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wall of love


composer
Words and music: Simple Minds


publisher
© 1989 Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd


background
The germ of Wall Of Love came from an earlier song. The chorus of an early version of Power In The Darkness became the initial seed for Wall Of Love. I believe both songs date back to the initial sketches written at Loch Earn between September and October 1987.

"The drum pattern was really difficult to start off. I was trying to get it as wild as possible and it was verging on being a soft of heavy jazz. Everyone could see the potential of it being real zany and mad and loud and frantic - something to annoy you a litte bit. So I was constantly fighting for the drum pattern to go mental. It seems it turned out OK. Mel has straightened out the version we do on stage, and that's an improvement. So maybe I was wrong from the start. The next time I get hold of a drum machine I'm gonna go for that again, though." - Mick, Street Fighting Years songbook

"It started with a bass line Mick had and a really complicated rhythm. It's an abstract song - the bass line never changes through the whole song - so the dynamics, the lights and shades, had to come from different areas." - Charlie, Street Fighting Years songbook

"This song is about compassion, a wall of compassion in these times of loneliness; a wall of understanding, and also being cut down when you ask for love or understanding. Like Van Gogh. When you have an inkling that something else is going on. The first thing that always happens is you're made a fool of. It goes on and on." - Jim, Street Fighting Years songbook

The song was quickly forgotten after the Street Fighting Years Tour but did make a surprisingly brief reappearance during the band's Festival Tour of 2004.


lyrics
Oh great wall of love, build me a great wall of love.
When the blind man sings about the peaceful things,
You shout that it's not good enough.

Ah we wait till daylight hours,
Waiting for a sign from you.
Golden temples concrete towers,
Building mansions on the hillside next to you.
In the city souls awaken bodies shaking,
Oh pull me up let me see the view.
And to the hungry in the gutter,
We've deprived them bread and butter.
Always not enough,
No not enough.

Great wall of love, build me a great wall of love.
When the blind man sings about the peaceful things,
You shout that it's still not enough.

Ah well it's not the sound of ghosts I hear,
It's the devil with his chainsaw,
And I'll be running through the ghettos,
Through the townships of Soweto,
Always not enough,
No not enough.

Brothers missing, babies kissing,
And the thing that got to you,
Burning never turning next to you.

Oh great wall of love,
Build me a great wall of love.
When the blind man sings about the peaceful things,
You shout that it's still not enough.

So listen to me darling,
They've got worries they've got troubles on their mind,
And when you hear them reaching out,
They're reaching out for something they can't find.

Oh I believe one great day the rain will come,
And wash this mess away.
Oh I believe one great day the rain will come.

They've got silver and diamonds,
They've got paradise around them,
They've got blue skies so clear.
They've got their prisoner in a wagon,
While the children chase the dragon,
And the free bird files so clear.
It files away.
Fly fly fly away.
Fly away.
Oh you fly away.

And may your sweet lips sing to me,
Let the bells ring wherever freedom be,
One babe is born and another one dies,
There's people making love tonight.
People making love tonight.
Ah people making love tonight.
People making love.
People making love tonight.
People making love.
I can hear them reaching out.
I can hear them reaching out.
I can hear them reaching out.
I can hear them reaching out.



discography
Album Version (5:20)
Produced by: Stephen Lipson and Trevor Horn
Engineers: Heff Moraes, Robin Hancock
Assistant Engineers: Danton Supple, Martin Plant

Street Fighting Years Promo 7" Box Set Street Fighting Years Promo MC Box Set Street Fighting Years Promo CD Box Set Street Fighting Years LP Street Fighting Years MC Street Fighting Years CD Street Fighting Years Australian Promo MC Street Fighting Years US Promo MC Street Fighting Years US Promo MC Street Fighting Years Japanese Promo MC Street Fighting Years Limited Edition MC Box Set Street Fighting Years Limited Edition CD Box Set Street Fighting Years Picture CD Street Fighting Years MiniDisc Street Fighting Years Reissue CD Simple Minds Box Set Street Fighting Years Remaster Promo CD Street Fighting Years Remaster Limited Edition CD Street Fighting Years Remaster CD Five Album Set Classic Album Selection Street Fighting Years 2020 Reissue LP Street Fighting Years 2020 Reissue CD Street Fighting Years 2020 Deluxe 2CD Street Fighting Years 2020 Super Deluxe 4CD



live history
Street Fighting Years Tour: 1989
Germany: 1990
Festival Tour: 2004