Another Brick In The Wall
Walt Wagner Lyrics
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Leaving just a memory
Snapshot in the family album
Daddy what else did you leave for me?
Daddy, what'd'ja leave behind for me?
All in all it was just a brick in the wall
All in all it was all just bricks in the wall
The lyrics of Walt Wagner's song Another Brick in the Wall portray the impact of parental absence on children. The opening line highlights how Daddy has gone away, leaving only a memory. The line "snapshot in the family album" suggests that the only remembrance the child has of their father is a physical photograph, rather than emotional or psychological closeness with him. This brings us to the next line, where the child questions what else their father has left for them. The choice of words "what else" indicates that the child feels their father hasn't left them beyond the photograph. The next line, "Daddy, what'd'ja leave behind for me?" shows the child's longing for affection and emotional presence rather than physical gifts or possessions. The concluding lines, "All in all it was just a brick in the wall, all in all it was all just bricks in the wall" shows the extent of the father's absence, which is just a brick in the wall - nothing significant, and not unique to this family as it is something shared by many other families.
Overall, the lyrics of Another Brick in the Wall critique distant and inattentive parenting, which leads to the emotional distance between parent and child.
Line by Line Meaning
Daddy's flown across the ocean
Father has traveled far away from home to a new place
Leaving just a memory
He has left behind only a memory of himself
Snapshot in the family album
A photograph has been saved in the family album in memory of him
Daddy what else did you leave for me?
The child is lamenting the fact that his father is not present and wondering if he left anything else behind
Daddy, what'd'ja leave behind for me?
The child is questioning whether his father left anything for him, whether a physical item or emotional connection
All in all it was just a brick in the wall
The father's absence from the child's life was just one insignificant part of the greater societal constructs of conformity and control
All in all it was all just bricks in the wall
The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the idea that individual experiences of loss or restriction are insignificant in the face of greater societal forces
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROGER WATERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind