The Wall cover art

  Studio Album · No. 9

The Wall Songwriting Credits by Pink Floyd

1979 Columbia 26 tracks 81 min

Produced by Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Roger Waters  ·  Engineered by James Guthrie, Nick Griffiths

Columbia Progressive RockArt Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 26 of 26 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 26 / 26 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 26 tracks with documented writers, by whether Pink Floyd carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
26 trackswritten by Pink Floyd 0 tracksoutside writers
Pink Floyd's roles on this album

Share of the 26 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

26
Tracks
2
Lyricists
4
Producers
2
No.1 Singles
30 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1979
Released

Awards & Recognition 2

Best Engineered Recording (Non-Classical) (1980, Nominated)
Album of the Year (1980, Nominated)
Data Insight

The Wall is Roger Waters's concept from end to end, a semi-autobiographical rock opera about a rock star named Pink who isolates himself behind a metaphorical wall. Waters wrote the overwhelming majority of the material, but David Gilmour shares songwriting credit on the album's most enduring songs, including 'Comfortably Numb,' 'Run Like Hell,' and 'Young Lust,' and producer Bob Ezrin co-wrote 'The Trial' and helped shape the narrative into a coherent double album. Richard Wright was effectively dismissed during the sessions, reduced to a salaried player, which marked the practical end of the band as a four-way partnership. 'Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2' became Pink Floyd's only number-one single.

"The Wall" is the 1979 album by Pink Floyd, a progressive rock and art rock opera that follows a fictional rock star named Pink as he builds a psychological wall of isolation after childhood trauma, abusive schooling, and personal loss. Roger Waters wrote the concept and sang and played bass, David Gilmour played guitars and sang, Richard Wright played keyboards, and Nick Mason played drums, with Bob Ezrin co-producing alongside Waters and James Guthrie. The double album produced "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2," Pink Floyd's only number-one single in the UK and US, along with "Run Like Hell," "Comfortably Numb," "Hey You," and "Mother." It topped the US Billboard 200 for 15 weeks, reached number 3 on the UK Albums Chart, and earned 23 times platinum certification in the United States. With more than 30 million copies sold worldwide, it is the band's second-best-selling album after The Dark Side of the Moon and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.

Track Listing & Credits 26 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
In the Flesh?
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
2
The Thin Ice
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
3
Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
4
The Happiest Days of Our Lives
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
5
Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 #1
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
6
Mother
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
7
Goodbye Blue Sky
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
8
Empty Spaces
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
9
Young Lust
David GilmourRoger Waters David GilmourRoger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
10
One of My Turns
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
11
Don't Leave Me Now
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
12
Another Brick in the Wall, Part 3
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
13
Goodbye Cruel World
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
14
Hey You
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
15
Is There Anybody Out There?
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
16
Nobody Home
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
17
Vera
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
18
Bring the Boys Back Home
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
19
Comfortably Numb
David GilmourRoger Waters David GilmourRoger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
20
The Show Must Go On
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
21
In the Flesh
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
22
Run Like Hell #53
David GilmourRoger Waters David GilmourRoger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
23
Waiting for the Worms
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
24
Stop
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
25
The Trial
Roger Waters Roger WatersBob Ezrin Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
26
Outside the Wall
Roger Waters Roger Waters Bob EzrinDavid GilmourJames GuthrieRoger Waters Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 4 contributors

More from Pink Floyd

Frequently Asked Questions The Wall

Did Roger Waters write The Wall?
Roger Waters conceived The Wall and wrote the overwhelming majority of it, basing the story on his own feelings of isolation and the experience of fame. David Gilmour co-wrote a handful of tracks, including 'Comfortably Numb,' 'Run Like Hell,' and 'Young Lust,' and producer Bob Ezrin co-wrote 'The Trial,' but the album's concept and most of its writing belong to Waters.
What is The Wall by Pink Floyd about?
The Wall is a rock opera following a character named Pink, a troubled rock star who builds a psychological wall to isolate himself from a world that has hurt him, including the loss of his father in war, an overprotective mother, and abusive schooling. Roger Waters drew on his own life and that of former bandmate Syd Barrett to construct the story.
How high did Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 chart?
'Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2' reached number one on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. It was Pink Floyd's only chart-topping single and topped the charts in fourteen countries.
Who is the child choir on Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2?
The schoolchildren's choir was provided by pupils from Islington Green School in London, arranged by engineer Nick Griffiths at producer Bob Ezrin's suggestion. The children sang the rebellious refrain 'We don't need no education,' which became one of rock's most recognizable hooks.
What is Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd about?
'Comfortably Numb' depicts the character Pink being medicated by a doctor so he can perform, set against memories of childhood fever. The song was co-written by Roger Waters and David Gilmour and is celebrated for Gilmour's two extended guitar solos, though its creation was a point of friction between the two.
Who produced The Wall?
The Wall was produced by Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour, James Guthrie, and Roger Waters. Ezrin was brought in specifically to help organize Waters's sprawling demos into a structured double album and contributed significantly to the arrangements.
How many copies has The Wall sold?
The Wall has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. In the United States it is certified 23x Platinum by the RIAA, reflecting its status as a double album. It remains one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Sources