The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Basic info: The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in March 1973. It built on ideas explored in the band's earlier recordings and live shows, but lacks the extended instrumental excursions that characterized their work following the departure in 1968 of founding member, principal composer and lyricist, Syd Barrett. The Dark Side of the Moon's themes include conflict, greed, the passage of time and mental illness, the latter partly inspired by Barrett's deteriorating mental state. The suite was developed during live performances, and was premiered several months before studio recording began. The new material was recorded in two sessions in 1972 and 1973 at Abbey Road Studios in London. The group used some of the most advanced recording techniques of the time, including multitrack recording and tape loops. Analogue synthesisers were given prominence in several tracks, and a series of recorded interviews with the band's road crew and others provided the philosophical quotations used throughout. Engineer Alan Parsons was directly responsible for some of the most notable sonic aspects of the album, and the recruitment of non-lexical performer Clare Torry. The album's iconic sleeve features a prism that represents the band's stage lighting, and record's lyrical themes, and keyboardist Richard Wright's request for a "simple and bold" design. The Dark Side of the Moon was an immediate success, topping the Billboard Top LPs and Tapes chart for one week. It subsequently remained in the charts 741 weeks from 1973 to 1988, longer than any other album in history. With an estimated 45 million copies sold, it is Pink Floyd's most commercially successful album and one of the best-selling albums worldwide. It has twice been remastered and re-released, and has been covered in its entirety by several other acts. It spawned two singles, "Money" and "Us and Them". In addition to its commercial success, The Dark Side of the Moon is one of Pink Floyd's most popular albums among fans and critics, and is frequently ranked as one of the greatest rock albums of all time.
Songs:
1. Speak to Me
(1:36)
2. Breathe
(2:43)
3. On the Run
(3:36)
4. Time
(7:01)
5. The Great Gig in the Sky
(4:36)
6. Money
(6:22)
7. Us and Them
(7:46)
8. Any Color You Like
(3:25)
9. Brain Damage
(3:48)
10. Eclipse
(2:03)
Story:
Speak to Me - The album begins with the introduction 'Speak to Me.' The first sound we hear is a repetitive beating, a heartbeat representing the beginning of life. Next we start to hear various sounds that appear later in the album. First the ticking clocks of 'Time,' followed by speaking, cash registers, from 'Money,' laughter from 'Brain Damage', a plane from 'On the Run,' and a woman screaming (Clare Torry's screaming from 'The Great Gig in the Sky') all leading up to its climax that turns into the first chord in 'Breathe.'
This track happens to be the birth of someone named Eric Floyd. In fact, the entire album jumps back and forth between the life experiences of this person and his future son, Pink. This track is very much a collage of the entire album, foreshadowing what is to come. My interpretation is that the very beginning of 'Speak to Me' coincides with conception, while the end of the track is birth. The heartbeat sound comes in gradually as would an infant's as it grows larger. Another piece of evidence supporting this theory is the sound clip of a woman screaming at the climax of the song, like a mother giving birth. This would make the song essentially an encapsulation of an infant being in utero. In this context, perhaps the sound clips heard in the song imply that even before we are born, we are exposed to the "pressures of modern life" as our mother is under those same "pressures." Similarly, the sound clips could also imply predestination, in that even before we are born we are destined to experience all of these pressures. While I do not believe Waters is suggesting actual fate in which every detail of life is pre-determined, he may be suggesting that certain aspects of life are unavoidable, perhaps implying fate in another sense.
The title 'Speak to Me' is certainly ambiguous. Presumably the unborn child wants to be spoken to, perhaps wanting advice on this adventure called life it has suddenly found itself on, with all of these inherent pressures. This makes sense with the following song 'Breathe' being just that.
This track happens to be the birth of someone named Eric Floyd. In fact, the entire album jumps back and forth between the life experiences of this person and his future son, Pink. This track is very much a collage of the entire album, foreshadowing what is to come. My interpretation is that the very beginning of 'Speak to Me' coincides with conception, while the end of the track is birth. The heartbeat sound comes in gradually as would an infant's as it grows larger. Another piece of evidence supporting this theory is the sound clip of a woman screaming at the climax of the song, like a mother giving birth. This would make the song essentially an encapsulation of an infant being in utero. In this context, perhaps the sound clips heard in the song imply that even before we are born, we are exposed to the "pressures of modern life" as our mother is under those same "pressures." Similarly, the sound clips could also imply predestination, in that even before we are born we are destined to experience all of these pressures. While I do not believe Waters is suggesting actual fate in which every detail of life is pre-determined, he may be suggesting that certain aspects of life are unavoidable, perhaps implying fate in another sense.
The title 'Speak to Me' is certainly ambiguous. Presumably the unborn child wants to be spoken to, perhaps wanting advice on this adventure called life it has suddenly found itself on, with all of these inherent pressures. This makes sense with the following song 'Breathe' being just that.
Lyrics:
[No lyrics.]
Breathe - After the climax of 'Speak to Me' comes the smooth, airy sound of 'Breathe.' The track centers around the birth of Eric Floyd's son, Pink. The narrator of 'Breathe' gives advice about life.
The first verse continues with further advice. "Don't be afraid to care," while a simple message, is a very important one. Many people go through life afraid to get too close to other people because they are afraid they will be hurt. The next line implies to me that the speaker is a parent. Parents often have a hard time with their children growing up and leaving home. All parents want their children to grow up to be successful adults, and live their own lives. In this sense they do want them to leave, however no parent wants to be truly left by their children, and often may selfishly wish their children to remain with them. This line encapsulates this aspect of parenthood. Finally the speaker instructs to "Look around, choose your own ground." This line clearly tells one to make your own decisions based upon information you observe, not merely what you are told. This is the scientific way to go through life, using logic and reason to make one's decisions. This line could be viewed as a subtle criticism of religion, which is based on faith rather than reason. There is certainly irony in the idea of telling someone to make your own decisions and not do what you are told. I think it is clear however, that regardless of being told to make decisions that way or not, that it is the reasonable thing to do.
The first chorus sums up life very simply. This chould be constructed as a pessimistic view of life, saying "This is all that life is; this is what you'll amount to." What I get out of this chorus however, is a more positive message. "Yes, this is all there is to life, so make the most of it. Smile, cry, see and touch everything you can. Live your life as fully as you can. Seize each day." The ultimate outcome of our lives when all is said and done is the effect we have had on the people and environment around us.
