Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon Is Still A Musical Revolution

The 1970s offered us many revolutionary and innovative musicians. This was due to the turmoil occurring at the time. It was a continuation of the 1960s and was the “pivot of change.”

At the time, music was all about experimentation. One of the bands that thrived in those years was Pink Floyd, the British band that introduced psychedelic space-rock. 

Their eighth studio album, The Dark Side of the Moon, released on March 1, 1973, was their most popular. It was loaded with political, social and emotional commentary. 

The album takes listeners through numerous emotions and stages of human life. Conflict, morality, greed, time and mental illness are among the issues explored.

Much of today’s alternative or experimental rock sounds can be traced to The Dark Side of the Moon. The British band has impacted everyone from Tame Impala to Radiohead.

The lyrics of the songs are what helped listeners understand the message, which is why the songwriting gives this album depth. 

Songwriter and bass guitarist Roger Waters was the main creator of the songs and he made sure to write songs with meaning.

The music and sound effects are also what makes this album unique. Some songs are only or mostly instrumental and they still manage to convey the message. 

For instance, the album begins and ends with the sound of a heartbeat to represent life. The ambient sound creates a feeling of anxiety and stress, which is a sensory way of representing the theme.

The record cover’s prism artwork is a timeless and exquisite design.  It was created by the late graphic designer Storm Thorgerson, who got the idea from a textbook.

It established a distinctive logo for the band and became one of the most recognizable album covers in music. Today, we still see it plastered on T-shirts.

The Dark Side of the Moon made it to number one on the Billboard charts for one week in 1973 but remained on the charts for 14 years. 

It’s one of the top-25 best-selling albums of all time.

The album opens with Speak to Me. On this track, the voices are talking about insanity, and in the background we hear a heartbeat, along with the sound of cash registers, clocks and ambient sounds. Each is a foreshadowing of upcoming songs on the record.

Breathe shows the two different lifestyles a person can have. The one who chooses their life and is therefore limited and the one who goes with the flow and gets stuck in a loop. 

Time is about how quickly time can pass and how people are unaware of it until it’s too late. 

Great Gig in the Sky talks about death and the fear of dying. The voices in the song imply that you are either afraid of dying or you’re not.

“Great Gig in the Sky” is also a reference to heaven or an afterlife.

Money is about greed and the illusion of a happy existence that comes from having a lot of money. It also implies that we will go to any length to obtain money.

In order to emphasize this message, the cash registers and money sounds that play throughout the song are mechanical and lifeless.

Any Color You Like is the fully instrumental track on the album. The song’s message stresses that you are the master of your universe, your own destiny, therefore, you should create it any color you like.

Brain Damage is about mental illness and insanity. 

There is no doubt the success of The Dark Side of the Moon inspired many musicians to experiment with more advanced musical approaches. 

It set the standard and represented a cultural shift in rock music.