The Division Bell

Introduction and Background

Division Bell Theory

I have recently listened to The Division Bell again, and listening close to the lyrics I have made a conclusion that might seem rather crazy to most Pink Floyd fans; that The Division Bell is a sequel to the band's 1979 album, The Wall. Now, the obvious flaw here is that Roger Waters, the mastermind behind The Wall, was not involved in the album in any way and was in fact not even a member of the band at the time this album was recorded. That would make it seem that anything I am about to write is pointless, but I have found some similarities and reasons to think that the two albums are related. Obviously, this is all fictional and I don't believe that is the true purpose of this album. It's just something I was thinking about and wanted to share.

The Album

The Division Bell was written mostly by guitarist and singer and keyboardist . It features Wright's first lead vocal on a Pink Floyd album since (1973). Gilmour's fiancée, novelist , co-wrote many of the lyrics, which deal with themes of communication. (taken from Wikipedia)

Here it says that one of the themes of the album is communication, something which is also a relevant theme to The Wall, where the protagonist of the dark rock opera deals with social isolation and an inability to communicate himself properly to those around him.

What is a division bell?

A division bell is a bell rung in or around a parliament to signal a (a vote) to members of the relevant chamber so that they may take part. They may also be used to signal the start or end of parliamentary proceedings, and often produce different sounds or colored lights to identify the chamber affected.

In relation to the album, the name refers to the rung in the to announce a vote. This bears similarity to how The Wall ends, with a trial in which the protagonist, named Pink Floyd, is sentenced to 'tear down the wall' that he was built throughout his mental breakdown. The trial, therefore, ends in the form of a 'vote' made by the judge. The bell could therefore symbolize the beginning of Floyd's life after The Wall, which is why I see this album as a sequel.