Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2

The song *Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2* by Pink Floyd, which is part of their 1979 concept album *The Wall*, was born as a direct critique of school discipline and authoritarian educational methods. Roger Waters, the bassist and main songwriter, conceived this part as an anthem of protest against rigid education and mind control. The peculiarity of this piece lies in the inclusion of a children's choir, an idea that came from producer Bob Ezrin, who suggested incorporating elements of disco music to make it catchier. Guitarist David Gilmour, although initially skeptical about the disco influence, acknowledged that the final result maintained the essence of Pink Floyd. The recording of the children's vocal part took place at Islington Green School, with a limited time of 40 minutes, and the school's music director, Alun Renshaw, saw in the lyrics a powerful message for young people.

The recording of *Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2* extended between April and November 1979, and it was a process that involved several sound engineers such as Brian Christian and Nick Griffiths, in addition to producers Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour, James Guthrie, and Roger Waters. The song was released as a single and achieved great commercial success, topping the charts in 14 countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, and was the Christmas number one in the UK in 1979. It is estimated to have sold over four million copies worldwide. David Gilmour's guitar solo, recorded with a 1955 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top, is a standout element; even session guitarist Lee Ritenour mentioned in an interview in 2024 having contributed ideas for the solo, although they were ultimately not used. The song, with its duration of 3:59 for this specific part, became one of the most recognized tracks by Pink Floyd and was included in lists of the best songs of all time.