Pink Floyd "The Wall": The Greatest Rock Album Ever?

[hiphopnation]

Perhaps? Just dusting off a few of the LPs and threw this one on. Have listened to it front to back three times now. Wow. I had forgotten how moving and powerful this music was. Perhaps it's also because I have an attachment to it as a young kid...wow. The whole thing is so intense and powerful.

Anyone else agree that this might be up there with one of the finest rock albums of all times and definitely the finest "concept" rock album right after Sgt. Peppers?

[redsoxliberal]

1. The wall is great, but it's not even Pink Floyds best album

Dark Side of The Moon, Wish You Were Here and Meddle are all better than the Wall.

[hiphopnation]

2. respectfully disagree

great songs on both those albums but the album "The Wall" as one cohesive work blows them both out of the water.

[redsoxliberal]

4. I respectfully disagree.

I can see your point when you compare WYWH or Meddle, but I cannot listen to just one song of Dark Side... I can, if I want, listen to only one side of the wall, and maybe only a few songs. Dark Side of The Moon I am compelled to listen to the entire album. It is like one long song. The wall is not. Dark SIde of the Moon is more cohesive than any other album. Abbey Road is also ahead of the Wall on that list.

[sundog]

3. I like Wish You Were Here better

and also the soundtrack to More.

[chelsea0011]

5. Wall is very good but it is mostly just a Roger Waters production

Floyd has always been better when they worked as a group. It would be hard to pick a better Floyd album than Wall, but I like the above mentioned as much and would add Ummagumma and Animals to the list of albums as good as Wall.

[charlyvi]

6. Disagree.

I'm partial to Dark Side of the Moon. It takes me back to my youth. My joint smoking, traveling, no responsibilities youth.

[Artemis Bunyon]

7. Not even the best Pink Floyd album!

Better than The Wall are:

Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Saucerful of Secrets
Meddle
Obscured by Clouds
Dark Side of the Moon
Wish You Were Here
Animals

[Artemis Bunyon]

9. And of them all...

Animals and Meddle are my personal favorites. I mean, Echoes alone! Whoda thunk an epic ode to Darwinian evolution could be so fuckin' beautiful?!

[redsoxliberal]

12. Echoes is fuckin unbelievable... but I prefer DSOTM

It's so bloody relaxing. Animals is great too.

Dark Side of the moon
Meddle
Wish You Were Here
Animals
Atom Heart Mothe
Piper at the Gates
The Wall
Final Cut

[hiphopnation]

10. to each his/her own

I say the wall stomps 'em all.

edit: his/her own

[Artemis Bunyon]

11. It has great moments, and it was my favorite for a long time.

But as I've aged, I find those other ones speak to me more.

[redsoxliberal]

13. speak to me... pun intended?

if so, well done! :P

[Artemis Bunyon]

14. Ah, gotta love that inadvertant cleverness!

Makes me feel smart without even trying!

[mairceridwen]

31. Animals

is my favorite.

I also like Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Saucerful of Secrets, and Meddle

Have you heard Primus cover Have a Cigar? Blows Floyd out of the water.

[gmoney]

8. Pardon my ignorance, but what's the concept of SPLHCB?

People always refer to it as a "concept album" but where is it? That the Beatles are portraying this "other" band and referring to themselves as that band? A pretty slim concept... and that most of the songs segue into one another? I mean, I guess it's a step forward from 10 3-minute songs with a 5 second break between each one, but hardly a concept. Certainly didn't make much of a movie.

Then again, "The Wall" always seemed to be a retread of "Tommy" -- the father killed in the war (sort of), the damaged manchild, the domineering mother, the twisted rise to power...

[hiphopnation]

15. At the time, friend

it was highly conceptual. Put yourself in 1968 when Sgt Peppers was released...it was highly conceptual and quite a leap especially from a band who had risen to fame with the three minute songs you speak of not to mention their image of clean cut Liverpool kids who were largely known for "She Loves You" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand".

The term arose after other such albums surfaced. The "concept" is exactly what you spelled out; an album that consisted of more than 10 three minute songs. At the time, hugely conceptual and "artsy". Now it's run-of-the-mill.

Sure the stories underlying the music isn't always clear there's usually an attempt to weave a story into an album without it being a "rock opera" like Tommy; something intended for the stage.

