Goodbye Blue Sky: Difference between revisions

"Goodbye Blue Sky"
"Goodbye Blue Sky"
Song

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"Goodbye Blue Sky" is a song by Pink Floyd.^[1] It appeared on their 1979 double album, The Wall.^[2]

Plot

In a brief prologue, a skylark is heard singing. The sound of approaching bombers catches the attention of a child (voiced by a young Harry Waters), who states, "Look mummy, there's an aeroplane up in the sky".

The lyrics go on to describe the memory of the Blitz: Did you see the frightened ones? Did you hear the falling bombs? Did you ever wonder why we had to run for shelter when the promise of a brave new world unfurled beneath a clear blue sky?... The flames are all long gone but the pain lingers on. Goodbye, blue sky.

Film version

In the film version, this segment is animated by Gerald Scarfe. It shows a white dove (which begins as live action) flying peacefully up only to suddenly explode gorily, torn apart by a black Nazi eagle (Reichsadler). This swoops over the countryside, then grabs at the earth with its claws, ripping up a huge section and flying off leaving a trail of blood. It glides over England and it gives birth to a bully in the wake of its shadow, which then transforms into a machine that is a undefeated warlord relising airplanes. Next, naked, gas-masked people (the frightened ones) are seen running about on all fours and hiding from The Blitz. Finally, a Union Jack that fragments, turning into a bleeding cross, the Nazi eagle crashed and the dove flies right out of it. The blood runs into the gutter and a drain. Unlike the album, this comes in after "When the Tigers Broke Free" and before "The Happiest Days of Our Lives".

Live versions

For the 1990 large-scale concert The Wall – Live in Berlin, vocals for this song were provided by Joni Mitchell, with visuals largely reprised from the film version.

Roger Waters' 2010–13 tour The Wall Live uses the song to depict a metaphorical "cultural bombing". As bomber planes fly in from the distance, they drop not bombs, but dollar signs, euro signs, religious symbols, and corporate logos.

Personnel

David Gilmour - lead and harmony vocals, acoustic guitars, bass guitar, synthesizers^[3]
Roger Waters - EMS VCS 3 synthesizer^[3]
Richard Wright - synthesizers^[3]

with:

Harry Waters - child's voice^[3]

Cover versions

On Ann Wilson's 2007 solo album, Hope & Glory, there is a version with her sister Nancy. The Wilson sisters' band, Heart, also released a live version of the song on Dreamboat Annie Live.
The song appears on Yonder Mountain String Band's 2002 live album Mountain Tracks: Volume 2 as a hidden track after "Follow Me Down to the Riverside".
The song has been covered by Yes and System of a Down.
The main riff of the Def Leppard song Hysteria borrows heavily from Goodbye Blue Sky.

References

^ Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-4301-X.
^ Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1-84195-551-5.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Fitch, Vernon and Mahon, Richard, Comfortably Numb — A History of The Wall 1978–1981, 2006, p.81.

External links

[mabbett-1] Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-4301-X.

[2] Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1-84195-551-5.

[Fitch-3] Fitch, Vernon and Mahon, Richard, Comfortably Numb — A History of The Wall 1978–1981, 2006, p.81.

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 ==Film version==
-In [[Pink Floyd The Wall (film)|the film version]], this segment is animated by [[Gerald Scarfe]]. It shows a white [[dove]] (which begins as live action) flying peacefully up only to suddenly explode gorily, torn apart by a black [[Coat of arms of Germany|Nazi eagle]] (''{{lang|de|Reichsadler}}''). This swoops over the countryside, then grabs at the earth with its claws, ripping up a huge section and flying off leaving a trail of blood. It glides over England before leaving a red bloated monster in the wake of its shadow, which then turns into a machine spewing more birds. Next, naked, [[Gas mask|gas-masked]] people (''the frightened ones'') are seen running about on all fours and hiding from [[The Blitz]]. Finally, a [[Union Flag|Union Jack]] that fragments, turning into a bleeding cross, the Nazi eagle crashed and the dove flies right out of it. The blood runs into the gutter and a drain. Unlike the album, this comes in after "[[When the Tigers Broke Free]]" and before "[[The Happiest Days of Our Lives]]".
+In [[Pink Floyd The Wall (film)|the film version]], this segment is animated by [[Gerald Scarfe]]. It shows a white [[dove]] (which begins as live action) flying peacefully up only to suddenly explode gorily, torn apart by a black [[Coat of arms of Germany|Nazi eagle]] (''{{lang|de|Reichsadler}}''). This swoops over the countryside, then grabs at the earth with its claws, ripping up a huge section and flying off leaving a trail of blood. It glides over England and it gives birth to a bully  in the wake of its shadow, which then transforms into a machine that is a undefeated warlord relising airplanes. Next, naked, [[Gas mask|gas-masked]] people (''the frightened ones'') are seen running about on all fours and hiding from [[The Blitz]]. Finally, a [[Union Flag|Union Jack]] that fragments, turning into a bleeding cross, the Nazi eagle crashed and the dove flies right out of it. The blood runs into the gutter and a drain. Unlike the album, this comes in after "[[When the Tigers Broke Free]]" and before "[[The Happiest Days of Our Lives]]".
 ==Live versions==