The next verse discusses the bleakness of work in life, the repeating grind that lasts until we are almost expired. While certainly pessimistic, this is an observation that many people can relate to, working full-time for all the productive years of one's life. I think it's important that Waters chose to say 'Run, rabbit, run.' If he's only referring to people working, why doesn't Gilmour sing 'Run, office worker, run?' (aside from the obvious poetics of the lyric). Could it be suggesting that, even though we think life is tedious, that works is tedious, that such tedium is inherent in nature? That even rabbits must work and work and work, and when they think that the work is over, it's time to dig another hole? That there's always something else to do until we die? It's also interesting that he chose to use 'rabbit,' an animal that is, more often than not, thought of as prey, or simply as a nuisance by farmers. Does the fact the Waters is already equating mankind with rabbits, with prey, hint at some underlying 'dark forebodings?' Are we not only all doomed to repeat the same life, but also doomed to be killed and eaten (by time, presumably)?
The line "Dig that hole, forget the sun" is important because it introduces one the main recurring symbols on the album, the sun. The sun is used on the album as a symbol of good and truth. In contrast to the sun, the symbol of the moon is used. The moon is a very important symbol in this album, which will be further explored in 'Brain Damage.' It is a smybol that represents the dark forces in life, more specifically the "pressures" that we all are exposed to, which may even drive one to insanity. This is very much what the album is about as a whole, hence the title. The line is a command to succumb to the moon (specifically the "pressure" of work) and "forget the sun."
Then comes the line "And when at last the work is done, don't sit down it's time to dig another one." I believe that the other hole represents your grave. When you are done working all your life, you might as well dig your own grave at the end of it. Which, once again elaborates on the idea that we must stop and breathe every now and again.
The last chorus begins like the first, but then changes to a metaphorical discussion. This metaphor compares life to the ocean waters coming into shore. It suggests that one will succeed (live long and fly high) if one takes it slow and conservatively (travel with the tide into shore), but if you try to live too much too fast (riding the biggest wave you will reach an early grave (as you will reach the shore much more quickly). Not only is this a great metaphor, but it also gives a moral. This moral somewhat contrasts with the moral given in the first chorus however, which was to do as much as you possibly can in life. I believe that this means for us to understand that both of these morals are important, and that in life we must strive to find the balance between getting as much as we can out of life, and not trying to get so much that we live carelessly and frivolously. This harks back to the very same point suggested by the first line of the song. Another important thing to note is that tides are caused by the moon. This further implies that in order to succeed in life that we need to try to live harmoniously with the pressures, because they will always be present.
For a track centered on one simple event, the birth of the story's main character, it sure does explore some depth. It should be noted that, with Irony, Pink is somewhat replacing his father's life. When Eric dies, Pink will carry on his father's life, in a manner of speaking. Perhaps that's why life is the main landmark on the album.
Lyrics:
Breathe, breathe in the air
Don't be afraid to care
Leave, don't leave me
Look around, choose your own ground
For long you live and high you fly
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be.
Run, rabbit run
Dig that hole, forget the sun
When at last the work is done
Don't sit down, it's time to dig another one
For long you live and high you fly
But only if you ride the tide
Balanced on the biggest wave
You race towards an early grave.
Don't be afraid to care
Leave, don't leave me
Look around, choose your own ground
For long you live and high you fly
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be.
Run, rabbit run
Dig that hole, forget the sun
When at last the work is done
Don't sit down, it's time to dig another one
For long you live and high you fly
But only if you ride the tide
Balanced on the biggest wave
You race towards an early grave.
On the Run - The first of the "pressures of modern life" delved into on the album is travel in 'On the run.' 'On the Run' is clearly an apt title for this theme. Before it got this name it was known to the band as 'The Travel Sequence.' This, like several other songs on the album is instrumental and has no lyrics. Through the use of sound clips and effects, the song does take on meaning however.
It is clear that the setting depicted in this song is that of an airport. Sounds of jets can be heard in the background, as well as a female voice announcing flights. Someone's footsteps can be heard running with heavy breathing, someone clearly trying to make it to their flight before it takes off.
Next we hear a man saying "Live for today, gone tomorrow, that's me" and laughing maniacally. The line "Live for today, gone tomorrow, that's me" shows that this man is aligned with the "balanced on the biggest wave" philosophy of living each day like it is your last. We then hear more laughter later in the song which gets particularly strong right before the sound of a plane crashing, and then the laughter is no more.
Then all sound stops and we hear the running and breathing again. Hearing the footsteps again after the plane crashes implies that the first man we heard running to catch his flight was not the man laughing. Apparently the man missed his flight, but him missing that flight saved his life as he missed the crash. This also serves as a reminder of the role that chance plays in our lives. The future is so uncertain even on the most fundamental levels. Success in life is only determined partially by our own choices, and partially by that which we have no control over.
The exact nature of the situation in the song is quite simple. When Pink grows up, he forms a band titled Pink Floyd. Possibly about to make it big, the band gets a call from a talent agent in LA who wants to make them successful. The band travels to the airport, yet one of the band members, Richard Wright, has a fear of flying. This is a very straightforward song, yet features a darkness as well. Richard has a dream on his flight to LA in which he is on a plane that crashes, and while it does so he is laughing.
Based on the fact that Richard is laughing before the plane crashes and then the laughter stops, I conclude that Richard knew it was crashing and found it amusing since that is his ultimate fear. I suppose it is one of those situations where one can either laugh or cry. Laughing seems to be more appropriate.
Another interesting note about this song is that during the tour promoting the release of this album, the band had an almost full size Spitfire plane crash into the stage at the end of 'On the Run.'
Some additional insight: "In one sense I do hear the song as literal travel, a people traversing the globe like ants; planes dot the sky, cars liter the ground. There's really no place that we can't go anymore. But for me, I've always thought of the 'travel' in this song as being a metaphorical journey, not a literal one: that the planes are a metaphor for us, and that we are traveling through life, growing up, jetting by each other without so much as a wave, not slowing down to notice the scenery outside of the windows. While some of us cruise along just fine, slow and steady, others are spiraling out of control, ultimately crashing too soon (like riding the 'biggest wave), a big reminder of our transitory nature.
"And what is it that we are 'On the Run' from? In slang terms, being 'On the Run' is very much like being 'On the Lam,' that is running from something (usually used to imply running from the law.) Is this the same running that we encountered earlier as 'rabbits' in 'Breathe'? To me the implication is that we're on the run from time, trying to outlive this world, speeding by on that 'biggest wave,' trying to outrun our own morality. Yet such running only leads to abrupt stop, either in death or the sudden realization that we are mortal, that we are transitory, that time is eternal and will outlive us all. That's where the crash comes in at the end of the song, I believe. That's where the alarm clocks ring, waking us up, so to speak, from the tedium of everyday life to the realization of time not just as a concept, but as a real thing, something that will continue running long after we are dead."
