Scientifically, we know that the lunar phases last approximately seven days. Musically, four thirty-year-olds have managed to perform a miracle: they encapsulated everything related to the moon in about 43 minutes, starting from the cover (of Harvest, a record label very dear economically) that depicts a triangular prism intent on slicing through a magnificent rainbow, all against a fantastic black background, giving the idea of suspension in a void. No title on top, only on the thin side strip do we find the necessary information to decode artist and title. On the back, the track titles are absent, available only on the CD-ROM (in reality, in the 30th anniversary edition, the title is directly on the cover, as with the track titles, but this only ruined the fascinating strangeness of the "Dark Side").
Once the case is analyzed in its smallest details, there's nothing else to do but introduce this concept album into the player. Initially, the loudest silence, then slowly, gradually, slow sounds, heartbeats, ticking, cash registers (as analepsis for what will be Money), subdued and hearty laughs, repeating in a deep cycle, simultaneously, a piercing scream growing in progression, crossing the sound barrier. Finally, the start of a brilliant and unpredictable slow: mathematical, precise, pure, pierced by a good dose of serenity, the angelic and sweet sounds of guitar, the soothing voice of David Gilmour that doesn't break this magical harmonic balance, rather it delights it, softening it largely and making this Floydian invention even more danceable. This is "Speak to me/Breathe". One almost doesn't notice that all the tracks (as will be experienced later as well) are connected to each other by the magical thread of lunar psychedelia, reaching the second track, "On the run", completely dependent on the electronic setup regulated by the great bassist Roger Waters (the true soul of the group). However, there are also airport voices accompanied by a presumed takeoff (achieved by varying the effects). Ultimately, it's just a theme that undergoes small variations, but it doesn't arouse monotony, more so it prompts lively participation and a full sense of transport, of movement toward destinations light-years away. The piece finds its conclusion with a tapping noise of footsteps.
Sudden mechanical noise of multiple clocks: it's the genesis of "Time". Bright ringing of alarms and repeated chimes that fade to make room for a deep and consistent ticking, different from the previous ones because it's free of sharp beats. The opening of a strange electric guitar chord hints at a deep alternative-progressive atmosphere, stemming from deep sounds never reproduced as they're devoid of human sense, more so cosmic, almost dating back to the dawn of time, yet so innovative that it's really difficult, if not impossible, to categorize them. The abrupt drum break, after 2 and a half minutes of musically converted unconsciousness, brings back to reality: the first words are indeed pronounced, so charged and energetic, magnificently supported by electric guitar breaks, which then find almost a relaxation that unwinds right within the musical meanders. Temporary end of the spoken part, consisting of phantasmagoric chords, almost angry, prisoners of the dream, such as to imagine great naturalistic and galactic documentaries. Sudden return to musical verses, always characteristically colorful, always then tending towards a state of wellness with oneself. Subsequently, brilliance of brilliance, the return to the danceable melodies of "Speak to me/Breathe", but this time with different lyrics. Thus, this over 7 minutes of deprivation from conscious will conclude.
The sequel is no less: "The great gig in the sky" manages to embody a tranquility sometimes falsified, "disturbed" by veiled and then piercing vocalizations that fit like a glove. The piano is master in this noble composition; it proceeds solemnly, never interrupted, reflecting absolute perfection. Track 5, "Money", recognizes itself by those cash registers that repeatedly ring, producing bright jingles quite different from those in "Time". The ensuing bass line now holds a place in music history. However, it's not the only protagonist: it's followed by the guitar and drums, and naturally, David's vocal emissions, reluctant to stay on the sidelines, always egocentric (not unjustly). The chorus is almost scaling. Incredibly (perhaps it's not so strange since we're now accustomed to channeling oddities into our auricles) we find trumpets, which nonetheless do not clash. But the main feature of the musical track is the incredible guitar outbursts, which, if they could talk, would have much to say. They are expertly and not excessively stirred by great and knowledgeable masters. The return to vocals is mandatory also because it's rightly requested to end gloriously. Gilmour doesn't delay and expresses his great and boundless vocal ability.
