About The Song
“Hey You” is a key track on the concept album The Wall, which follows the character Pink – a rock star – as he isolates himself, building a metaphorical wall to detach from the outside world.
The song is about the longing for human interaction. The phrase “hey you” implies calling out to someone (“Hey you over there!”). Following that phrase in every verse is a person in some sort of desperate or pathetic scenario. Most are pretty general but some are specific, for example, “You out beyond the wall breaking bottles in the hall,” which gives the impression of a rebellious teenager; or “You standing in the road always doing what you’re told,” which implies someone who is very timid and indecisive.
Following these scenarios in every verse is a question asking for human connection, and as the song goes on these questions become more desperate in every verse: “Can you feel me?” “Would you touch me?” Can you help me?”