I highly disagree with you on the movie "The Wall". I thought it highly creative and disturbing.

[redsoxliberal]

16. unfortunately, it blows when you're not

shall we say, in an altered state of mind...

:smoke:

[Dukkha]

21. funny thing about Piper at The Gates of Dawn

Lennon and McCartney sat in on one of their sessions offering tips to Floyd since they were making Sgt. Pepper right down the hall.

McCartney also provided some spoken dialog for DSOTM but nothing from him ended up being used. He was too experienced in interviewing and didn't say anything provocative enough

[gmoney]

26. Think you misread me...

I agree that "The Wall" is a pretty powerful movie... the crap movie I was referring to was the Bee Gees/Frampton vehicle of "Sgt Pepper's."

[donheld]

35. Why do we even have discussions like these

Each to his/her own

PS thanks for the link to I was looking for those just the other day.

[immoderate]

24. If you limit concept to literary concept you'll miss the point.

For instance, I'll submit that the Beatles are conceptual as far back as Beatles '65, which had a thematic consistency. And then "Rubber Soul" etc.

Don't forget to put the Kinks' "Arthur" at the top of the list, particularly if you are of the "tell a story" branch of conceptualism.

Of Pink Floyd, I cannot judge, as their music never grabbed my attention. This is not a judgement on them, they may be greater than I could conceive, and maybe if I listened harder, I would "get it" but they never got my attention as in, "Hey, there's a catchy tune."
My bad, maybe.

--IMM

[Dukkha]

17. I love them all!

I was just listening to Obscured By Clouds yesterday in the car
along with "Music From The Body" an obscure Waters LP done with Ron Geesin

The Dark Side - Wall is my favorite period of the Floyd but I also love the early stuff too. I think I'll watch the Pompeii DVD today :)

I'm in the market now for a vintage Quadraphonic receiver. I'd like to hunt down the Quad mixed of the early LPs It would be great to hear them as they were intended to.

[ahimsa]

23. And Gilmour and Wright's first solos

are also awesome.

[leftofthedial]

18. it's a great album, and a great concept album

but it's not quite up there with Dark Side of the Moon, Led Zep IV or Donny Osmond-Alone Together.

[redsoxliberal]

19. I'm listening to In the Flesh? right now.

[coloradodem2005]

20. The Wall is excellent.

Dark Side may be better though.

[redsoxliberal]

22. may be? pfffffft. No contest.

[Ekirh]

25. Wish You Were Here....

Is their best album.... only five songs.. but WHAT fantastic Songs. Shine on Your Crazy Diamond alone makes it a fantastic album.

[bloodyjack]

27. No. The greatest rock album is White Light/White Heat

I can't believe this discussion is even taking place

[hiphopnation]

28. forgive us

we know not what we do. Thank you for your most gracious and benevolent guiding wisdom.

[skygazer]

29. The Wall is an epic album

Yes, I think it very well could be one of the best. I love all Floyd's stuff and while I think DSOTM is probably the most perfectly engineered album out there, The Wall has an emotional intensity to it that transends any rough edges. It's a deep and personal story and it resonates with a lot of people because they can relate to it (which is why I always put it on when I need solace).

[Dukakis88]

30. Incredible album, but too depressing to listen to.

I haven't listened to the album for ten years or so. I respect it immensely and remember listening to it as a kid, but these days I have to limit my exposure to depressing music in order to keep my mood out of the black zone.

[mairceridwen]

32. No.

As a concept album, it's good. But overall...not one of the best ever.

Revolver is far suprior to Sgt. Pepper's.


Led Zepplin, The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden...all better Rock with a capital R.


By far the best rock album must be Pat Boone's In a Metal Mood, which I just heard about last night.



METUL LIKE ROOLZ OK!


Seriously, I used to be addicted to The Wall, but I have so outgrown it. It's good...but not as good as some of their others. I don't listen to many concept albums so I can't really say. It's probably one of the best.

[mairceridwen]

33. HOLY CRAP HOW COULD I FORGET

Zappa's Joe's Garage is the best concept album ever.

As punishment for forgetting, I shall go listen to it twenty times.

[Touchdown]

34. Nope. The Seer from Big Country is.

From 1985. Take that to the bank!:P