I've waited until this Part 4 reaction to write this. On February 10, 1980, I went to the Los Angeles Sports Arena to see Pink Floyd perform The Wall. They would only perform this show 31 times in only 4 cities. Los Angeles, Uniondale, Dortmund, and London. They performed the double album from start to finish. As the show began there was a partially built wall across the stage end of the arena - about 500 feet across and 40 feet tall. As they performed the songs from the first track through Goodbye Cruel World, stage hands dressed in black built the wall brick by brick. When they got to Goodbye Cruel World there was only a single brick missing with bright light shining out and Roger Waters visible in the space of the missing brick. As the last note of that song was played, the final brick was put in place. The band was gone now, behind this massive white brick wall. The isolation was now complete and the madness of mental illness will now take hold. As you go through the next batches imagine the wall there. The sound of the band but them invisible behind it, wild images projected onto it as the show progressed through the songs of the second album until it crashed to the ground in the upcoming climax. It was stunning. It was breathtaking. There had never been something so ambitious accomplished on the stage of a rock show. Everything after would have to be different. I love your reactions, their articulate intelligence and insight shines through.

When he says "my favorite axe" he is referring to a guitar as musicians call them that sometimes.

He's on tour, staying in hotels, the girl is a groupie. He's calling home and a man answers the phone. His wife is having an affair and he's going deeper down. At this point in The Wall album and movie he's a rock star in a bad place. Its pretty autobiographical of Roger Waters life.

"Goodbye" here doesn't mean suicide, but rather the character Pink's complete retreat behind The Wall, and near total alienation from others. The major theme of The Wall is alienation, dehumanization, and disconnection from others as a defense mechanism against the effects of trauma and the conformist scripts of modern life. In "Hey You" we see Pink so isolated from others that the only contact possible is shouting to people outside the wall. "Is there anybody out there?" At the end of "Goodbye Cruel World", Pink is not dead, but he is gone.

See syed?! This is why you're my fave reactor... you're expression at Gilmours entrance in DON'T LEAVE ME NOW and the statement that it sounds like heroin must feel. YES !!

'Axe' is referring to guitar, though they do use a real axe in live performances of this album. I HIGHLY recommend watching The Wall - Live in Berlin in your own time. It's a truly amazing concert, enhanced by the fact that it was played in Berlin, JUST after the Berlin wall came down.

Syed, your analysis of this album is impressive. I am shocked if this is your first time listening to The Wall.

Goodbye cruel world.......the wall is fully built as he retreats from the world and people. You have to watch a live concert of this album.....they physically build a wall which is completed at the end of goodbye cruel world. The second album is played from behind the wall to a degree. Your read on this album is quite good....other than I would say that his dad left for WWII, and apparently dies there. This is the entire basis of the final Floyd album, The Final Cut.

My favorite album of all time. Just stunning.

Can’t wait for the next reaction…this album is about to hit its climax

It's great to experience this album like this; it's almost like hearing it for the first time again. The Wall takes you on a soaring and sometimes sordid journey through the life of Pink, poor damaged soul that he is.

Agreed - that transition in Don't Leave Me Now is one of the most intense transitions on the album. I think of the whole song as a very twisted blues song. So intense.

Followed your reactions now for a while and you are very perceptive and spot on. Impressive how much you grasp at a first listening and an amusement to accompany your journey. The Wall is a fantastic, although poisonous, album that is as addictive as Gilmores heroine solos. Keep it up man, you are doing a great job. Please do the full Wish you were here and Meddle albums next…

It's so good to hear something I've been listening to for almost 40 years afresh through your reaction.

Pink was in America and he was trying to call his wife at home in England.. The man answering the phone and then hanging up on the operator Is Pink's wife's lover.. Adding more bricks to the Wall

the transition in dont leave me now is amazing

Waters holding that note at 8:38 and doing it again during the hardest drop of the whole album at 9:24 sends chills up my spine every time. Safe to say this is easily a top 3 song on the album.