Lyrics:
[No lyrics.]
Time - Beginning with an effects loop of various clocks ticking and chiming, opens the next song 'Time.' The next "pressure" that Waters explores is that of time; the theme being that the clock is ticking for all of us. Also added into the mix in the background is the sound of a heartbeat, implying that even our own heartbeat, that which keeps us alive, is also ticking against us, counting down until we die. The lyrics in this song are relatively straightforward, but still powerful and thought provoking.
The beginning section of the song is very repetitive, so repetitive that one loses track of how many times it has played, and the listener is caught off guard by the beginning of the first verse. The first downbeat of the verse even comes in slightly too soon, so the listener suddenly feels like they've fallen behind. This is symbolic of the notion that Waters mentions later in the song of suddenly realizing that your life has already begun.
The song Time takes place between the time Eric Floyd graduates from high school and right before he enters college. This is mostly because of the idea that time itself is something we can't waste, no matter the excuse. Though some would argue against this, time is nonetheless something we cannot replace. This sets up the rest of the song's philosophical meaning. The first verse is about wasting time. It's funny how when we are bored we wish time would go by faster, but there are other times when we are enjoying ourselves or in a rush and wish it would go slower. "Life is too short" many say, with so much to touch and see (as we have been instructed in 'Breathe') how can we ever complain of boredom? We should spend all of our time pursuing a full life, not wasting a moment of it. But then of course comes the question, what isn't a waste of time? There is no right or wrong answer. It must be decided for oneself, certainly not "waiting for someone or something to show you the way."
The first one continues the theme of the first verse. Roger Waters discusses how when you are young and death isn't even on the horizon, you seem to have all the time in the world. Roger Waters stated in an interview "The year that we made that record was the year that I had a sudden revelation personally - which was that this was it. I had the strangest feeling growing up - and I know a lot of people share this - that childhood and adolescence and one's early adult life are preparing for something that's going to happen later. I suddenly thought at 29, hang on, it's happening, it has been right from the beginning, and there isn't suddenly a line when the training stops and life starts. 'No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.'"
The "starting gun" is another allusion to life as a race, to run, like "Run, rabbit, run" and even the title of "On the Run." The song continues after the realization that one has "missed the starting gun" and fallen behind. "And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking." This line not only shows the futility of trying to outrun time, but also does so in describing the sun, which is a measure of time itself. Then after failing to catch up with the sun, it rises again in the east. The sun is relatively the same, as a day to the sun is nothing compared to its lifetime (on the order of billions of years), whereas lost day to us is (relatively of course) more significant. At the same time however, the sun is aging and becoming "closer to death" (although it may be billions of years away).
Every day we become "one day closer to death." This, like the first chorus in 'Breathe' is a seemingly negative outlook on life. It is of course a fact, and depends on how it is interpreted. If one chooses to they may become depressed by the fact that each day brings them a step closer to their demise, but like in first chorus of 'Breathe' I believe Roger is implying that we need to make the most of the time we have, not "kick around" sulking about it; our time is too precious.
The last chorus continues this theme, describing unfinished actions, things that were meant to get back to but never will for lack of time. Then Roger complains that the song itself is over, and he thought he "had something more to say." This echoes the sentiment that is commonly felt at the end of one's life, that maybe more should have been done. One point I'd like to make is that the line 'Every year is getting shorter,' is true in multiple ways. What Waters is really saying, is that as we grow older life seems to go by faster and each subsequent year seems shorter. In an astronomical sense however, every year is getting shorter, if only be a ten thousandth of a second or so. This is based on the Earth's orbit slowly spiraling into the sun.
This song seems to be descriptive of late life, the narrator coming home "cold and tired" and resting by the fire, which is ironic due to the fact that no one in the story dies of "old age" and instead suffers at the hands of rather violent deaths. In contrast to the message in the first chorus of 'Breathe' which was to touch, see and do everything you can in life, this verse seems to be more in tune with the "ride the tide" philosophy of taking it easy, enjoying the simple pleasure of just being home. Most people tend to be more towards the first philosophy earlier in life, and then towards the second later, which is illustrated in this song.
It makes sense to place this song after 'Time' on the album, which concerns the enroaching of old age. The chorus of this song transitions to the topic of death, the next "pressure" explored in 'The Great Gig in the Sky'. "The tolling of the iron bells" refers to funeral bells, an allusion to the poem by John Donne, "For Whom the Bell Tolls." The bells are heard "far away across the fields" by the "faithful" who fall to their knees in prayer. Hearing the bells far away implies that these people are receiving hints at death throughout their life, perhaps people they know dying, reminding them of their own mortality. Out of this fear of death the people look to religion for comfort, being soothed by the "softly spoken magic spells." This phrase seems to be a mockery of religion, implying that exists only to help people "cope with the harsh realities described in 'Time' and Breathe'" as one Floyd fan put. Many people believe, and Waters seems to agree, that religion came into existence to explain that which couldn't be explained at the time, to ease people's fear of it. This is quite a controversial issue of course, upon which more could be written, so let's move on.
The beginning section of the song is very repetitive, so repetitive that one loses track of how many times it has played, and the listener is caught off guard by the beginning of the first verse. The first downbeat of the verse even comes in slightly too soon, so the listener suddenly feels like they've fallen behind. This is symbolic of the notion that Waters mentions later in the song of suddenly realizing that your life has already begun.
The song Time takes place between the time Eric Floyd graduates from high school and right before he enters college. This is mostly because of the idea that time itself is something we can't waste, no matter the excuse. Though some would argue against this, time is nonetheless something we cannot replace. This sets up the rest of the song's philosophical meaning. The first verse is about wasting time. It's funny how when we are bored we wish time would go by faster, but there are other times when we are enjoying ourselves or in a rush and wish it would go slower. "Life is too short" many say, with so much to touch and see (as we have been instructed in 'Breathe') how can we ever complain of boredom? We should spend all of our time pursuing a full life, not wasting a moment of it. But then of course comes the question, what isn't a waste of time? There is no right or wrong answer. It must be decided for oneself, certainly not "waiting for someone or something to show you the way."
The first one continues the theme of the first verse. Roger Waters discusses how when you are young and death isn't even on the horizon, you seem to have all the time in the world. Roger Waters stated in an interview "The year that we made that record was the year that I had a sudden revelation personally - which was that this was it. I had the strangest feeling growing up - and I know a lot of people share this - that childhood and adolescence and one's early adult life are preparing for something that's going to happen later. I suddenly thought at 29, hang on, it's happening, it has been right from the beginning, and there isn't suddenly a line when the training stops and life starts. 'No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.'"
