Friday 4 March 2016

The Trial (Pink Floyd, 1979)

I love this theatrical track from "The Wall" and not only for its live performances (both by Waters and Pink Floyd) featuring giant puppets and assorted special effects. The song is built up like a rock opera and also like an actual trial, based on Roger Water's eclectic vocal performance. The rock elements are also well found, especially when it comes to Gilmour's guitar. After all, "The Trial" represents the climax of the album concept, when the main character Pink draws conclusions about his life and his mental health. 


Some of the characters involved in the trial by cartoonist G. Scarfe.

The judge, the prosecutor, the schoolmaster, the mother and the wife add their depositions in an emotional crescendo until the final and choral breakdown. I also appreciate Gerald Scarfe's cartoon reddition of this track as seen in "The Wall" film, let alone the live version in 1990 Berlin concert featuring the likes of Ute Lemper and Marianne Faithfull. A visionary experience, a musical kaleidoscope.

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