Favourite AXE is a double meaning... Guitar players sometimes refer to the guitar as an "AXE" probably the general shape. Tuning up and improving your guitar is "sharpening your AXE" 😉

Its good to see The Wall Live , because in the end of Goodbye cruel world , the wall who has been builded during the first part of the show becomes complete with the last brick in wall. the entire second part is with the band playing behind the wall , and just in the final song the trial the judge order to break down the wall , to end the concert . very nice

You are crushing these dude.

I always appreciate your reaction videos, Syed. Your insight is beyond anyone else's reaction videos I've seen, and it's obvious that you LOVE great music. However, I think you would've gotten a deeper reaction if you'd chosen to review Pink Floyd 's The Wall in 4 parts instead of 8 parts. The 4 segments of the entire album as presented originally on vinyl are how this music was meant to be heard. Reviewing this album in 8 parts is similar to reviewing a classical piece of music in 8 parts. The Wall was meant to be heard as a whole, but listening to it in 2 bites or 4 bites can be very rewarding, too. But it loses some of it's magic by segmenting it into 8 small sections. Pink Floyd created their four masterpieces in a row - Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall. To get the most insight and enjoyment out of these works, please consider reviewing them by their original vinyl sides.

As a musician I think that when Pink talks about his favorite axe he referring to a guitar.

The axe is a reference to a phrase used in an early song (Careful With That Axe Eugene) about loosing your grip on reality.

Syed, I'm deeply moved and impreesed because you're reacting to a musical composition produced way back in time, long before your genetation. And you've got it so well. There are some details missing but who cares? So good to see that Floyd's spell is alive and well. Pink Floyd is in me, part of what I am because they are more than music, they are a live experience. Sorry for my miserable english and greatings from Portugal

Goodbye cruel world, was halfway through the live show. And upon his last "Goodbye' the last brick was put in the giant wall separating the band from the audience. Very powerful!

You've listened to the whole album by now so, no spoilers. Goodbye Cruel World is a character suicide. Where Goodbye Blue Skies was him saying goodbye to childhood as he stepped into a Cruel World...he's now, as an adult, acknowledging that he as completed "the wall", and he's now saying Goodbye to the Cruel World, almost in a childlike voice. He's now fully isolated from the world, behind his wall.

Best switch up/ transition...my favorite part of the album!!!🇨🇦🇨🇦❤

Having fun listening to this as a whole work of art and with new ears. And you totally get it although there are parallels with Syd Barrett in there too, with Rog and “Pink”. I was 16 when I first heard this in 1986. It remains the album that has affected me most and that has always gotten me through hard times. Well done and very insightful, and yes “don’t need no more education” is British vernacular and nothing more. How preposterous 😅

This is where the rock star, is giving into the character of Pink.

An "axe" is a nickname for an electric guitar.

Thank you so very much for letting us share your journey through the wall. ❤️🌈🌒

An axe is a musician's slang term for a bass guitar. So when he says running to the bedroom in the suitcase on the left you'll find my favorite axe. He means his bass guitar.

An axe is a musician's slang for his guitar. Used more prevalently back in those days.

Favorite axe...is Favorite guitar. They used to refer to them as axes, and probably still do. But yeah his basically destroying his hotel room with his guitar smashing the TV and hotel windows. EPIC🇨🇦🇨🇦❤

Axe is another word for guitar. Used here it hits your ears twice.

Thers an excellent breakdown of this album done in 2 x 1 hour videos by a hardcore fan. It explains the whole story perfectly. its called Analysing Pink Floyds the Wall & its by Adam Barker. Worth checking out to see how your interpretation compares & you will enjoy it too.

in live version before Goodbye Cruel World - wonderful instrumenral retrospective of first part of this album

Also mind the last slight lyrics change all in all YOU WERE all just bricks in the wall, which in the movie is accentuated as if to show the anger, whereas in previous he was almost trying to find or explain the cause of the wall while being wary of it, here it's almost accepting of the wall out of spite, as one would project and shift blame in fits of rage and frustration.

The psychotic part in 1 of my turns is all reponse to the womans questions at the start eg she says "are all these ur guitars", later he answers "in the suitcase on the left youll find my favourite axe" (axe = guitar) or "what u watchin?" responded with "would u like to watch tv" & "helloooo?" answered with "contemplate this silent freeway ..."

oh man, this really ties together after you watch the movie

very good analyse

Almost to the tip of the album

SYED ,, I read a lot of comments that might sound like I’m talking shit,,, I’m really not I actually love your channel and your contact keep it up my brother from across the pond🤘🏼🤘🏼

Nice to see you are now getting the "you need to listen to the album start to finish " comments

Now you slide into the pathos that is Side 3......

I can Fee e el one of my turns comin on. Blew my mind in 79. Holy Shit

The favourite "Axe" could have double meaning. An axe is a slang often used to talk about a guitar.

"this place is bigger than our whole apartment..." Clearly not talking about a rock stars home as it would obviously be bigger than her apt. But his hotel room? Yep.

You are very intelligent Breakdown of lyrics is spot on

Loving your interpretation of this truly amazing album. Given that you haven't seen the film, you are so empathic with the feeling, the themes and thr story.

Tare down the wall Was very dramatic in the German concert they had.

i have nothing to add but compliments. doing a fantastic job. make sure you watch the film once you're done listening to the album.

Really enjoy your speculations and interpretations, even when some like the suicidal theme doesnt match... My first conscious listening to the wall 30 years got me in the same way... It developed to alienation, isolation later... ^^

“Axe” refers to his guitar.

Goodbye Cruel World is not quite about suicide but it is the death of all that Pink has held onto. It’s more a transformation. His FU to everyone and everything he has known. A new Pink shall emerge and it is not a pretty picture.

An axe is a guitar.

Your close the Movie explains everything. Give that a watch

Goodbye Cruel World isn't a suicide note, Pink has finally completed his wall. He's now completely isolated himself from the world. Next track, Hey You, you'll see how he feels about that.

Not so much a suicide, more of a no more Mr Nice Guy. You'll see 😉

All these hurts in his life, which he responds to by walling himself off from everyone else, which in turn creates more hurt, as his wife leaves etc and he becomes increasingly isolated and walled off, until finally he snaps and begins to hurt other people, because he was hurt.

Goodbye Cruel World, he is basically placing the last brick in the wall. He is now completely cut off.

It occurs to me that pink loves and needs his wife, the way his mother loved and needed him. He is playing out the patterns he learned as a child.

Man, you really need to see the movie The Wall

You know an axe is a guitar, right. A youngen’s review of life in the 80’s 80’s. I respect you enough for trying to understand. Better than our children

More Floyd, nicely done. 🎵

When u see them do this album live they build the wall on front of them as the concerts going until they are performing behind it

he means his guitar when is says my favourite axe

Goodbye Cruel world isn't death is just complete withdrawal

An "axe" is a guitar .... and you REALLY need to watch the Pink Floyd The Wall movie!

😍

This is a masterclass in how to react to this long form album stor format Sorry to harp on about the Who again but only Watets abd Townshend seem to know about how ro write like this. I would've to hearTommy or better still Quadrophenia reacted to ilike this . They are worth your consideration

Since you are reviewing albums, I sincerely hope you will review the double album called Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds which I have called to your attention a few weeks ago. I believe you will find it to be quite a unique work. The album art work alone is note worthy and gives an idea of the music contained inside.

If you are looking for more albums to do, I would suggest The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails. You reviewed the closer of the album Hurt, but it does hit different if you listen to the whole album. Also, I would love to see someone do Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick. You'd love analyzing the lyrics of that one. The longest song on the album is Thick as a Brick. The shortest song on the album is Thick as a Brick. The best song on the album is Thick as a Brick.

