On the Turning Away (1987) – Pink Floyd

On the Turning Away is the second song to feature here from Pink Floyd’s 1987 record A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Their previous entry was Learning to Fly – atmospheric rock at its best. Although described as a protest song released after the departure of Roger Waters, On the Turning Away was symbolic and prognostic of significant world events which would take place at the end of the 80’s and turn of the 90’s. It was also the predecesor of this European ‘change’ music reflecting the iron curtain and Soviet Union collapse (see Winds of Change by the Scorpions).

[Verse 1]
On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won’t understand
“Don’t accept that what’s happening
Is just a case of all the suffering
Or you’ll find that you’re joining in
The turning away”

[Verse 2]
It’s a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting its shroud
Over all, we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that we’re all alone
In the dream of the proud

The song was a staple of live shows from the 1987–89 world tours in support of A Momentary Lapse of Reason and was one of the songs in rotation during the 1994 tour in support of The Division Bell. Released as the second single from the album, it reached number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in early 1988.

A Momentary Lapse of Reason is the thirteenth studio album by Pink Floyd. It was recorded primarily on guitarist David Gilmour’s converted houseboat, Astoria. In the recording process, Gilmour experimented with songwriters but settled on Anthony Moore, who was credited as co-writer of Learning to Fly and On the Turning Away. Gilmour later said that the project had been difficult without Waters.

References:
1. On the Turning Away – Wikipedia
2. A Momentary Lapse of Reason – Wikipedia

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