One of My Turns
Encyclopedia
"One of My Turns" is a song by Pink Floyd
. It appears on The Wall
album in 1979
, and was released as a B-side on the single
of "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)".
into his room after learning of his wife's affair. At first when the groupie tries to get his attention, he is too busy thinking of his wife to hear her, and the song is largely a description of his failed relationship with his wife. A TV can be heard in the background, the dialog mixed in with the groupie's conversation.
As the groupie continues to try to get his attention, Pink explodes into a fit of violence and destroys his room which drives the groupie away. Lyrically, the explosion of violence toward the groupie is a metaphor for fear-based explosions of anger at his wife. At the end of the song Pink puts on a darkly sarcastic tone and starts nonchalantly telling the groupie about his "favourite axe" (in this case, axe means guitar; perhaps a reference to the early Pink Floyd song "Careful with That Axe, Eugene
") and asks her "would you like something to eat", a reference to the groupie helping herself to a glass of water. As the groupie flees the room he screams "Why are you running away?", feeling pity for himself.
on television. When the groupie tries to make contact with Pink saying "Are you feeling okay?", he explodes into a violent fit of rage and begins to destroy his hotel room. Pink then chases the groupie around the room throwing various objects at her, cutting his own hand after he throws a television set out his window onto the street below.
The show that is on the television during the beginning of the song is from September 24–26, 1979, Another World
episodes 3864–3866. Kirk Laverty brings Iris Bancroft and her maid, Vivan Gorrow, to his lodge in the Adirondacks. Dobbs was the caretaker of the lodge. Laverty is the man talking to Dobbs, not Mr. Bancroft. Laverty was played by Charles Gioffi.
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
. It appears on The Wall
The Wall
The Wall is the eleventh studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. Released as a double album on 30 November 1979, it was subsequently performed live with elaborate theatrical effects, and adapted into a feature film, Pink Floyd—The Wall.As with the band's previous three...
album in 1979
1979 in music
See also:Record labels established in 1979* 1979 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.-January–February:*January 1...
, and was released as a B-side on the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
of "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)".
Composition
The song is split into three distinct portions; a fragmented dialogue, a quieter lyrical portion, and a loud lyrical portion. It is approximately 3 minutes, 41 seconds in length. The song features one of Waters' most strenuous recorded vocal workouts, with him ending at one of the highest tones of his register, the A above middle C.Plot
As with the other songs on The Wall, "One of My Turns" tells a segment of the story of Pink, the album's protagonist. Pink invites a groupieGroupie
A groupie is a person who seeks emotional and sexual intimacy with a musician or other celebrity. "Groupie" is derived from group in reference to a musical group, but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation....
into his room after learning of his wife's affair. At first when the groupie tries to get his attention, he is too busy thinking of his wife to hear her, and the song is largely a description of his failed relationship with his wife. A TV can be heard in the background, the dialog mixed in with the groupie's conversation.
As the groupie continues to try to get his attention, Pink explodes into a fit of violence and destroys his room which drives the groupie away. Lyrically, the explosion of violence toward the groupie is a metaphor for fear-based explosions of anger at his wife. At the end of the song Pink puts on a darkly sarcastic tone and starts nonchalantly telling the groupie about his "favourite axe" (in this case, axe means guitar; perhaps a reference to the early Pink Floyd song "Careful with That Axe, Eugene
Careful with That Axe, Eugene
"Careful with That Axe, Eugene" is an instrumental song by the British band Pink Floyd. The studio recording was originally released as the B-side of their single "Point Me at the Sky" and is also featured on the Relics compilation album; live versions can also be found on Ummagumma and in the film...
") and asks her "would you like something to eat", a reference to the groupie helping herself to a glass of water. As the groupie flees the room he screams "Why are you running away?", feeling pity for himself.
Film version
Pink enters his hotel room with an American groupie, played by actress Jenny Wright. The groupie tries to be friendly to Pink (her monologue appears on the album as well). Pink is oblivious to the groupie as he watches the film The Dam BustersThe Dam Busters (film)
The Dam Busters is a 1955 British Second World War war film starring Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd and directed by Michael Anderson. The film recreates the true story of Operation Chastise when in 1943 the RAF's 617 Squadron attacked the Möhne, Eder and Sorpe dams in Germany with Wallis's...
on television. When the groupie tries to make contact with Pink saying "Are you feeling okay?", he explodes into a violent fit of rage and begins to destroy his hotel room. Pink then chases the groupie around the room throwing various objects at her, cutting his own hand after he throws a television set out his window onto the street below.
The show that is on the television during the beginning of the song is from September 24–26, 1979, Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
episodes 3864–3866. Kirk Laverty brings Iris Bancroft and her maid, Vivan Gorrow, to his lodge in the Adirondacks. Dobbs was the caretaker of the lodge. Laverty is the man talking to Dobbs, not Mr. Bancroft. Laverty was played by Charles Gioffi.
Personnel
- David GilmourDavid GilmourDavid Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
— lead guitar - Nick MasonNick MasonNicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason is an English drummer and songwriter, best known for his work with Pink Floyd. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965...
— drums and percussion - Roger WatersRoger WatersGeorge Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
— vocals, bass - Richard WrightRichard Wright (musician)Richard William Wright was an English pianist, keyboardist and songwriter, best known for his career with Pink Floyd. Wright's richly textured keyboard layers were a vital ingredient and a distinctive characteristic of Pink Floyd's sound...
— piano - Bob EzrinBob EzrinRobert Alan "Bob" Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, known for his work with artists including Alice Cooper, Kiss and Pink Floyd. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004.-Biography:...
— organ, prophet-5 synthesizer - Lee RitenourLee RitenourLee Mack Ritenour is an American jazz guitarist who has recorded over 42 albums, appeared on over 3000 sessions, and has charted over 30 instrumental and vocal contemporary jazz hits since 1976. One of his most popular songs was the smash hit, “Is It You” in 1981. Ritenour is considered to be a...
— rhythm guitar and rhythm guitar with a wah-wah pedalWah-wah pedalA wah-wah pedal is a type of guitar effects pedal that alters the tone of the signal to create a distinctive effect, mimicking the human voice... - Trudy Young — voice of the groupie
Further reading
- Fitch, Vernon. The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia (3rd edition), 2005. ISBN 1-894959-24-8.