FYI, Favorite Axe = Favorite guitar

Axe is a name for a guitar. Though I'm sure the double meaning was meant.

his favorite axe would be his favorite guitar

When he says favorite axe he means guitar and not an actual chopping axe

Many professional guitarists refer to their guitar as their “axe”

At this point our hero is merely contemplating suicide, but lacks the nerve to go though with it. This is also mentioned on "The Final Cut" when he says; "I held the blade with trembling had prepared to make it but.......just then the phone rang, I never had the nerve to make the final cut." It must be mentioned that Waters might never have been serious about suicide and that all this contemplation of it was simply more of his ongoing and endless drama. One other possible meaning for the name could be that Waters had already made up his mind to leave Pink Floyd and assumed this would be the band's final "cut, "which used to be a musician's slang term for album. Also, the name refers to the insult of betraying the peace that Waters' father died for just to secure the Falkland Islands, which Waters considered to be worthless. Or at least not going to war over.

It is a rock band on world tour at this stage,,

Axe = Guitar

When a guitar player says Axe, it's referring to their guitar. His wife is the one cheating, and it's her lover hanging up the phone.

If you ever play another Pink Floyd try free 4 from the album obscured by the clouds since you sound like you're British figure you can break down what they talk about the Fox Hunt but the best is least five or six guitar solos but they're not long ones but they're vintage David Gilmour

One thing I find really impactful about "Goodbye Cruel World" if you listen closely is that they add in some subtle white noise that builds up through the song. Then they cut the white noise as the song ends. Maybe this was due to it being the end of a record. But I wouldn't put it past Pink Floyd to do that deliberately, and it adds a huge sense of finality to the last goodbye.

"my favorite axe" Maybe not quite as unambiguous as it may seem, given "axe" has been a slang term for electric guitar. Still...

That collect phone call, it was him calling from the United States, the wife was cheating on him, the man picking and hanging up the phone was the lover, the girl(in the US) in his room could be a groupie. You need to watch The wall after this 8 parts review

great movie scene as well, how the man and the woman are represented by extremely sexual flower drawings which proceed to eat each other up

Axe is just another term for guitar.

I loved the wall in 88 when I first got it. Animals has always been my favourite by far though. Dark side nr 2. I grew tired of the wall. Kind of dull compared to animals, dark side and a few others. Even the final cut which has the wall sound/vibe to it I play much more than the wall. Anyway. Love your reactions and looking forward to more Dylan. Should do the bringing it all back home album…or four-5 others…

If you haven't already done so, i recommend that you go watch the movie. But only of you finished the album. The visuals from the movie really amplify the emotions of each song. It takes songs that were meant to be depressing and makes them absolutely devastating. Especially the songs from this video. The visuals hit HARD.

This is the part of the album I could live without (including Goodbye Cruel World). Actually, that I do live without. The songs are strong and necessary if you want to listen to the album as a story line from beginning to end, but I no longer ever want to do that. Tbh, The Wall is one of the few Floyd albums where I don't desire to hear it in its entirety, start to end. Side 1, brilliant. Side 3, brilliant. Side 2 after Young Lust, and side 4 after Run Like Hell I live happily without these days.

You're getting it twisted, Pink is on tour and was calling his wife, but the phone was answered by her lover. Then his "road girl" enters his room. He thinks it's OK for him to cheat, but not his wife.

Axe= guitar

In young lust when he calls his wife a guy answers and hangs up twice and he realizes his wife is cheating on him

Gilmours guitar is more like a clonazapam

At the end of Young Lust, Pink finds out that his wife is cheating on him. It is a man picking up the phone.

As great as Gilmour's work nearly always is, Lou Reed's guitar work on The Velvet Underground's "Heroin" captures the feeling a bit more accurately, as I understand it.

An axe in rock and roll is a guitar

If ya watched movie wife is the mess about

Axe=guitar....