This World of Walter
Walter sees what he wants to see
He's in his world alone
Walter
knows what he wants to know
'Cos Walter's on his own
Walter
Walter (This world of)
Walter
Walter
Walter (This world of)
Walter
Walter plays what he wants to play
He fits the starring role
Walter's found such a safe surround
To keep his world between
And
Walter's sure that his world's no more
Than just a fading dream
Walter
Walter (This world of)
Walter
Walter
Walter (This world of)
Walter
Walter sees what he wants to see
He's in his world alone
Less than 3 mins long. Shortest track on the album (next to 'Sad Films' their shortest "proper" track ever!). A play on words obviously, a bit of fun derived from 'This World of Water'. So, a light-hearted interlude to provide contrast to the real "big hitters" on 'Anywhere'. A throw-away track.
Well, actually - no!
When I think of 'Anywhere', I more often than not think of this track first!
Just look at the raw material. Classic CR-78 percussion. Superb guitar.
Oceans of reverse echo. Vocoder touches that only NM can pull off.
Submarine blips aplenty. But above all, synth playing from the Gods. The whimsical synth lines that start at "Walter plays what he wants to play" are nothing short of genius. I assume this is Clive, and I think it's his defining moment. For me, it's the most infectious, captivating, enthralling part of the album.
This track has always struck me as a "brethren spirit" to ELO's excellent 'Diary of Horace Wimp'. Which was released in '79 I think, a couple of years before 'Walter'. One question I'd ask Tony, if I was ever fortunate enough to meet him, is whether there was an influence?
I actually suspect there wasn't, and that 'Walter' was simply a bit of word-play. A bit of fun. But it's the mark of NM's quality that they develop a track of pure melancholy genius on a whim.
NM at their imperious best.
(Graham G)
When this album was released I must have gone straight to this track because of the title and I was very disappointed (remember, I'd only ever heard from A to B). I hated it for years, but it's grown on me over the years, and now I love it, one of the best 'slow' Tony songs he's ever done. Superb. And considering he probably did it just so it had a similar title to a previous song, even more remarkable.
(Rich E)
I had the US Sanctuary album and Warp, but I went years before I finally picked up the original UK editions of From A To B and Anywhere. When I did and I finally heard This World Of Walter I was completely nonplussed. Stupid too-clever title, boring song. What was TM thinking? But now I really appreciate it. Walter is perhaps a nerd, a ne'er-do-well or a loser. But it's his life, and there's some worth to that. At least, that's how I feel about the song....
(John R)
We have previously seen how the band took a line from one of their older tracks and re-used in a new context. Here, they are even more obscure, taking the title of one of their previous hits, and by changing just one letter, altering the meaning totally!
This is a very different piece to their earlier hit. And there's a mood of great sadness to it. Describing loneliness and alienation on a personal level, the easily understood lyrics, set to the musik, actually bring a tear to the eye. I think the character of Walter is percieved as being 'different' for his unusual name, and perhaps the implication is that he is the subject of other people's ridicule. He retreats into his own isolated world... Few songs have ever been written that I find as touching
Lacking conventional percussion in favour of an unusual electronic 'ticking'-like effect (how did Tony do that?), this is haunting and rich in atmosphere. The wonderful, distant sonar pings provide an echoey spaciousness. Other neat touches include extensive use of vocal pre-echo and some vocoder, compressed? acoustic guitar and sparing use of smooth electric guitar.
The quite abrupt ending is simply brilliant. Well, the whole track is. Short and very (bitter)sweet at 2:55.
99/100
Saddest NM track, and another gem.
(Richard M)