My Thoughts on "The Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floyd

[Hoosker]

The Dark Side of the Moon

Pink Floyd

 

SPEAK TO ME

The first thing you hear as a child is a heartbeat, instilling a feeling of comfort in rhythm. Other rhythmic sounds fade in with the purpose of foreshadowing until a series of loud screams swallow the rest. A child is born.

 

BREATHE

The early years of the child's life are filled with uncertainty. During this time, his head will be filled with notions of what is right and what is wrong. He is told that being productive is most important in life because it adds value to society, whereas being happy does not. We later learn that productivity also breeds things far more sinister.

 

ON THE RUN

Another rhythm of life enters the narrative: footsteps. As the boy grows, it becomes familiar with its surroundings and everything becomes more routine. The footsteps bring feelings of anxiety are now part of the rhythm of his life and. The race has begun.

 

TIME

We reconvene with the character being awoken by clocks, symbolizing the character having an epiphany about what everything means. The heartbeat has since picked up given the heightened awareness of his surroundings. Life doesn't seem satisfying anymore and it seems as though the character isn't living anymore, but instead waiting to be told what to say or do. The reprise signifies the person coming to terms with reality and what possibly lies ahead. The music suggests that he is comfortable with it.

 

THE GREAT GIG IN THE SKY

The comfort of being an adult results in the death of dreams or possibly egos. The character is now a cog in the machine and a willing participant to society's progress. The Great Gig in the Sky is an ode to the death of the character's true spirit and dreams.

 

 

MONEY

We return to find our character acquiring another important rhythm of life. The character no longs drives the economy by being a producer of goods, but instead a consumer. He doesn't want to like money, but must still continue to pursue it. If he enjoyed money, he would not be a slave to it.

 

US AND THEM

We've come to the end of the incline. The character takes time, reflects on his past decisions, and accepts what lies ahead. There is nothing left for him to accomplish on Earth and he knows that he will be the same person until he dies. He is set in his ways.

 

ANY COLOUR YOU LIKE

Now begins the descent into madness. The delayed piano creates a very disorienting soundscape by repeating the same line over and over. Dementia begins to set in as the character begins to lose his grip on reality.

 

BRAIN DAMAGE

Now having completed the horrific journey into madness, the character's mind is playing tricks on him. Looking at himself and society through a tinted lens, the character begins to see the writing on the wall. He realizes that he is on the Dark Side of the Moon.

 

ECLIPSE

The character is now coming to terms with dying. He sees that there is no dark side of the moon, but in fact, it's all dark, for we are all crazy. The character realizes that everything he had done in his life had driven him to insanity, rather than bringing him true happiness. The album ends as the dying man listens to his heart beat softer and softer until its gone.

 

You may find solace in the rhythms of life, but we all know that everyone is essentially walking around without the slightest clue of what we are doing. We just do what we think is best. The character in the album let himself be tortured by life rather than actually living it.

[NUance]

Wow. I haven't given The Dark Side of the Moon that much thought since before the time my 30" geographic bong got broken in an apartment move. And that was many years ago. Actually, many many. It truly is a great album though.

 

 

 

 

/ was actually my buddy's bong. And it didn't get broken in a move. His parents found it. lol

[HUSKER 37]

MONEY

We return to find our character acquiring another important rhythm of life. The character no longs longer drives the economy by being a producer of goods, but instead a consumer. He doesn't want to like money, but must still continue to pursue it. If he enjoyed money, he would not be a slave to it.

 

 

Where did you get this? Nice writeup!! Loved this album on a proper system (on LP) ..Excellent for checking the arrangement of your speakers and "seeing" the imaging.

[Ulty]

Your write up did not include anything about Dorothy, munchkins, or the wicked witch. But otherwise very nice. Now I'll need to listen to the album again today. One of the greats!