this song is the lack of any substance behind it. Waters emerges again in front of the wall, this time on a giant podium in a military dictator's uniform, and delivers the lyrics in a very bad voice. He should have just stuck to his regular voice. Also, it is clear here why he did not play Pink in the film of The Wall, because his acting is nowhere near the brilliance of Bob Geldof. Despite all that, it's certainly far from pitiful, and this song is still enjoyable to watch. Lyrics: so you thought you might like to go to the show to feel the warm thrill of confusion, that space-cadet glow i got some bad news for you, sunshine Pink isn't well, he stayed back at the hotel and they've sent us along as a surrogate band and we're gonna find out where you fans really stand are there any queers in the theater tonight? get 'em up against the Wall there's one in the spotlight, now he don't look right to me get him up against the Wall and that one look jewish, and that one's a coon who let all this riff-raff into the room? there's one smoking a joint and other one's got spots if i had my way, i'd have all of you shot |
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| Run Like Hell Written by: Gilmour, Waters Performed by: The Bleeding Heart Band, The Rundfunk Orchestra and Choir, the Military Orchestra of the Soviet Army & Waters Best Version: P*U*L*S*E Rating: **** Comments: This is where the giant pig makes his appearance in the show, knocking a few bricks off the top of the wall in the process. The playing is great, considering it's coming from a great variety of different sources, including gigantic orchestras. The singing is the only weak point. This song works much better as a duet, with two people taking turns belting out each line, but in this version Waters does all the singing himself, and hardly puts an ounce of emotion behind these lyrics, which he wrote. The bassist from P*U*L*S*E, Guy Pratt, does a much better job with the lyrics than Waters does here. But the song is still enjoyable just for the musical aspect of it. Lyrics: run, run, run, run...run, run, run, run...run, run, run, run you'd better make your face up in your favourite disguise with your button-down lips and your roller-blind eyes with your empty smiles and your hungry heart feel the fire rising from your guilty past with your tongue in tatters as the cockle-shell shatters and the hammers batter down your door you'd better run run, run, run, run...run, run, run, run...run, run, run run you'd 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'd 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'd better run |
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| Waiting For The Worms Written by: Waters Performed by: The Bleeding Heart Band, The Rundfunk Orchestra and Choir, the Military Orchestra of the Soviet Army & Waters Best Version: The Wall Rating: **** Comments: There has been no change in the appearance of the stage now since "In The Flesh" and the eye is getting kind of bored. This song then comes along and fixes that by projecting some more animations upon the Wall. These animations, however, were not seen in the film of The Wall, until you get to the march of the hammers. This serves as a great build-up towards the climax of the show. Lyrics: oooh, you cannot reach me now oooh, no matter how you try good-bye, cruel world, it's over walk on by sitting in a bunker, here behind my Wall waiting for the worms to come in perfect isolation, here behind my Wall waiting for the worms to come waiting to cut out the dead-wood 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 would you like to see brittania rule again, my friend? all you have to do is follow the worms would you like to send our coloured cousins home again, my friend? all you need to do is follow the worms |
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| Stop! Written by: Waters Performed by: The Bleeding Heart Band, The Rundfunk Orchestra and Choir, the Military Orchestra of the Soviet Army & Waters Best Version: The Wall Rating: **** Comments: Once the instrumental of the previous song has built everything up, Roger yells "stop!" and all the music dies away to that haunting melody that make up this very short, yet very powerful transition song. While he's singing, Waters manages to tear off his uniform, and only lose the microphone for a second. Not much is lost. Lyrics: stop! 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 i been guilty all this time? |
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| The Trial Written by: Waters & Bob Ezrin Performed by: Tim Curry, Thomas Dolby, Ute Lemper, Maryanne Faithfull, Albert Finney, & Waters Best Version: The Wall Rating: ***** Comments: While not the best version of this song, this is certainly the most different, in that instead of one man singing all the parts as Waters usually does, it is many actors playing the many different parts, with Waters only singing from inside Pink's mind. All the actors are dressed in ridiculous costumes made to resemble Scarfe's animated characters from the film. Tim Curry, one of my favourite actors, plays the prosecutor, and though I may be a bit biassed I believe he does an excellent job. But I will admit that he was better in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The schoolmaster is played by Thomas Dolby, and he sings while suspended from wires inside a costume designed with absurdly long arms and legs, making his the most amusing part of the song. Ute Lemper does a fine job as the wife, as does Maryanne Faithful as the mother. The weak link, however, is Albert Finney as the Judge, who delivers the condemning lines with an utter disinterest in what he's saying. And he does not change his tone for an instant during the final line, which is supposed to be big climactic, all-important line of the show. Despite this, I still give it the maximum rating for being a very unique and entertaining segment. Lyrics: (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 (judge): call the schoolmaster (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 laughter let me hammer him today (Pink): 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 (judge): call the defendent's wife (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 aloooooone! (mother): baaaaaabe... come to mother, baby, let me hold you in my arms look, 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 (Pink): 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 (judge): the evidence before the court is incontrovertable there's no need for the jury to retire in all me years of judging i have never heard before 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 deficate since, my friend, you have revealed your deepest fear i sentence you to be exposed before your peers tear down the Wall. |
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| The Tide Is Turning Written by: Waters Performed by: The Company Best Version: The Wall Live In Berlin Rating: ***** Comments: If you're not expecting this, as I wasn't, you'll be sitting through this entire song wondering "when are they going to do 'Outside the Wall'"? Well, they don't do it--it comes on during the credits. Instead, you get a song from Waters's solo album Radio K.A.O.S., sung by various members of the company. It's actually quite a powerful song, and works surprisingly well at the end of the concert of The Wall, and it even has more meaning when you consider this concert was performed in Berlin just months after the "real" Wall was torn down. Once all the bricks are knocked over, quite an amazing site to behold, a long rafter rises carrying all the performers, and a melody blasting behind them, which soon gives way to "The Tide Is Turning" which Roger begins and is then continued, each performer singing three lines. Most of them do just fine, but a few of them can't resist throwing in a little vocal improvisation that takes away from the meaning of the words. It's not the usual ending, but it certainly works very well for this concert. Lyrics: (Roger Waters): i used to think the world was flat rarely through my hat into the crowd i felt i had used up my quota of yearning (Joni Mitchell): used to look in on the children at night in the glow of their donald duck light and frighten myself with the thought of my little ones burning (Paul Carrack): oh oh oh, the tide is turning oh oh, the tide is turning (Cyndi Lauper): sattelite buzzing through the endless night exlusive to moon-shot and world title fights jeezus christ, imagine what it must be earning (Bryan Adams): who is the strongest? who is the best? who hold the aces, the east or the west? this is the crap our children are learning but oh oh oh, the tide is turning oh oh, the tide is turning (Van Morrison): now the satellite's confused, 'cause on saturday night the air waves were full of compassion and light and his silicon heart warmed to the sight of a billion candles burning (Paul Carrack): now i'm not saying the battle is won but on saturday night all those kids in the sun wrested technology's sword in the hands of the war-lords (Everyone): oh oh oh, the tide is turning oh oh, the tide is turning oh oh oh, the tide is turning oh oh, the tide is turning |
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