The "starting gun" is another allusion to life as a race, to run, like "Run, rabbit, run" and even the title of "On the Run." The song continues after the realization that one has "missed the starting gun" and fallen behind. "And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking." This line not only shows the futility of trying to outrun time, but also does so in describing the sun, which is a measure of time itself. Then after failing to catch up with the sun, it rises again in the east. The sun is relatively the same, as a day to the sun is nothing compared to its lifetime (on the order of billions of years), whereas lost day to us is (relatively of course) more significant. At the same time however, the sun is aging and becoming "closer to death" (although it may be billions of years away).
Every day we become "one day closer to death." This, like the first chorus in 'Breathe' is a seemingly negative outlook on life. It is of course a fact, and depends on how it is interpreted. If one chooses to they may become depressed by the fact that each day brings them a step closer to their demise, but like in first chorus of 'Breathe' I believe Roger is implying that we need to make the most of the time we have, not "kick around" sulking about it; our time is too precious.
The last chorus continues this theme, describing unfinished actions, things that were meant to get back to but never will for lack of time. Then Roger complains that the song itself is over, and he thought he "had something more to say." This echoes the sentiment that is commonly felt at the end of one's life, that maybe more should have been done. One point I'd like to make is that the line 'Every year is getting shorter,' is true in multiple ways. What Waters is really saying, is that as we grow older life seems to go by faster and each subsequent year seems shorter. In an astronomical sense however, every year is getting shorter, if only be a ten thousandth of a second or so. This is based on the Earth's orbit slowly spiraling into the sun.
This song seems to be descriptive of late life, the narrator coming home "cold and tired" and resting by the fire, which is ironic due to the fact that no one in the story dies of "old age" and instead suffers at the hands of rather violent deaths. In contrast to the message in the first chorus of 'Breathe' which was to touch, see and do everything you can in life, this verse seems to be more in tune with the "ride the tide" philosophy of taking it easy, enjoying the simple pleasure of just being home. Most people tend to be more towards the first philosophy earlier in life, and then towards the second later, which is illustrated in this song.
It makes sense to place this song after 'Time' on the album, which concerns the enroaching of old age. The chorus of this song transitions to the topic of death, the next "pressure" explored in 'The Great Gig in the Sky'. "The tolling of the iron bells" refers to funeral bells, an allusion to the poem by John Donne, "For Whom the Bell Tolls." The bells are heard "far away across the fields" by the "faithful" who fall to their knees in prayer. Hearing the bells far away implies that these people are receiving hints at death throughout their life, perhaps people they know dying, reminding them of their own mortality. Out of this fear of death the people look to religion for comfort, being soothed by the "softly spoken magic spells." This phrase seems to be a mockery of religion, implying that exists only to help people "cope with the harsh realities described in 'Time' and Breathe'" as one Floyd fan put. Many people believe, and Waters seems to agree, that religion came into existence to explain that which couldn't be explained at the time, to ease people's fear of it. This is quite a controversial issue of course, upon which more could be written, so let's move on.
Lyrics:
Ticking away, the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your hometown
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.
Tired of lying in the sunshine, staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long, and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find, ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter or breath and one day closer to death.
Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that their come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say.
Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
When I come home cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire
Far away across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spells.
The Great Gig in the Sky - The themes of old age and religion lead us into the next song on the album, 'The Great Gig in the Sky.' This next "pressure" explored is death. It involves the death of Eric Floyd's brother, David Floyd, who drowns. Waters was quoted, "Are you afraid of dying? The fear of death is a major part of many lives, and as the record was at least partially about that, that question was asked, but not specifically to fit into this song." This song was initially called "The Morality Sequence," and has no lyrics, but with vocals by Clare Torry. 'The Great Gig in the Sky' is also the last song on the first side of the LP, which some believe furthers the representation of death.
It is interesting that the sound clips chosen for the song both state that they are not frightened of dying. This is in line with what seems to be the message of the song. The title also 'The Great Gig in the Sky' seems to be a positive portrayal of death. The name certainly has religious undertones, suggesting an afterlife in heaven. This may imply that the end of 'Breathe' (Reprise) is not a criticism of people's tendency to use religion to seek comfort from the fear of death. Conversely, the title could also be interpreted sarcastically, as a further mockery of religion. The idea of a 'Great Gig in the Sky' does seem to trivialize heaven, which most religious people take too seriously to call 'The Great Gig in the Sky.'
The music of the song represents the spectrum of emotions associated with death. It is both somber and uplifting and even painted at times. The vocals were improvised by Clare Torry with some guidance from the band. One fan writes, "The words in the piece are what we say; the vocals are what we feel. I think the song is about how we are extremely frightened and saddened by death and even the thought/concept of death, but cannot admit it." This is a very interesting interpretation. This highlights more generally the contrast between what we say and what we truly feel; people's tendency to keep their true feelings buried, hiding behind an emotional wall.
Lyrics:
[No lyrics.]
Money - The next "pressure" explored on the album is 'Money.' The song explores the band Pink Floyd's release of their first album, and the almost immediate success that follows. The song opens the next side of the LP with the sound of cash registers chiming and opening, similar to the clock introduction to 'Time.' Most of the song is written in 7/4 time which is quite rare; this was a result of Waters' writing the main riff of the song first.
I believe the lyrics of this song are quite straightforward and do not require much explanation. While the song 'Money' is clearly narrated from the point of view of someone who greatly desired money and material possesions, I am confident that the song is satirical in nature and not truly encouraging such behavior. In other songs and interviews Waters has shown his disenchantment with the cutthroat nature of the capitalist system. Waters has said "I am sure that the free market isn't the whole answer. My hope is that mankind will evolve into a more cooperative and less competitive beast as the millennia pass. If he doesn't, disappearing in a puff of smoke." The technique of using satire to show what not to do or believe is a technique Waters also used on "The Wall" in a way, where Pink becomes a fascist neo-Nazi. Whether having one song that is sarcastic in the middle of "Dark Side of the Moon" seems out of place or not is certainly debatable however.
