Pink Floyd’s Anthem Finds New Relevance for Young Listeners

Quick Smiles:

• The Wall became the third largest-grossing album in the United States, selling over 23 million copies and spending 15 weeks at the top of the charts.
• The zipper was first patented in the West by Swedish engineer Gideon Sundback, who perfected his invention while working in New Jersey.
• Civil rights protesters began their historic march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 to successfully demand voting rights for all citizens.

Pink Floyd celebrated an iconic milestone when their single Another Brick in the Wall hit the top of the charts for an eleven-week run. Written by Roger Waters as a protest against rigid schooling, the track famously includes a local elementary school choir and remains the band’s most successful single.

The recording featured children from Islington Green School, whose music teacher sought to provide his students with a relevant and exciting project. He believed the lyrics would serve as a wonderful experience for the kids and even kept the details from the headteacher to ensure the recording session could proceed.

I wanted to make music relevant to the kids – not just sitting around listening to Tchaikovsky.

These historical moments remind us of the power of creativity and persistent activism to change our world for the better. From record-breaking rock operas to milestones in equality, history is filled with reasons to celebrate human achievement.