Tearing down walls

October 22, 2017 10:26 AM

I'm looking for songs specifically themed around tearing down walls / breaking down things, for use in a weekly tear down team. Ideally they would be PG-13, but "wreaking ball" by Miley make the cut. Ideally they would be hopping or bopping, but we would definitely make exceptions for very on-topic songs!
posted by bbqturtle to Media & Arts (25 answers total)

Tonic--Knock Down Walls
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers--Walls
posted by Slinga at 10:28 AM on October 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

The Trial by Pink Floyd.
posted by amro at 10:32 AM on October 22, 2017

MISTACHUCK (aka Public Enemy's Chuck D) - "Tear Down That Wall"
posted by dismas at 10:37 AM on October 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

Walls Come Tumblin' Down - The Style Council. Prescient political polemic with a feisty tune and the word "crap".
posted by merocet at 10:38 AM on October 22, 2017 [2 favorites]

The original Right Said Fred by Bernard Cribbins : "have to take the wall down, that there wall is going to 'ave to go"
posted by runincircles at 10:40 AM on October 22, 2017

Pompeii by Bastille
posted by KateViolet at 10:42 AM on October 22, 2017

The Call - The Walls Came Down.
posted by ZaphodB at 10:46 AM on October 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

Wrecking Ball (different song) by Mother Mother
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 10:46 AM on October 22, 2017

Patti Smyth and Scandal - The Warrior
posted by NoraCharles at 10:47 AM on October 22, 2017

Response by poster: Hey, didn't specify this but pop songs are extra good :)
posted by bbqturtle at 10:50 AM on October 22, 2017

Is Crumbling Down by John Mellencamp too obvious?

How about Orange Juice- Rip it Up
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 10:51 AM on October 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

Wrecking Ball by Mae Klingler. Also a different song.
posted by shesbookish at 10:54 AM on October 22, 2017

Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho by Mahalia Jackson
posted by runincircles at 10:59 AM on October 22, 2017 [2 favorites]

Break Down the Walls by Youth of Today.
posted by Mr.Krotpong at 11:12 AM on October 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

I'm gonna tear your playhouse down by Paul Young.
posted by penguin pie at 11:14 AM on October 22, 2017

Response by poster: Hey, one other thing - the song title doesn't matter as much as the content of the song - something catchy about tearing things down maybe :)
posted by bbqturtle at 11:19 AM on October 22, 2017

Tears for Fears have Break it Down Again but it's more in the sense of "break it into manageable parts"

Fitz & the Tantrums: Break the Walls

The Doors: Break on Through

seaching google for 'songs about breaking walls' was weirdly fruitful. It seems to be a reasonably common theme.

You could also twist things up in the playlist with Another Brick in the Wall
posted by Sunburnt at 11:37 AM on October 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

Caesar by I Blame Coco (feat. Robyn) is pretty hopping. Walls are knocked down both in the chorus and repeatedly at the end, which is good for inspiration.

King of the hopers will fall
We're gonna knock down the walls
Sing and the Caesar will fall
We gonna knock down his doors

There's one swear word, which is muted in the version I linked.
posted by rollick at 12:29 PM on October 22, 2017

Tear Me Down from the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
posted by matildaben at 12:39 PM on October 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

No Matter What Badfinger
posted by effluvia at 1:32 PM on October 22, 2017

Burning Down the House Talking Heads
posted by effluvia at 1:33 PM on October 22, 2017 [3 favorites]

Tear Me Down from Hedwig and the Angry Inch
posted by FakePalindrome at 4:16 PM on October 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

Smash It Up by The Damned.
posted by thinman at 6:28 PM on October 22, 2017

Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 8:02 PM on October 22, 2017

Spoon - Tear It Down (they also do a cover of Tear Me Down from Hedwig and the Angry Inch)
posted by wheek wheek wheek at 2:53 AM on October 23, 2017