Another Floyd fan writes, "With the whole theme of life and death in the album, I think it shows the sarcastic, up beat side of life. Sarcasm is the humorous part of life - perhaps the song dictates a discussion amongst friends of what they would do with all the money they wanted, then the final conclusion of 'Oh well, despite the fact most of society dispises money, and what it brings, no one is willing to hand it over to those who need it.' The mood of the song lends to the fact that even for people in the worst situation, rich or poor, there are times when you have to let go and be upbeat and just act like the world is at your fingertips - you have no cares or worries except the moment in which you are. The morning is when you can go back to reality, but for one night, you can totally release. People need this in order to not completely hate their own lives. Focusing on the bad part of life every single second would drive a person crazy. The purpose of life is to enjoy what little time we have, and appreciate all the good things - whether it is something materialistic like a jet, or the good times and memories you can have with friends, you have a light in the darkness. In relation to the rest of the album, you have to maintain that balance between work and fun, and Money provides this for the album. The sound clip at the end supports this; the man is laughing as he remenisses on a part of his life - good memories and good times with friends are what keeps us going."
Lyrics:
Money, get away
Get a good job with more pay and you're okay
Money it's a gas
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash
New car, caviar, four star daydream
Think I'll buy me a football team.
Money get back
I'm alright Jack keep your hands off of my stack
Money it's a hit
Don't give me that do goody good bullshit
I'm in the hi-fidelity first class traveling set
And I think I need a Lear jet.
Money it's a crime
Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie
Money so they say
Is the root of all evil today
But if you ask for a rise it's no surprise that they're
Giving none away.
Away, away, away, away, away, away, away.
Us and Them - The sound clips at the end of ‘Money’ segue into the next song ‘Us and Them,’ which deals with the “pressure” of violence. The song jumps back in forth between Eric Floyd and his son Pink participating in various protests regarding racism at different parts of their lives. The sound clips heard are in response to the cue card "When was the last time you were violent and were you in the right?” Not surprisingly, all of the people who speak believe that they did indeed think that they were in the right (except the man who couldn’t remember because he was drunk). This is a good illustration of humans being biased towards believing that they are right.
This song was originally called “The Violence Sequence.” Waters said "Rick wrote the chord sequence for this and I used it as a vehicle. I can't remember when I wrote the top line and the lyric, but it was certainly during the making of “Dark Side of the Moon” because it seems that the whole idea, the political idea of humanism and whether it could or should have any effect on any of us, that's what the record is about really - conflict, our failure to connect with one another.”
The phrase “Us and Them” refers to the human tendency to partition themselves. This applies to each situation in the song, whether “them” refers to one’s enemies in war, another race of people, or the homeless beggars. Waters illustrates how destructive this behavior can be. This behavior stems from the natural human inclination to interact with people that have things in common with them, whether it is a common interest, belief, or heritage. Where it goes wrong is when people begin to consider those who are different from them to be inferior, or are afraid of them because they do not know them. This is the root of the destructive behavior Waters depicts in this song.
According to Waters "the first verse and chorus is about going to war, how in the front line we don't get much chance to communicate with one another, because someone else has decided that we shouldn't.” Waters was disillusioned by the fact that the decision to go to war is not made by those who are really fighting, who don’t necessarily believe that the fighting is justified. “God only knows it's not what we would choose to do.” Instead, decisions made that affect the lives of hundreds of men are made by generals sitting down comfortably as “the lines on the map move from side to side.”
Eric Waters, Roger Waters' actual father, died when Roger was 5 months old during World War II, at the battle of Anzio, which happens to be how Eric Floyd dies in the story. It's quite questionable as to whether the entire concept of the story is a tribute to Roger's father. This event greatly impacted Waters’ life. This event, like the troubles of his friend Syd, comes up in many of Waters lyrics including this song. The first chorus describing the death of the front rank describes how Waters father died. This event is given in further detail in the song “When the Tigers Broke Free Part 1” from “The Wall” movie.
This song was originally called “The Violence Sequence.” Waters said "Rick wrote the chord sequence for this and I used it as a vehicle. I can't remember when I wrote the top line and the lyric, but it was certainly during the making of “Dark Side of the Moon” because it seems that the whole idea, the political idea of humanism and whether it could or should have any effect on any of us, that's what the record is about really - conflict, our failure to connect with one another.”
The phrase “Us and Them” refers to the human tendency to partition themselves. This applies to each situation in the song, whether “them” refers to one’s enemies in war, another race of people, or the homeless beggars. Waters illustrates how destructive this behavior can be. This behavior stems from the natural human inclination to interact with people that have things in common with them, whether it is a common interest, belief, or heritage. Where it goes wrong is when people begin to consider those who are different from them to be inferior, or are afraid of them because they do not know them. This is the root of the destructive behavior Waters depicts in this song.
According to Waters "the first verse and chorus is about going to war, how in the front line we don't get much chance to communicate with one another, because someone else has decided that we shouldn't.” Waters was disillusioned by the fact that the decision to go to war is not made by those who are really fighting, who don’t necessarily believe that the fighting is justified. “God only knows it's not what we would choose to do.” Instead, decisions made that affect the lives of hundreds of men are made by generals sitting down comfortably as “the lines on the map move from side to side.”
Eric Waters, Roger Waters' actual father, died when Roger was 5 months old during World War II, at the battle of Anzio, which happens to be how Eric Floyd dies in the story. It's quite questionable as to whether the entire concept of the story is a tribute to Roger's father. This event greatly impacted Waters’ life. This event, like the troubles of his friend Syd, comes up in many of Waters lyrics including this song. The first chorus describing the death of the front rank describes how Waters father died. This event is given in further detail in the song “When the Tigers Broke Free Part 1” from “The Wall” movie.
Waters stated "the second verse and chorus is about civil liberties, racism and color prejudice." The second verse starts with the line "Black and blue." This is interesting because in this racial context one might expect the line to be "Black and white" (rhyming aside). Listing "blue" as a skin color acts as a mockery of racism, indicating how ridiculous the concept is. "Black and blue" also is a common term for a bruise or contusion, which serves as an image of violence as well in the song. The rest of the verse carries on expressing the futility and confusing nature of racism.
The last verse expresses Waters' view that possession is the root of violence. "The last chorus is about passing a tramp in the street and not helping," said Waters. This reiterates Waters' views on greed that were expressed in 'Money.' Passed over by people too busy to help him, the old tramp died, not having enough money for food.
Lyrics:
Us and them
And after all, we're only ordinary men
Me and you
God only knows, it's not what we would chose to do.
Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died
The General sat, and the lines on the map
Moved from side to side.
Black and blue
And who knows which is which and who is who
Up and down
And in the end, it's only round and round and round.
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words?
The poster bearer cried
Listen son, said the man with the gun
There's room for you inside.
Down and out
It can't be helped, but there's a lot of it about
With, without
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?
Out of the way, it's a busy day
I've got things on my mind
For want of the price of tea and a slice
The old man died.
