At the end of Another Brick in the Wall part II we hear some guy saying,
“*If you don’t eat yer meat, you can’t have any pudding. How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat yer meat?”
*
I find these lines very funny, as my brother-in-law is British and he refers to any dessert after supper as being pudding and sometimes we get a fair laugh when my wife and I are there for dinner and I tease my neice and nephew about not getting any pudding… Anyway back to my question →
Does anyone know who this is…and exactly why is it in this Pink Floyd song?
I find these last lines hysterically funny, as yet, I do not know who the chap is saying them, why, and what about the disconnected phone calls at the end…? Why are those there?
Part Deux of this thread - > Anyone know other obscure additons to old rock songs? I’m trying to think of obscurity and I routinely come back to pink floyd…What are some others?
As with most Pink Floyd songs, ABitW pt. II is part of a story that continues throughout the whole album, and the parts in between songs just basically bridge the gap. They also try to convey a sense of environment. I believe the guy is supposed to be a school teacher/superintendent yelling at the kids at lunch, probably a vision familiar to many and it fits the theme of the song.
The “disconnected phone calls” are not disconnected, that “beep beep” sound is a British ringing sound, I believe. Pick up a copy of The Wall movie on DVD and watch it. It visualizes the story elements for you. IIRC, the protagonist is trying to call his wife/girlfriend, but she’s in bed with another guy. When the other guy picks up the phone and hangs up, the operator says some stuff to the protagonist like, “Sir, why did a man answer. Is there supposed to be a man there?” Real sensitive lady, that operator .
Ok, so I take it you never watched the movie version of The Wall. The quick answers are:
“You can’t have any pudding…” is his schoolmaster. Pink was ridiculed and berated as a child in school and this is one of the flashbacks we are shown during the film. You might recognize the schoolmasters voice during the song “The Trial”. He is even summoned by the prosecutor (or judge?) “Call the schoolmaster!”.
The phone calls are to his wife. While he is touring the USA he is trying to reach his wife and it is found that she is cheating on him (Operator: “There’s a man answering. Must be someone there besides your wife.”) He was caling collect and she needed to accept his call for the operator to patch it through.
If you watch the movie a lot of things will make a bit more sense. Then again, it could raise more questions. There is a recent thread about some of the movie scenes here in CS. I am sure this has been done many times at SDMB.
You should rent and watch Pink Floyd’s movie “The Wall”.
All will then be explained.
The “if you don’t eat yer meat” line is a Teacher of the central character when he was a boy - the movie deals quite abit with the (negative) effect of an English public school education.
The phonecall is part of a scene from the movie. I’'d describe the scene but I guess it would be something of a spoiler, and I don’t like the boxes so I suggest you check out the movie if you’re a fan of the music.
Prepare yourself for a pretty trippy show, though.
New car, caviar, four star daydream. Think I’ll be me a football team. *
And IIRC they placed a real call using a real operator from the US to record that intro to Mother.
If you listen to the VERY first second of The Wall, you’ll hear a voice say, “We came in?” Listen to the very LAST second of The Wall (the music is nearly the same) you’ll hear the same voice say, “Isn’t this where-” Probably best heard using a set of headphones.
I only recently saw the movie, and I was surprised how different it was from the album. I can see changing the order up and throwing some other stuff in between, but why use such an inferior vocal track?
I know it’s the schoolmaster, but it always seemed Dickensian to me. I am sure that was an influence. Think Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and “Please, sir, may I have some more.” It isn’t a stretch to think British musicians would be influenced by Dickensian literature.
Took me a while to fill in the line – “You!, yes you behind the (?), stand still laddie!” I could not find the line on any lyric sheet, eventually discovered the word in question was “bikesheds.”
And for something totally bizarre… well given a few threads around here maybe not… an ex boyfriend of mine used to use that line before sex. Apparently the feel on his part was that it was only gonna be good for me if I went down on him first… then he could shoot and all would be well… needless to say I didnt keep him long.
I found The Wall to be one of the most disturbing stories I’ve ever watched/read/heard/witnessed. And I also regard it as the pinnacle of modern rock. It’s a masterpiece, and, yet, perpetually difficult for me to listen to in one sitting.
There’s also, in the instrumental opening to “Empty Spaces,” a backward vocal track. It says, if memory serves (haven’t heard it in probably ten years), something like “Congratulations! You’ve found the secret message! Send replies to Old Pink, Chalfont.” It’s very clear and unmistakable, though played forward it just sounds like soft mumbling.
Or something like that. I’ve heard that Chalfont, or whatever it says, was where Syd Barrett (the band’s founder) was hospitalized for a while, but have no idea whether this is true.
(Sorry for any typos;l I’ve got a sprained finger and typing is difficult.)
Appropos of nothing, the sound bites at the end of “I am the Walrus” are from King Lear. You hear, “I know the well a servicable villain,” blah blah, “sit you down father; rest you”
In regards to the phone call to Pink’s wife on the album, I read somewhere that they set up people at either end of the line, then placed the call through an unsuspecting US operator, so (if this is true) her clueless comments are genuine. Clever.
Would seem to be right up Pink Floyd’s alley. When they were recording DSOTM they had people read questions on index cards and record thier answers on a tape recorder in the entrance way of Abbey Road studios. Their famous “There is no dark side of the moon…” is from the janitor (or some other regular guy/worker) at the studio.
Interesting. I’m listening to it right now, in fact. It doesn’t really disturb me. I think it’s one of the few “concept albums” that ever works. I think I’ll subject my girlfriend to the movie, which I found truly disturbing.
Incidentally, if you like the original, check out…
Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980-1981. It’s magnificent. Run Like Hell is almost…evil…in its intensity.
Anyway back to my question → 
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