On the Turning Away

"On the Turning Away" is a song from Pink Floyd's 1987 album, A Momentary Lapse of Reason.^[1]^[2] 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. The song was resurrected by David Gilmour on his 2006 On an Island Tour for one night only. Live recordings exist on Delicate Sound of Thunder (1988) and Live in Gdansk (2008).

Release

Released as the second single from the album, it reached number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in early 1988. In the United Kingdom, the song charted at number 55 on the UK Singles Chart.

Lyrics

The song, a power ballad, references issues of poverty and oppression, lamenting on the tendency of people to turn away from those afflicted with such conditions. It ends on a determined note, with the last stanza beginning, "no more turning away" and continuing "it's not enough just to stand and stare." It is a song that recovers the mysticism of songs like "Wish You Were Here" or "Us and Them", but this time treating topics like the suffering of people; the phrase "weak and the weary" portrays the suffering of people as a big problem in today's world.^[3]

Video

The music video for the track featured a live recording and concert footage filmed during the band's three night run at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia in November 1987 directed by Lawrence Jordan (who has directed concert films for Rush, Mariah Carey and Billy Joel). Promotional videos for "The Dogs of War" and "One Slip" also used footage of this concert. The video made it to number nine on MTV's Video Countdown in January 1988.

Personnel

Studio

David Gilmour — electric & acoustic guitars, lead vocals and sequencers
Nick Mason — drums, percussion

Additional musicians:

Richard Wright —organ, backing vocals
Tony Levin — bass guitar
Jim Keltner — drums
Jon Carin — synthesiser

Live Personnel 1987-1994

David Gilmour - lead vocals, lead guitar
Nick Mason - drums
Richard Wright - keyboards, backing vocals

Additional musicians:

Jon Carin - synthesisers, backing vocals
Guy Pratt - fretless bass guitar, backing vocals
Tim Renwick - acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Gary Wallis - percussion, drums (on the 1992 Amnesty International Big 30 concert and together with Nick Mason on the 1994 The Division Bell tour)
Durga McBroom, Rachel Fury, Margaret Taylor - backing vocals (1987-1989)
Sam Brown, Durga McBroom, Claudia Fontaine - backing vocals (1994)

David Gilmour Live 2006

David Gilmour - lead vocals, rhythm guitar, lead guitar
Richard Wright - organ, backing vocals
Guy Pratt - bass guitar, backing vocals
Steve DiStanislao - drums
Jon Carin - synthesisers

References

↑ Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1-84195-551-5.
↑ Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-4301-X.
↑ On The Turning Away, PinkFloyd.cl, Chile. (Spanish)

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: A Momentary Lapse of Reason

A Momentary Lapse of Reason

Songs

Side one	"Signs of Life" "Learning to Fly" "The Dogs of War" "One Slip" "On the Turning Away"

Side two	"Yet Another Movie" / "Round and Around" "A New Machine (Part 1)" "Terminal Frost" "A New Machine (Part 2)" "Sorrow"

A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour

Pink Floyd

Syd Barrett David Gilmour Nick Mason Roger Waters Richard Wright

Studio albums	The Piper at the Gates of Dawn A Saucerful of Secrets More Ummagumma Atom Heart Mother Meddle Obscured by Clouds The Dark Side of the Moon Wish You Were Here Animals The Wall The Final Cut A Momentary Lapse of Reason The Division Bell The Endless River

Live albums	Ummagumma Delicate Sound of Thunder Pulse Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980–81

Singles	"Arnold Layne" / "Candy and a Currant Bun" "See Emily Play" / "Scarecrow" "Flaming" / "The Gnome" (US) "Apples and Oranges" / "Paint Box" (UK) "It Would Be So Nice" / "Julia Dream" "Let There Be More Light" / "Remember a Day" (US) "Point Me at the Sky" / "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" (UK) "The Nile Song" / "Ibiza Bar" (France/New Zealand) or "Main Theme" (Japan) "One of These Days" / "Fearless" (US) or "Seamus" (Japan) "Free Four" / "Stay" (US) or "The Gold It's in the..." (Europe) "Julia Dream" / "Summer '68" (Japan) "Money" / "Any Colour You Like" (US) "Time" / "Us and Them" (US) "Have a Cigar" / "Welcome to the Machine" (US) or "Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part I" (Europe) "Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" / "One of My Turns" (most countries) or "Young Lust" (South Africa) "Run Like Hell" / "Don't Leave Me Now" (Europe/some US) or "Comfortably Numb" (later US) "Comfortably Numb" / "Hey You" (US) "Pink Floyd the Wall – Music from the Film" ("When the Tigers Broke Free" / "Bring the Boys Back Home") "Not Now John" / "The Hero's Return (Parts 1 and 2)" "Learning to Fly" / "Terminal Frost" and/or "One Slip" "On the Turning Away" / "Run Like Hell (live)" (UK) "One Slip" / "Terminal Frost" / "The Dogs of War" (UK) "Take It Back" / "Astronomy Domine (live)" (US) "High Hopes" / "Keep Talking" / "Marooned" "Wish You Were Here (Live)" / "Coming Back to Life (live) / "Keep Talking (live)" (UK) "Louder than Words"

Compilations	The Best of the Pink Floyd / Masters of Rock Relics A Nice Pair A Collection of Great Dance Songs Works 1967: The First Three Singles Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd The Best of Pink Floyd: A Foot in the Door 1965: Their First Recordings Cre/ation: The Early Years 1967–1972

Box sets	Shine On Oh, by the Way Discovery The Dark Side of the Moon Immersion set Wish You Were Here Immersion set The Wall Immersion set The Division Bell 20^th Anniversary set The Early Years 1965–1972

Concert films	London '66–'67 Live at Pompeii Delicate Sound of Thunder Pulse

Narrative films	The Wall The Final Cut

Documentaries	The Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon London '66–'67 The Story of Wish You Were Here

Soundtracks	San Francisco The Committee Tonite Lets All Make Love in London Zabriskie Point More Obscured by Clouds Pink Floyd – The Wall La Carrera Panamericana

Tours	World Tour 1968 The Man and The Journey Tour Atom Heart Mother World Tour Meddle Tour Dark Side of the Moon Tour 1974 Wish You Were Here Tour In the Flesh The Wall Tour A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour The Division Bell Tour

Touring musicians	John Alldis & choir Andy Bown Philip Jones Brass Ensemble Jon Carin Geoffrey Mitchell & choir Scott Page Dick Parry Guy Pratt Tim Renwick Andy Roberts Gary Wallis Snowy White Willie Wilson Peter Wood

Additional vocalists	Sam Brown Lesley Duncan Venetta Fields Claudia Fontaine Rachel Fury Jim Haas Roy Harper Carol Kenyon Durga McBroom Clare Torry Doris Troy

Associated people	Pink Anderson & Floyd Council Ian Emes Ron Geesin James Guthrie Andy Jackson Bob Klose Steve O'Rourke Gerald Scarfe Peter Watts Blackhill Enterprises Peter Jenner Andrew King Hipgnosis Peter Christopherson George Hardie Aubrey Powell Storm Thorgerson

Related articles	Discography Videography Song list Unreleased material Bootleg recordings The 14 Hour Technicolor Dream 19367 Pink Floyd The Amazing Pudding The Australian Pink Floyd Show Azimuth Co-ordinator Britannia Row Studios Barn Jams Dark Side of the Rainbow EMS Synthi A Games for May The Man and The Journey Midsummer High Weekend Music from The Body Picnic – A Breath of Fresh Air Inflatable Pigs Pinkfloydia Proper Education Publius Enigma Why Pink Floyd...? Umma gumma

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