Any Color You Like - The next song on the album is ‘Any Color You Like’ an instrumental track with keyboard and guitar solos.
One interpretation is that the song encapsulates the transition into madness, as it precedes ‘Brain Damage,’ which is about madness. Another theory is that the song is about drugs, as it is considered a “psychedelic” song. Drugs certainly could qualify as a “pressure” making this song fit in with the rest of the album. Both of these interpretations may also be true in conjunction, as drugs were indeed what led Syd Barrett into madness, at least partially.
David Gilmour on Pink Floyd’s drug reputation: "Roger's and Nick's largest indulgence was alcohol, mine and Rick's might have involved the occasional reefer. But at that time we were nothing like our image. I'm not sure Roger's ever taken LSD - it certainly wasn't on our menu after Syd left April, 1968. We've never got away from that reputation, though, not to this day."
According to the Pink Floyd encyclopedia, “Any Color You Like" - You are what you are. The song title is from a catch phrase used by former Pink Floyd Road Manager, Chris Adamson. When asked for a guitar, Adamson would respond "Any color you like, they're all blue." He may have picked this up from local street traders in Cambridge. This was based on a statement by automobile manufacturer Henry Ford in the 1920's who declared that you could have a Ford in any color you liked, as long as it was black.”
The proposition of ‘Any Color You Like’ is interesting because it appears to be a choice, but is really an illusion as there is only one option. “You are what you are” is hinted as the theme of this song in the encyclopedia entry. This alludes to the fact that it was not Syd’s choices that led him to become what he became, it was pre-determined (genetic).
This song is certainly open to much interpretation, which was clearly intentional by Waters. My interpretation is that the song is certainly a depiction of Pink's fall to madness, which is apparently caused a choice to use drugs but truly caused by nothing but fate. (I do not really suggest the existence of fate here, Waters has stated that he believes in free will, as do I; genetics do not prove the existence of fate.) This alludes to the argument made in ‘Speak to Me’ that we are predestined to experience these “pressures” in life. Of course, I am only suggesting these ideas because, unlike all the other Pink Floyd songs, Waters hasn't commented on this one.
One interpretation is that the song encapsulates the transition into madness, as it precedes ‘Brain Damage,’ which is about madness. Another theory is that the song is about drugs, as it is considered a “psychedelic” song. Drugs certainly could qualify as a “pressure” making this song fit in with the rest of the album. Both of these interpretations may also be true in conjunction, as drugs were indeed what led Syd Barrett into madness, at least partially.
David Gilmour on Pink Floyd’s drug reputation: "Roger's and Nick's largest indulgence was alcohol, mine and Rick's might have involved the occasional reefer. But at that time we were nothing like our image. I'm not sure Roger's ever taken LSD - it certainly wasn't on our menu after Syd left April, 1968. We've never got away from that reputation, though, not to this day."
According to the Pink Floyd encyclopedia, “Any Color You Like" - You are what you are. The song title is from a catch phrase used by former Pink Floyd Road Manager, Chris Adamson. When asked for a guitar, Adamson would respond "Any color you like, they're all blue." He may have picked this up from local street traders in Cambridge. This was based on a statement by automobile manufacturer Henry Ford in the 1920's who declared that you could have a Ford in any color you liked, as long as it was black.”
The proposition of ‘Any Color You Like’ is interesting because it appears to be a choice, but is really an illusion as there is only one option. “You are what you are” is hinted as the theme of this song in the encyclopedia entry. This alludes to the fact that it was not Syd’s choices that led him to become what he became, it was pre-determined (genetic).
This song is certainly open to much interpretation, which was clearly intentional by Waters. My interpretation is that the song is certainly a depiction of Pink's fall to madness, which is apparently caused a choice to use drugs but truly caused by nothing but fate. (I do not really suggest the existence of fate here, Waters has stated that he believes in free will, as do I; genetics do not prove the existence of fate.) This alludes to the argument made in ‘Speak to Me’ that we are predestined to experience these “pressures” in life. Of course, I am only suggesting these ideas because, unlike all the other Pink Floyd songs, Waters hasn't commented on this one.
Lyrics:
[No lyrics.]
Brain Damage - The next song on the record is ‘Brain Damage’ which is a foreshadowing of Pink's madness, the result of all the “pressures” he has been exposed to throughout his whole life. Waters: "That was my song; I wrote that at home.” Waters’ personal connection with this song is possibly the reason he chose to sing it instead of Gilmour.
“The grass as in 'the lunatic is on the grass' was always the square in between the River Cam and Kings College chapel. I don't know why, but when I was young that was always the piece of grass, more than any other piece of grass, that I felt I was constrained to 'keep off'. I don't know why, but the song still makes me think of that piece of grass. The lunatic was Syd, really. He was obviously in my mind.” The first verse clearly depicts childhood. The desire to keep “the loonies on the path” represents trying to maintain order, staying sane. An act as simple as staying on the path in childhood foreshadows the greater issue of conforming to society later in life. Waters is also attacking inane authority with rules for the sake of having rules, things as arbitrary as not walking on the grass.
The next verse places the “lunatics” as faces in a newspaper. This seems to imply that the people in the newspaper, famous people, politicians, etc., are all lunatics. One pattern of insanity can be that thinking everyone else around them is insane rather than themselves, which may be what Waters is referring to here. Piling up over time, things get worse as “every day the paper boy brings more.”
“The dam breaking open many years to soon,” “no room upon the hill,” “head exploding with dark forebodings” are all representations of falling into madness. The term “dark forebodings” reminds of the very pessimism that is apparent throughout the album. As I have expressed, I consider these displays of pessimism to show the flaws of this line of thought. This pessimism becomes “dark forebodings” which can pile up to drive a man to madness.
Then comes the line that holds the title of the album, “I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon.” What is the dark side of the moon? More importantly, what does Waters use it to represent? as it is important enough to name the entire album after. Let us first explore the literal meaning of the term.
The moon revolves around the Earth at the exact same speed at which it rotates, due to a phenomenon having to do with the uneven weight distribution of the moon itself. Because of this, on Earth, we only can ever see one side of the moon. The other side of the moon is sometimes referred to as the dark side of the moon, as it is never visible to us. There is much folklore and mythology about the mysterious ‘dark side of the moon.’ In actuality the other side of the moon is lit up just as much as the side we see. The phase of the moon depends on its position relative to the Earth and the sun.
The term “lunatic” evolved from the Latin word luna for moon, due to the ancient belief that insanity varied with or was caused by the phase of the moon. No such correlation has been scientifically proven however. This does establish a connection between the moon and madness though, helping us to understand the symbolism of the song.
