Pink Floyd’s: “Dark Side of the Moon”.

This post today, includes a critical analysis of one of the most prized albums of 20th century (modern-day) rock and roll. Rather than discuss the quality of the music and caliber of the album at great length, its characteristics of sound, or its most unique blend of effects and fidelity, I’d like to write about the lyrics and the narrative “arc” of the entire album.

It just so happens, that this year, the original artistic band is being celebrated and honored especially. So, a post now is perfect… though coincidental.

Originally recorded at “Abbey Road Studios in London, England between June 1972 and January 1973” according to Capitol Records, “Dark Side of the Moon” contains the songs written by Roger Waters.

This “legendary” album begins with sound of a human heartbeat. It is the birth if you will of the album. The sound represents the human-body “clock”, as lyrics describe the passage of time, life, and death. Overlapping this sound, is a ticking clock. It represents the passage of time. Following this tonal blend, we begin to hear additional sound effects of automation. And, in introduction to the album within this first song, we hear human utterances that anthem “madness” of the human mind.

This album journeys us through a human life-cycle according to the author. A quintessential psychedelic melody and arrangement it is.

“Breathe In the Air” (the first song) plants a simple message lyrically. In my own words, it teaches that life is short. Participate in it, or it will be gone. This song is trailed by the song entitled: “Time”. If the first track is about man keeping up with the effects of inevitable time passage, this track is moreover about time’s elusive nature. It (time) gets away from you as you let it. But, whether you actively allow it to or not, it does pass regardless; and mercilessly so.

“Breathe Reprise” (which is the tail end of “Time”) suggests poetically too, that “home” is respite from time itself; and while many of us seek refuge from its passage in an organized religion, religion is illusory. Such is, the possible and most likely contention asserted in these lyrics.

Before continuing with you on the lyrical analysis, I’d like to point out the album cover artwork. It features a prism (made of a perfect triangle), and a ray of white light penetrating it from the left. Of course, in corresponding to scientific truth, the ray of light is split into a beautiful rainbow spectrum of natural colors. Why did the musicians choose this artwork for this album? My personal belief, is that this image, reflects the dynamism of The Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

In a brief theological study, the Holy Trinity is a mystery, which becomes the “face” of God, to help us best understand. Why did God manifest Himself to his creation (us) as a “triad”, or, better said “Three Persons”? What does Trinity reveal about Him? A prism divides white light into a spectrum of color. White is white – and can be blinding in its majesty. To the human eye, a rainbow reveals a color spectrum that is made visible to us in components. These components, are red through violet. Perhaps in those colors, we can “see” God’s multi formed complexity. White light alone is simply too beautiful and majestic in full shine. And, while light exists anywhere God wishes it to, the rainbow is an enduring symbol of God’s fidelity to us all. God presented the rainbow in the sky to Noah, after the great flood, to promise His love and protection (Genesis 9:12-18).

The Trinity, therefore, deepens the palpable interpretive understanding of that which is divine. The dark side of the moon, is almost always dark. And so, in this album, the darkness is a place where light does not penetrate.

Now, returning to the analysis of lyrics, we hear the song: “Money”. This song is clearly about man’s incessant desire to become insensitive toward fellow man, as he put selfish pursuits of money, exploit, and excesses, above Christian teachings. Those are the values that are sought out in order to distract from the death of every lasting second, minute, hour etc. Such is the contention of this song.

Each song, in sequence, takes listener down a “rabbit hole” of existential experience.
The song entitled “Brain Damage”, points to man’s inevitable vulnerable journey toward lunacy. Think you are normal? Guess again, says this song in my own words. Soon, you too will become the lunatic that you accused another of being. And, you both will meet, where the Earth cannot see you – the dark side of the moon (which faces away from the Earth that we stand upon).

“Brain Damage” is followed by the song “Eclipse” – which suggests that earthly endeavors of man, are to be blocked out; because, the solar eclipse brings shadow to the Earth. A metaphor, “shadow” implies defeat and death. At this time then, the sun lights the otherwise dark side of the moon. Because, during such a solar eclipse, the moon is aligned directly between the sun and the Earth.

In closing of the album, song “Eclipse”, tells us in my own words, that in the end of mortality… we are blotted out by the shadow and not bathed in light: representational of death. How long the darkness exists, is not asserted.

This album provides a very insightful interpretation of the “arc” of our life on Earth. While presenting so much mystery, it puts these mysteries into very simple terms. That is what makes it a champion of a message, which lasts for generations and most certainly provides material to analyze and interpret.

When I was in college, there was a story going around that said, one of Pink Floyd’s songs, when begun to play at a precise moment – as another precise moment of the Hollywood film: “Wizard of Oz”, the song would be a synchronous sound track to the moving picture. During my study, I tried this experiment out. Sure enough, as the story told, the rumor was true. This is yet another interesting aspect to artwork of “legendary” musicians.

I encourage you to listen to the album yourself. And, see what conclusions you can make and what you learn.