Great Rock Albums of 19980: Pink Floyd- The Wall

For many people, this was the album of 1980. It was one of those albums I got to listen to extensively without ever having to buy it because everyone I knew had it. Of course, in the realms of top 40 singles, the album is best known for the number one single, "Another Brick In the Wall Part 2." That single crossed a huge section of listeners as I remember both country music lovers and soul music lovers all listening to the song. Even my then disco loving little sister liked it and an ex girl friend said this was their school's rallying song when her school walked out of class in protest. I can't remember what they were protesting about.

As anyone who wasn't blinkered by the singles charts could tell you, that song didn't define the album. There were some other great songs on it and for me these included, "Mother," "Goodbye Blue Sky" and "Comfortably Numb." "The Wall" continued Pink Floyd's tendency to want to listen to them when you needed to lay back and mellow out, especially after you have been puffing the magic dragon. That is what defines this album the most. For me and many others I knew, it was THE party album of 1980. This album was listened to over and over again to while consuming many beers and other substances and in that year, there was no other album where I could enjoy so much while catching a buzz.

It wasn't just the fact that "The Wall" carried on the Pink Floyd tradition of making music conducive to the party atmosphere. Like some of their earlier albums, I was very much amused by the some of the talking parts between and during the songs. I still smile when I hear "Look mummy, there's any airplane in the sky" before "Goodbye Blue Sky" and of course the teacher at the end of "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2" who bellows, "If you don't eat your meat, you can have any pudding. How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?" Back then, there was an X- rated version to that as well.

Track Listing:

1. In the Flesh?

2. The Thin Ice

3. Another Brick in the Wall Part 1

4. The Happiest Days of Our Lives

5. Another Brick in the Wall Part 2

6. Mother

7. Goodbye Blue Sky

8. Empty Spaces

9. Young Lust

10. One of My Turns

11. Don't Leave Me Now

12. Another Brick in the Wall Part 3

13. Goodbye Cruel World

14. Hey You

15. Is Anybody Out There

16. Nobody Home

17. Vera

18. Bring the Boys Back Home

19. Comfortably Numb

20. The Show Must Go On

21. In the Flesh

22. Run Like Hell

23. Waiting for the Worms

24. Stop

25. The Trial

26. Outside the Wall

Pink Floyd

Dave Gilmour- guitars, vocals, clavinet, sound effects

Roger Waters- vocals, bass, synthesisers, sound effects

Nick Mason- drums, percussion

Richard Wright- organ, piano, electric piano, bass pedals

If you want to either mellow out at the weekend or take a trip back in history, you can kill two birds with one stone with this iconic album from Pink Floyd. This is an ultimate party album, not just for 1980 but for all time.

Next Post: Rush- Permanent Waves

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London 

Great Party Films of 1978: Cheech and Chong's Up In Smoke

If any one film where it can be said influenced a generation, it would have to be the first film from the comedy duo of Cheech and Chong, "Up In Smoke." This movie was put on many a VCR at parties during the late 70s and early to mid 80s and watched by millions of youth worldwide. Furthermore, it was demonised by the establishment because of the subject content of marijuana. It was feared that the film would encourage youth to take up smoking the weed and corrupt the moral fabric of society. Of course, I am laughing very loudly as I finished writing the nonsense.

Actually, "Up In Smoke" was a piss take of the whole stoner culture. Even funnier, stoners knew this and it only encouraged them to watch it more. Many of them could identify with a lot of aspects of that film. I have personal experience of a smoke filled car, although it was actually a small booth in the car park I used to work at. I won't say any more on that one out of fear of self incrimination. But the film is rife with many pot related jokes as well as many other funny bits. I mean, how many of us would have loved to have pissed on a cop's leg? And of course, there is the sex fantasy acted out in the van, my favourite bit.

What many people forget is that "Up In Smoke" also has a pretty decent soundtrack. I love the first song,  which is the title track and as memories came flooding back for this post, I found myself singing the lyrics to "Framed."

"I was framed, I never do nothing wrong

But everytime I get the blame."

There some other fun tracks such as "Rock Fight" and the final song, they perform as a punk band on stage, "Earache My Eye." My marine buddies and I used to sing that song quite a lot.

Track Listing:

1. Finklestein shit Kid (dialogue)

2. Up in Smoke

3. Low Rider

4. 1st Gear, 2nd Gear (dialogue)

5. Framed

6. Searchin'

7. Ajax Lady (dialogue)

8. Strawberry's

9. Here Come the Mounties to the Rescue

10. When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go (dialogue)

11. Lost Due to Incompetence (Theme From Big Green Van)

12. Lardass (dialogue)

13. Rock Fight

14. I Didn't Know Your Name was Alex (dialogue)

15. Earache My Eye

16. Up in Smoke- reprise

So, if you're out to party this weekend, watch this film as it will be truly inspirational. Although I don't mention the film in Rock And Roll Children, I am very sure the characters would have been influenced by it.

Next post: National Lampoon's Animal House

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Froogle and Barnes & Noble and for sale at Foyles Book Shop in London.