Waters is essentially stating, if you go mad then “I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon.” The dark side of the moon is something that we never see, but is always there, just on the opposite side. Waters seems to be relating this to madness, implying that it is always there, but invisible, waiting to be exposed.
Waters elaborates further: "The line 'I'll see you on the dark side of the moon' is me speaking to the listener, saying, I know you have these bad feelings and impulses, because I do too, and one of the ways I can make contact with you is to share the fact that I feel bad sometimes." The ‘dark side of the moon’ can be considered the dark side of ourselves; the side that we try to hide from those around us. Waters is coming out and saying that we all have that side, but we need to keep it in check, or it will take control of us; driving us to madness.
In the next verse the narrator gives a detached description of a lobotomy being performed on them, in order to regain their sanity, to get the “lunatic” out of their head. By performing the operation they “lock the door and throw away the key” sealing off the lunatic and regaining sanity.
The second chorus is similar to the first. “Cloud bursting thunder in your ear” and “shouting but no one seems to hear” are again examples of insanity. The line about “the band you’re in playing different tunes” clearly applies to Syd, as Pink Floyd moved on to new material after he left, which was significantly different in style as well. Another fan points out, "One of the things Syd was known to do during his descent into madness, which would piss the band off to no end, was play the wrong song. For example, at one concert in April of 1967, I believe, the band started playing "Careful with that Axe, Eugene", with all the appropriate keyboard, bass, and drum parts. Syd, possibly as a result of the acid he was taking, started the guitar part of "Interstellar Overdrive." He did "play different tunes" from the rest of the band at several other concerts until he was kicked out."
“The grass as in 'the lunatic is on the grass' was always the square in between the River Cam and Kings College chapel. I don't know why, but when I was young that was always the piece of grass, more than any other piece of grass, that I felt I was constrained to 'keep off'. I don't know why, but the song still makes me think of that piece of grass. The lunatic was Syd, really. He was obviously in my mind.” The first verse clearly depicts childhood. The desire to keep “the loonies on the path” represents trying to maintain order, staying sane. An act as simple as staying on the path in childhood foreshadows the greater issue of conforming to society later in life. Waters is also attacking inane authority with rules for the sake of having rules, things as arbitrary as not walking on the grass.
The next verse places the “lunatics” as faces in a newspaper. This seems to imply that the people in the newspaper, famous people, politicians, etc., are all lunatics. One pattern of insanity can be that thinking everyone else around them is insane rather than themselves, which may be what Waters is referring to here. Piling up over time, things get worse as “every day the paper boy brings more.”
“The dam breaking open many years to soon,” “no room upon the hill,” “head exploding with dark forebodings” are all representations of falling into madness. The term “dark forebodings” reminds of the very pessimism that is apparent throughout the album. As I have expressed, I consider these displays of pessimism to show the flaws of this line of thought. This pessimism becomes “dark forebodings” which can pile up to drive a man to madness.
Then comes the line that holds the title of the album, “I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon.” What is the dark side of the moon? More importantly, what does Waters use it to represent? as it is important enough to name the entire album after. Let us first explore the literal meaning of the term.
The moon revolves around the Earth at the exact same speed at which it rotates, due to a phenomenon having to do with the uneven weight distribution of the moon itself. Because of this, on Earth, we only can ever see one side of the moon. The other side of the moon is sometimes referred to as the dark side of the moon, as it is never visible to us. There is much folklore and mythology about the mysterious ‘dark side of the moon.’ In actuality the other side of the moon is lit up just as much as the side we see. The phase of the moon depends on its position relative to the Earth and the sun.
The term “lunatic” evolved from the Latin word luna for moon, due to the ancient belief that insanity varied with or was caused by the phase of the moon. No such correlation has been scientifically proven however. This does establish a connection between the moon and madness though, helping us to understand the symbolism of the song.
Waters is essentially stating, if you go mad then “I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon.” The dark side of the moon is something that we never see, but is always there, just on the opposite side. Waters seems to be relating this to madness, implying that it is always there, but invisible, waiting to be exposed.
Waters elaborates further: "The line 'I'll see you on the dark side of the moon' is me speaking to the listener, saying, I know you have these bad feelings and impulses, because I do too, and one of the ways I can make contact with you is to share the fact that I feel bad sometimes." The ‘dark side of the moon’ can be considered the dark side of ourselves; the side that we try to hide from those around us. Waters is coming out and saying that we all have that side, but we need to keep it in check, or it will take control of us; driving us to madness.
In the next verse the narrator gives a detached description of a lobotomy being performed on them, in order to regain their sanity, to get the “lunatic” out of their head. By performing the operation they “lock the door and throw away the key” sealing off the lunatic and regaining sanity.
The second chorus is similar to the first. “Cloud bursting thunder in your ear” and “shouting but no one seems to hear” are again examples of insanity. The line about “the band you’re in playing different tunes” clearly applies to Syd, as Pink Floyd moved on to new material after he left, which was significantly different in style as well. Another fan points out, "One of the things Syd was known to do during his descent into madness, which would piss the band off to no end, was play the wrong song. For example, at one concert in April of 1967, I believe, the band started playing "Careful with that Axe, Eugene", with all the appropriate keyboard, bass, and drum parts. Syd, possibly as a result of the acid he was taking, started the guitar part of "Interstellar Overdrive." He did "play different tunes" from the rest of the band at several other concerts until he was kicked out."
Lyrics:
The lunatic is on the grass, the lunatic is on the grass
Remembering games and daisy chains and laughs
Got to keep the loonies on the path
The lunatic is in the hall, the lunatics are in my hall
The paper holds their folded faces to the floor
And every day the paper boy brings more.
And if the dam breaks open many years too soon
And if there is no room upon the hill
And if your head explodes with dark forebodings too
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon.
The lunatic is in my head, the lunatic is in my head
You raise the blade, you make the change
You rearrange me 'till I'm sane
You lock the door and throw away the key
There's someone in my head but it's not me.
And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear
And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon.
Eclipse - The song Eclipse is simply an ending to the album; an overview of The Dark Side of the Moon's message on life in general. Waters: "This was interesting because it was something that I added after we'd gone on the road. It felt as if the piece needed an ending. It's just a run-down with a little bit of philosophizing, though there's something about its naive quality that I still find appealing. In a strange way it re-attaches me to my adolescence, the dreams of youth. The lyric points back to what I was attempting to say at the beginning. It's a recitation of the ideas that preceded it saying, ‘there you are, that's all there is to it’. What you experience is what it is. The rather depressing ending, 'And everything under the sun is in tune/but the sun is eclipsed by the moon', is the idea that we all have the potential to be in harmony with whatever it is, to lead happy, meaningful and right lives."
