The lyrics open with the image of a child sleeping "in the glow of [a] Donald Duck light",[2] a reference to Waters' prior song "The Tide Is Turning."

Waters performed the song at every show on his The Dark Side of the Moon Live tour, replacing the spoken-word recitation with a visual backdrop of the story as a graphic novel.

Waters' condemnation of George W. Bush (at one point, the song's lyrics claim "that Texas education must have fucked [him] up")[3] received negative reactions from audience members during his show at New Jersey's PNC Bank Arts Center on 6 September 2006, at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 12 September 2006 and in Tampa, Florida on 19 May 2007; however, audience reactions during the 5 October 2006 performance at the Hollywood Bowl were overwhelmingly positive, with many patrons rising to their feet and cheering.

The song also received a positive reaction during its American performances at the Boston, Massachusetts and Camden, New Jersey Tweeter Centers, in New York on 30 May 2007, as well as in other cities worldwide, particularly Mumbai and Dubai.

During the concert, which included "Leaving Beirut" in the set-list, Waters expressed his belief that Israel had to "tear down the walls" of the Israeli West Bank barrier (pictured in the single's cover art) to make peace with its neighbours.