and "In the Flesh" are two songs by the English rock band Pink Floyd,[1] released on their 1979 album, The Wall.
The quiet melody of "Outside the Wall" is interrupted in mid-phrase, as the main body of the song starts loudly, with a succession of power chords on organ and distorted guitars.
The introduction lasts for more than a minute before the singing starts, and the tone shifts to gentle keyboards and male doo-wop harmony in the background.
The lyrics inform us that despite his outward appearances, things are much different "behind these cold eyes" and that if the listener wants to know what is truly happening with Pink, you will "just have to claw your way through this disguise."
Finally, we hear a baby crying, indicating that Pink and his mother are left without a father and husband, respectively (this is expanded upon two songs later, in "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1").
He begins exhorting his fans to show their devotion to him by throwing undesirables such as "queers", Jews, and "coons"; "up against the wall".
During the original tour supporting The Wall, the song would be performed onstage by the backing musicians wearing masks to make them look like the real members of Pink Floyd, playing on the lines "Tell me, is something eluding you sunshine?
In Waters' 2010–13 tour, The Wall Live, he performs the song himself, in the guise of the megalomaniacal dictator that his character Pink becomes at the climax of the show.
In May 2023, Waters' portrayal of the song drew backlash when he donned the dictator persona and costume at a concert in Berlin on the This Is Not a Drill tour.
German authorities began investigating Waters for the performance, as Germany has strict laws against incitement to racial hatred.
The film shows quick cuts of rioting fans and a violent police response, interspersed with scenes of soldiers being bombed in the fields of war.
The song is performed by Pink (Bob Geldof) in his dictator garb, with the set decorated like a Nazi rally, an insignia of two crossed hammers replacing the swastika.
The film version also uses a mix in which the song's intro was longer, with the E minor power chord riff, and a short David Gilmour solo, repeating twice.