As Waters mentioned, this song harks back to one of the first messages in ‘Breathe.’ “All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be.” The real significance in this song comes in the last two lines, summing up the entire album into one profound message. Like Waters said everything our lives can work together in harmony; this is true only if we keep the “pressures” of life in check. We must constantly deal with these “pressures”, and fight the urge to let them depress us or take a hold of us. Otherwise madness will take over our lives, and the sun will be “eclipsed by the moon.” Solar eclipses only occur when the sun, moon and Earth are in perfect alignment, which is quite rare. This is a metaphor for the “pressures” in life causing madness, as in rare situations these “pressures” can cause a person to snap into madness.
Another interesting observation I received, “It’s also interesting to note yet another appearance of ‘the sun.’ In ‘Breathe,’ the rabbit was trying to escape it; in ‘Time,’ we were running and running to catch up with the sun; and now, in ‘Eclipse,’ the sun is being eclipsed by the moon. I think the overarching effect is that throughout the album the sun has been presented as this constant, this great power that is unchanged and unchangeable, very much like God, and perhaps even a metaphor for God. Yet even that great power, that thing we try to hide from, that thing we try to run and catch up with, that thing that is relatively immortal, can be completely obliterated from sight, even if for a moment. While I totally agree with your interpretation of the eclipse as meaning insanity, I think there is another interpretation that suggests that we should take nothing for granted, that even the sun, a thing that is one of the most powerful and important things in our galaxy (at least for life on this Earth), can be blotted out and taken away from us in an instant by something as small and seemingly dead and insignificant as the moon. In a sense, everything, all of life, all of the universe, time, etc. is fleeting; here for the moment and gone in the next. While this might be seen as a pessimistic view, I think it plays back into that original moral of living life to the fullest while you still can, because it can all be taken away in the next breath.”
As Waters mentioned, this song harks back to one of the first messages in ‘Breathe.’ “All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be.” The real significance in this song comes in the last two lines, summing up the entire album into one profound message. Like Waters said everything our lives can work together in harmony; this is true only if we keep the “pressures” of life in check. We must constantly deal with these “pressures”, and fight the urge to let them depress us or take a hold of us. Otherwise madness will take over our lives, and the sun will be “eclipsed by the moon.” Solar eclipses only occur when the sun, moon and Earth are in perfect alignment, which is quite rare. This is a metaphor for the “pressures” in life causing madness, as in rare situations these “pressures” can cause a person to snap into madness.
Another interesting observation I received, “It’s also interesting to note yet another appearance of ‘the sun.’ In ‘Breathe,’ the rabbit was trying to escape it; in ‘Time,’ we were running and running to catch up with the sun; and now, in ‘Eclipse,’ the sun is being eclipsed by the moon. I think the overarching effect is that throughout the album the sun has been presented as this constant, this great power that is unchanged and unchangeable, very much like God, and perhaps even a metaphor for God. Yet even that great power, that thing we try to hide from, that thing we try to run and catch up with, that thing that is relatively immortal, can be completely obliterated from sight, even if for a moment. While I totally agree with your interpretation of the eclipse as meaning insanity, I think there is another interpretation that suggests that we should take nothing for granted, that even the sun, a thing that is one of the most powerful and important things in our galaxy (at least for life on this Earth), can be blotted out and taken away from us in an instant by something as small and seemingly dead and insignificant as the moon. In a sense, everything, all of life, all of the universe, time, etc. is fleeting; here for the moment and gone in the next. While this might be seen as a pessimistic view, I think it plays back into that original moral of living life to the fullest while you still can, because it can all be taken away in the next breath.”
The last sound clip on the album was originally "There is no dark side of the moon really. As a matter of fact it's all dark, and the thing that makes it look alight is the sun." The last part of the line was cut because it was considered anticlimatic, although it was more of an accurate statement.
The album closes the same way it opens in 'Speak to Me', with the heartbeat and birth of Pink's father, Eric. This time the heart beats until it stops, signifying death, just as the initial heartbeats symbolized conception. This album is certainly about life, and it is appropriate to have these heartbeat sequences, adding even more meaning to the album. This symmetry technique of starting and ending an album in the same way was a technique Waters used on several albums, intrigued by the idea of making cyclic albums made to be listed to repeatedly. As one fan writes, "The heartbeat at the beginning represents the start of life. The heartbeat at the end represents death. But when you combine the two in the cyclic technique Waters created, you get the idea that life goes on after one is dead. Life repeats itself in another's body with the same pressures that the person before experienced. It is all cyclic with the sun, time, life and death, and the changing of the moon's phases."
I particularly like the point that the major symbols that Waters used on this album, the heartbeat, the sun, the moon, and the tides, are all cyclic. The choice to use these symbols was a major part of the album. Not only are they all cyclic, but they are all stellar in proportions. I think this implies to the listener that the symbols represent something of great importance, and maybe even make the listener feel small in comparison. The cyclic nature of these bodies is also complex and intertwined. The moon is rotating and revolving around the Earth which is rotating and revolving around the sun. We have cycles within cycles within cycles. It seems clear that these cyclic symbols correspond to the fact that lives keep playing out, over and over, each with the same major themes explored in the album. The fact that these themes are so general and apply to all life, is what truly makes this album, in my opinion, timeless.
Lyrics:
All that you touch
And all that you see
All that you taste
All you feel
And all that you love
And all that you hate
All you distrust
All you save
And all that you give
And all that you deal
And all that you buy
Beg, borrow or steal
And all you create
And all you destroy
And all that you do
And all that you say
And all that you eat
And everyone you meet
And all that you slight
And everyone you fight
And all that is now
And all that is gone
And all that's to come
And everything under the sun is in tune
But the sun is eclipsed by the moon.
Final words: The Dark Side of the Moon is quite literally more of a philosophical piece of art rather than music. It is also complex as it tries to get us to realize exactly what life is - just as the songs try to introduce: death will come. But, out of death, there will also be life. And out of that life, there will also be death, and out of that death, life. The album basically tries to show the listeners what life is in general. Sure it's happiness, joy, and friendship - but, it's also death, destruction, and greed. And luckily, Waters decided to focus on the more overlooked aspects of the life experience. The Dark Side of the Moon rests as one of the best albums of all time. Regardless of whether the almost over-analyzed tones of the album matter to you or not, it's easy to say that the music is still solid, fascinating, and thought-provoking.
