Written by: Beck Hansen, Danger Mouse, Paul Guiot & Paul Piot
Versions:
- Walls (2:22)
Available on Modern Guilt.
CreditsRecorded at: Anonyme Studios
Danger Mouse: Beats, Keyboard / Synthesizer, Keyboard Bass, Producer, Programming
Drew Brown: Engineer
Beck Hansen: Producer, Vocals
Cat Power: Vocals - Walls (acoustic) (2:36)
Available on Modern Guilt acoustic.
CreditsBram Inscore: Bass
Joey Waronker: Drums
Beck Hansen: Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
Jessica Dobson: Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals (Background)
Brian Lebarton: Harmonium
Lyrics:
Walls [Version (a)]:
Some days we get a thrill in our brains
Some days it turns to malaise
You see a face in the veneer
Reflecting on the surface of fear
Because you know that we're better than that
Some days are worse than you can imagine
How am I supposed to live with that
With all these train wrecks coming at random?
Hey, what are you gonna do
When those walls are falling down
Falling down on you?
Hey, what are you gonna do
When those walls are falling down
Falling down on you?
You got warheads stacked in the kitchen
You treat distraction like it's a religion
With a rattlesnake step in your rhythm
We do the best with the souls we've been given
Because you know we're nothing special to them
We're going someplace they've already been
Trying to make sense of what they call wisdom
And this riff-raff ain't laughing with them
Hey, what are you gonna do
When those walls are falling down
Falling down on you?
Hey, what are you gonna do
When those walls are falling down
Falling down on you?
You're wearing all of the years on your face
Got a tombstone to fall into place
And your heart only beats in a murmur
But your words ring out just like murder
Some days we get a thrill in our brains
Some days it turns to malaise
You see a face in the veneer
Reflecting on the surface of fear
Because you know that we're better than that
Some days are worse than you can imagine
How am I supposed to live with that
With all these train wrecks coming at random?
Hey, what are you gonna do
When those walls are falling down
Falling down on you?
Hey, what are you gonna do
When those walls are falling down
Falling down on you?
You got warheads stacked in the kitchen
You treat distraction like it's a religion
With a rattlesnake step in your rhythm
We do the best with the souls we've been given
Because you know we're nothing special to them
We're going someplace they've already been
Trying to make sense of what they call wisdom
And this riff-raff ain't laughing with them
Hey, what are you gonna do
When those walls are falling down
Falling down on you?
Hey, what are you gonna do
When those walls are falling down
Falling down on you?
You're wearing all of the years on your face
Got a tombstone to fall into place
And your heart only beats in a murmur
But your words ring out just like murder
The Song:
"Walls" can be found on Beck's 2008 album, Modern Guilt.
"Walls" is the one song on the album that Danger Mouse co-wrote, and presumably he brought the beat to Beck. The sharp beat is enhanced by some woozy strings, all courtesy of a sample of "Amour, Vacances Et Baroque" by Paul Guiot and Paul Piot. Also, Cat Power sings the chorus (sounding remarkably like Beck).
Throughout Modern Guilt Beck wrote about a struggle to return home, to find a bed to rest, a place to warm his weary bones. Lines like that pop up all throughout the album. Inherent in that struggle though is a chaotic world, the one he wants to escape for awhile. And that's where "Walls" comes in.
The first verse of "Walls" describes this chaos. Nothing is steady, emotions all over the place (the first 2 lines go from thrills to malaise to fear), and then summed up by: "how am I supposed to live with that / with all these train wrecks coming at random?"
Random train wrecks! Walls falling down! The striking images of catastrophe continue into the second verse, with warheads in the kitchen (ie., life constantly on edge of destruction), distractions, rattlesnake steps. The message seems to be clear: everything can change in an instant.
"Walls" has some unique touches to it, most notably finishing, not on a chorus, but an abrupt cut midway through a third verse. This shortened third verse is not included in the liner notes either. But it brings all the chaos to a sudden end, mirroring all the catastrophic and sudden images, a metaphor for the volatility of life.
"Walls" can be found on Beck's 2008 album, Modern Guilt.
"Walls" is the one song on the album that Danger Mouse co-wrote, and presumably he brought the beat to Beck. The sharp beat is enhanced by some woozy strings, all courtesy of a sample of "Amour, Vacances Et Baroque" by Paul Guiot and Paul Piot. Also, Cat Power sings the chorus (sounding remarkably like Beck).
Throughout Modern Guilt Beck wrote about a struggle to return home, to find a bed to rest, a place to warm his weary bones. Lines like that pop up all throughout the album. Inherent in that struggle though is a chaotic world, the one he wants to escape for awhile. And that's where "Walls" comes in.
The first verse of "Walls" describes this chaos. Nothing is steady, emotions all over the place (the first 2 lines go from thrills to malaise to fear), and then summed up by: "how am I supposed to live with that / with all these train wrecks coming at random?"
Random train wrecks! Walls falling down! The striking images of catastrophe continue into the second verse, with warheads in the kitchen (ie., life constantly on edge of destruction), distractions, rattlesnake steps. The message seems to be clear: everything can change in an instant.
"Walls" has some unique touches to it, most notably finishing, not on a chorus, but an abrupt cut midway through a third verse. This shortened third verse is not included in the liner notes either. But it brings all the chaos to a sudden end, mirroring all the catastrophic and sudden images, a metaphor for the volatility of life.
Live:
Played live 22 times:
Earliest known live version: June 27, 2008
Latest known live version: March 26, 2009
Played live 22 times:
June 27, 2008
June 30, 2008
July 1, 2008
July 2, 2008
July 4, 2008
July 6, 2008
July 7, 2008
August 19, 2008
August 21, 2008
August 22, 2008
...and 12 more.
June 30, 2008
July 1, 2008
July 2, 2008
July 4, 2008
July 6, 2008
July 7, 2008
August 19, 2008
August 21, 2008
August 22, 2008
...and 12 more.
Earliest known live version: June 27, 2008
Latest known live version: March 26, 2009