The Thin Ice
Encyclopedia
"The Thin Ice" is a song by Pink Floyd
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 appeared 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...

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...

.

Composition

The song is 2 minutes, 30 seconds in length. The first few seconds are occupied by the sound of a baby crying (carried forward from "In the Flesh?
In the Flesh?
"In the Flesh?" is a song by Pink Floyd. It was released on The Wall album in 1979. The title is a reference to the band's 1977 "In the Flesh" tour, during which bassist and songwriter Roger Waters, in frustration, spat at a fan attempting to climb the fence separating the band from the crowd "In...

"), lasting around seven seconds. Following this, the song commences the lyrical portion sung by David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David 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...

, which is soft and gentle in tone.

After a further 56 seconds, Gilmour's lyrics end, and the lyrical portion sung by Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George 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...

 begins. During this time, the tone of the song takes on a more cynical note, alluding to the lyrics. This portion lasts for 49 seconds, after which the remainder of the song contains a long, somewhat louder, guitar solo.

Plot

As with the other songs on The Wall, "The Thin Ice" tells a portion of the story of Pink, the album's protagonist. This song narrates the first couple of years of Pink's life, before he is old enough to realise what has happened to his father. The "Thin Ice" represents the fragile period of innocence in people's lives before they can really understand the world around them.

Furthermore, the third and fourth lines from the third verse: "Dragging behind you the silent reproach / Of a million tear-stained eyes" act as a metaphor for the psychological and/or spiritual effects war can have, not only on the populace that suffered it, but also the generation of children left to suffer as the final bearers of the pain of that war.

Film version

The film shows thousands of men in the war, either wounded or dead, then cuts to Pink floating in his hotel pool. Feeling anguish over his father's death, the water appears like blood.

Live Versions

Roger Waters's 2010-2012 tour The Wall Live uses the song to depict a series of real life casualties of war, terrorism, and intolerance. The first to appear is Waters's father Eric Fletcher Waters, followed by pictures sent in by fans in response to an appeal on the tour's website. Each photo is accompanied by brief notes on the victim written by the person who sent in the photo. After appearing for a moment on the large central screen, each photo is then projected onto a single brick of the wall. By the end of the song, every brick of the partially-built wall hosts a photo.

Personnel

  • David Gilmour
    David Gilmour
    David 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...

     — vocals on first verse, guitars, Prophet-5 synthesizer
  • Nick Mason
    Nick Mason
    Nicholas 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
  • Roger Waters
    Roger Waters
    George 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 on second verse, bass
  • Richard Wright
    Richard 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...

    — organ, piano
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