Organ sounds mark the prelude of "Us and them". The trumpets make their exquisite appearance. The vocal part comes after almost two minutes, calm and gentle, velvety. The chorus almost depicts an anthem, a liberation from this chain of calmness that inexorably envelops the listener. As in "The great gig in the sky", we pleasantly perceive the piano, maximally diligent. Kaleidoscopic and psychedelic sounds set off "Any colour you like". Followed by guitar tremors masterfully played with care, almost fearing to break the instrument that can do everything, given its infinite possible musical combinations. "Brain damage" couldn't have a more suitable title: its initial gospel-like associations at times, its angelic chorus vividly pronouncing "The dark side of the moon", its tasteful laughter, all these factors cause brain damage, but positively.
Sweetly at the end, the CD fittingly concludes with "Eclipse", which gathers so many emotional states, all in the words, and in its final part revisits that abysmal silence of "Speak to me".
The "record" (but can this agglomerate of musical instruments, voices, effects, electronics be defined as such?) thus comes to its end. However, it's hard to think of it as such, considering everything has forcibly penetrated our soul and it will be difficult to rid ourselves of it. We can truly declare that the dark side of the moon has been explored.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Speak to Me (01:08)
''{spoken} I've been mad for fucking years, absolutely years, been over the edge for yonks, been working me buns off for bands...
I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the
most of us...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad...
{the rest of this song is an instrumental}''
02 Breathe (02:48)
Breathe, breathe in the air.
Don't be afraid to care.
Leave but don't leave me.
Look around and choose your own ground.
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,
And 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
And balanced on the biggest wave
You race towards an early grave.
03 On the Run (03:50)
''{spoken} [female announcer, announcing flight departures at an airport, including 'Rome', 'Cairo', 'Naples']
Live for today, gone tomorrow, that's me (laughter)!
{the rest of this song is an instrumental}''
04 Time (06:49)
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 home town
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
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.
Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either 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.
05 The Great Gig in the Sky (04:44)
''{spoken} And I am not frightened of dying, any time will do, I don't mind. Why should I be frightened of dying? There's no reason for it, you've gotta go sometime.
I never said I was frightened of dying.
{the rest of this song is an instrumental}''
06 Money (06:22)
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 all right Jack keep your hands off of my stack.
Money, it's a hit.
But Don't give me that do goody good bullshit.
I'm in the high-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 raise it's no surprise that they're giving none away.
''{spoken} HuHuh! I was in the right!
Yes, absolutely in the right!
I certainly was in the right!
You was definitely in the right. That geezer was cruising for a bruising!
Yeah!
Why does anyone do anything?
I don't know, I was really drunk at the time!
I was just telling him, he couldn't get into number 2. He was asking why he wasn't coming up on freely, after I was yelling and screaming and telling him why he wasn't coming up on freely.
It came as a heavy blow, but we sorted the matter out.''
07 Us and Them (07:49)
Us, and them
and after all we're only ordinary men.
me, and you.
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do.
Forward he cried from the rear
and the front rank died.
and 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.
''{spoken} I mean, they're gunna kill ya, so like, if you give 'em a quick short, sharp, shock, they won't do it again. Dig it? I mean he got off light, 'cos I would've given him a thrashing - I only hit him once! It was only a difference of right and wrong, innit?...I mean good manners
don't cost nothing do they, eh?''
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 the want of the price of tea and a slice
The old man died.
09 Brain Damage (03:46)
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 re-arrange me 'til 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 but 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
I cannot think of anything to say except, ha, ha, ha, I think it's marvelous!
Ha, ha, ha!
10 Eclipse (02:11)
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.
''{spoken} There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it's all dark.''
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Other reviews
By claudio12
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON is one of the top 5 most important albums in rock history.
An album that, more than an album, is undoubtedly a work of art in rock.
By AngeloLecce87
Madness, suffocation, excitement, fear, relaxation, adrenaline, and pleasure blend almost imperceptibly in this thing called an "album".
I gave this album 0 because 5 is too little.
By UcCaBaRuCcA
It would be a crime to listen to the album in pieces.
The texture of the music is rich in detail, and at the same time light, smooth, and it creates an environment, an atmosphere around you.
By Pepperism
I take my mind to distant places. And I feel the madness, finally.
Don’t tell me anymore that I am sane, the dark side of the moon changes everyone.
By AR (Anonima Recensori)
An album is great when it belongs to Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd, or the Doors.
Amidst soft and unsettling tones, the journey unfolds of The Dark Side Of The Moon, which still ranks among the best-selling albums, 33 years later.