The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
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, it's 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
Teachers, leave them kids alone
Hey, teacher, leave us kids alone
All in all, you're just another brick in the wall
All in all, you're just another brick in the wall
Wrong, do it again
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, behind the bike sheds, stand still, laddy
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, it's 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
Teachers, leave them kids alone
Hey, teacher, leave us kids alone
All in all, you're just another brick in the wall
All in all, you're just another brick in the wall
Wrong, do it again
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, behind the bike sheds, stand still, laddy
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2 Lyrics as written by George Roger Waters
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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the words are directed to all the people and things that have stood in his way of being who he is, a real person that sees through their "wall". and no matter how much authority or importance a person holds, he is saying they are all the same, just another part(brick) of what stands between the real people and their real society. the wall is the group of ppl, government, whoever that stops you from doing what you want
Yah, i hate to say it mac, but that part...he actually did hate school that much. Its not all deep inner meaning, anti-establishment. He just hated school that much. Hate to burst the bubble. But i do believe that what you state holds true for part 3.
what is paramount to what you say, piper, is in the "importance" a person holds, which can be an ordinary, regular guy or gal...it doesn't have to be an established authority type, I see it every day and I'll be damned if i don't stand up (in my own compassionate ways..) to bring that part of the person to their attention (also in my own way, which is subtle and goes unnoticed usually...)
i dont need no edumacation...
fail.
Correction - fail on your part, dumb ass. <br /> <br /> He was trying to be satrical. Grats at failing.
win.
^This is a win:D
I think that this song is actually a strong satire of a utopian society. If you've ever read George Orwell's book "1984" than this would be more clear. The idea that Orwell warns about in his book is that by trying to create a "better" and "more perfect" society that is agreable to everyone, all that has really been done is stripped people of free thought, free will, and basically all humanistic expression whatsoever.
The song seems at first to just say "We don't need no education" as if it's just some rebelious kid who doesn't want to go to school. But the school depicted in this song is a very restricting and controlling force. The "education" described in the song really seems to be thought control, where certain concepts are methodolically being imprinted in the minds of the students. Even the Scottish men yelling at the kids in the end, who seem to be some kind of supervisors and enforcers, are keeping them all in-line like prison guards.
Just my thoughts, anyone read "1984" that thinks the same?
Actually its based on the Indian culture on the topics of life taught by Swami Achutyanand about rebelling against the chuts(Bad PPl) of the society when they pressurise the society!!! he basically preaches Love, Peace and Party which is what pink floyd actually refers to!!
I agree that it follows much of the same themes, but watching the video, I thought more about A Clockwork Orange, which talks about actual good vs forced (educated) good, and if argues that even ultra-evil attitude is better than forced and inhuman good. In the video this is shown when they raze the school building, therefore breaking the institution that breaks their liberty. The brick in the wall phrase I think could refer to 1984 too, since every other person in the society just restrains the protagonist from breaking free.
The "All in all we're all just bricks in the wall" I believe means that, in this pictured society, this "perfect world" Utopian place, all we are is the building blocks being molded and shaped to fit in perfectly. Bricks are shaped, all the same size, color, consistency. All kept in perfect line. Sure they make a great wall, but we aren't bricks. We are humans, meant to have our own opinions and thoughts. Mind washing to make people peaceful and calm is not good. Like in the book Fahrenheit 451, They live "Happily" and "Perfect" and are brought up without any real opinions. They go suicidal or get depressed and yet don't REALLY know why. Excuse me, I have ADD and forgot where i was going with this XD
I read 1984 and although I do think both it and Clockwork Orange (as mentioned by another replier) relate to the song, I believe that to be more about thematic and coincidence: the lyrics are actually discussing our own modern society, more specifically Roger Waters' childhood school.
@Scabster it's definitely unnerving to think most of the people that like this tune and the ones screaming it at their shows are/were bricks in the wall.
each painful,sad memory he has is just another brick in the wall that he has gradually built around his feelings
"we don't need no education...." there's a double negative there! are they just using incorrect english to make a point, or are they really saying that only through knowledge (transposing DON'T need NO education to its opposite) can we triumph over the government and other authoritative figures that stand between us and our ideal life?
You're joking, right?
actually, that's a valid point. i always thought i was the first one but now...........................
Spot ON! Double negative makes POSITIVE.<br /> We NEED education (knowledge)<br /> We NEED thought control! <br /> No darkness/evil/negative trying to distract us <br /> "Teachers" being anyone who's distracting us from the main goal/negative influence<br /> All in all is LITERAL. We are just ONE brick in the wall. ONE piece of a whole.<br /> Wrong! Do it again! -You messed up this time, ready to start life all over?<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> @brickinthewall86
according to nick mason: 'i still think it's a good record, but often misunderstood. it is not anti-education but it is anti-nasty-shitty-teachers, hopefully less common now.'
it's on the echoes website.
We played this song at our Graduation.
in "the wall" - the movie - every incident in "pink's" life becomes another brick in the wall he's created. he is slowly learning to block out everyone. this song is describing the school he went to, and how they forced the children into submission and made them conform to this standard. he is claiming, in the song, that the treatment of the school to him is just another brick in that wall he created, just another thing to help isolate him more and more.
I was in high school when this song came out. And wow, was it embraced by the students! It was like a national student anthem.