"On the Turning Away" is a power ballad from Pink Floyd's 1987 album, A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Released as the second single from the album, it reached number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in early 1988. In the United Kingdom, the song charted at number 55 on the UK Singles Chart. A live performance of the song was featured on both the video and double CD releases of Delicate Sound of Thunder. The song references issues of poverty and oppression, lamenting on the tendency of people to turn away from those afflicted with such conditions. It ends on a hopeful note, with the last stanza beginning, "no more turning away …".
The song was the ninth track from the album performed when A Momentary Lapse of Reason was played live from 1987 to 1989. The track was also performed sometimes during the band's 1994 Division Bell tour, as the song was a huge U.S. rock radio hit.
The music video for the track composed of a live recording and concert footage filmed during the band's three night run at the The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia in November 1987 directed by Lawrence Jordan (who has directed concert films for Rush, Mariah Carey and Billy Joel). Videos for "The Dogs of War" and "One Slip" were also filmed from this concert. The video went to number nine on MTV's Video Countdown in January 1988.
The five-disc deluxe edition of David Gilmour's Live in Gdańsk, as well as the vinyl edition also contain a recording of Gilmour singing "On the Turning Away" in Venice on August 12, 2006. Halfway through the song, both Gilmour and Wright forget the lyrics; however, he laughs it off, and with a little support from the crowd makes a recovery.
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