One Of My Turns
Pink Floyd · The Wall [1979]
[Film in background: "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to startle you!]
"This place is bigger than our apartment!
[Film: "Let me know when you're entering a room"
"Yes sir!"]
"erm, Can I get a drink of water?
[Film: "I was wondering about ..."]
"You want some, huh?"
[Film: "Yes"]
"Oh wow, look at this tub? Do you wanna take baaaath?"
[Film: "I'll have to find out from Mrs. Bancroft what time she wants to
meet us, for her main ..."]
"What are you watching?"
[Film: "If you'll just let me know as soon as you can ... Mrs Bancroft"
"Mrs Bancroft ..."]
"Hello?"
[Film: "I don't understand ..."]
"Are you feeling okay?..."
Day after day, love turns grey
Like the skin of a dying man.
Night after night, we pretend its all right
But I have grown older and
You have grown colder and
Nothing is very much fun any more.
And I can feel one of my turns coming on.
I feel cold as a razor blade,
Tight as a tourniquet,
Dry as a funeral drum.
Run to the bedroom,
In the suitcase on the left
You'll find my favorite axe.
Don't look so frightened
This is just a passing phase,
One of my bad days.
Would you like to watch T.V.?
Or get between the sheets?
Or contemplate the silent freeway?
Would you like something to eat?
Would you like to learn to fly?
Would'ya?
Would you like to see me try?
Would you like to call the cops?
Do you think it's time I stopped?
Why are you running away?
One Of My Turns
Released on The Wall in 1980, "One Of My Turns" stands as a pivotal moment in Pink Floyd's rock opera, marking a shift from the band's earlier psychedelic sound to a more direct, dramatic style. The track features the iconic vocal performance of Roger Waters, who delivers a haunting, spoken-word delivery that underscores the album's themes of psychological breakdown and societal pressure. Musically, the song relies on a sparse arrangement of synthesizers and atmospheric textures, creating a claustrophobic soundscape that mirrors the protagonist's internal turmoil. As a key component of the narrative arc, the recording serves as a bridge between the chaotic climax of the film and the subsequent resolution, cementing its status as a defining piece of progressive rock and conceptual album artistry.