This song delves into the lonely life of the character Pink, who finds himself isolated behind a mental wall of his own making, with no one to talk to and only possessions for company. It reflects experiences Roger Waters had during the band's 1977 tour, their first major stadium tour, and also contains references to founding member Syd Barrett. The song was written after an argument during the production of The Wall, when Waters was challenged to come up with one more song for the album, and he returned with this "fantastic" piece. At its heart, it plays like a poignant confession of profound solitude amidst outward success.