The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973 by Harvest Records. Primarily developed during live performances, the band premiered an early version of the record several months before recording began. The record was conceived as an album that focused on the pressures faced by the band during their arduous lifestyle, and dealing with the apparent mental problems suffered by former band member Syd Barrett, who departed the group in 1968. New material was recorded in two sessions in 1972 and 1973 at Abbey Road Studios in London.
Introduction
The Dark Side of the Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon | Introduction
Pink Floyd. Pink Floyd Pink Floyd Pink Floyd
who sings on the dark side of the moon
user
A foursome of female vocalists was assembled to sing on "Brain Damage", "Eclipse" and "Time", and saxophonist Dick Parry was booked to play on "Us and Them" and "Money". With director Adrian Maben, the band also filmed studio footage for "". Once the recording sessions were complete, the band began a tour of Europe.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Recording
The recording's existence was revealed by Flaming Lips' frontman Wayne Coyne before a special promotional concert at the Ricardo Montalbán Theater in Hollywood. The album was recorded with the band Stardeath and White Dwarfs, and features singer Henry Rollins recreating the original album's interview samples. The album also features the singer Peaches who performed Clare Torry's vocal segment of "The Great Gig in the Sky".
The Dark Side of the Moon (2009 album) | Background
The Dark Side of the Moonnezz is the sixth studio album by Neapolitan parody singer-songwriter Tony Tammaro. It is the last after a long break for studio recording of eight years, during which the singer performed in tours. This concept album explores the flaws and merits of the Neapolitan society starting from the problem of garbage disposal and having a journey through love, childhood, cellphone addiction, music piracy, money, government failures, generational conflicts and annihilation of the individuals in the mass. The Dark Side of the Moonezz has several direct allusions and tributes to Pink Floyd's discography from the main themes of "The Dark Side of the Moon" to "Wish You Were Here".
The Dark Side of the Moonnezz | Introduction
For writing credits, see the original album's article. All songs published by World Copyrights Ltd.
The Dark Side of the Moon (2009 album) | Track listing
From the Dark Side of the Moon is a 2011 album released by singer/songwriter Mary Fahl. The album is a song-by-song "re-imagining" of Pink Floyd's classic 1973 album "The Dark Side of the Moon".
From the Dark Side of the Moon | Introduction
Progressive metal band Dream Theater have twice covered the album in their live shows, and in May 2011 Mary Fahl released "From the Dark Side of the Moon", a song-by-song "re-imagining" of the album. Milli Vanilli used the tape loops from Pink Floyd's "Money" to open their track "Money", followed by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch on "Music for the People".
The Dark Side of the Moon | Covers, tributes and samples
Pink Floyd Additional musicians Production Design
The Dark Side of the Moon | Personnel
"All the music before had not had any great lyrical point to it. And this one was clear and concise. The cover was also right. I think it's become like a benevolent noose hanging behind us. Throughout our entire career, people have said we would never top the "Dark Side" record and tour. But "The Wall" earned more in dollar terms."
The Dark Side of the Moon | Sales
Mason-James performed backing vocals for Roger Waters on the seventh and last leg of his The Dark Side of the Moon Live world tour between 27 April and 18 May 2008, replacing Katie Kissoon.
Sylvia Mason-James | Early life and career
The Dark Side of the Moon is an 1973 album by Pink Floyd. Dark Side of the Moon may also refer to:
Dark Side of the Moon (disambiguation) | Introduction
Others have speculated that the recording bares a stronger resemblance to another rendition of "Ticket to Ride" by the Hollyridge Strings, though it is unlikely that this American orchestra would have had a tape in Abbey Road's possession.
Help! (George Martin album) | Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon"
The album's credits include Clare Torry, a session singer and songwriter, and a regular at Abbey Road. She had worked on pop material and numerous cover albums, and after hearing one of those albums Parsons invited her to the studio to sing on Wright's composition "The Great Gig in the Sky". She declined this invitation as she wanted to watch Chuck Berry perform at the Hammersmith Odeon, but arranged to come in on the following Sunday. The band explained the concept behind the album, but were unable to tell her exactly what she should do. Gilmour was in charge of the session, and in a few short takes on a Sunday night Torry improvised a wordless melody to accompany Wright's emotive piano solo.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Voices
"Dark Moon" is a song written by Ned Miller, which was popularized in several different musical formats after its composition. The more popular versions of the song were recorded by Bonnie Guitar and Gale Storm.
Dark Moon (song) | Introduction
The sleeve, which depicts a prism spectrum, was designed by Storm Thorgerson, following keyboardist Richard Wright's request for a "simple and bold" design, representing the band's lighting and the record's themes. The album was promoted with two singles: "Money" and "Us and Them".
The Dark Side of the Moon | Introduction
In "The Dark Side of the Moon: The Making of the Pink Floyd Masterpiece", John Harris writes about the song: Nick Mason was even more vocal than Waters in his dislike for the song:
It Would Be So Nice | Reception
Snippets of voices between and over the music are another notable feature of the album. During recording sessions, Waters recruited both the staff and the temporary occupants of the studio to answer a series of questions printed on flashcards. The interviewees were placed in front of a microphone in a darkened Studio 3, and shown such questions as "What's your favourite colour?" and "What's your favourite food?", before moving on to themes more central to the album (such as madness, violence, and death). Questions such as "When was the last time you were violent?", followed immediately by "Were you in the right?", were answered in the order they were presented.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Voices
Upon release the record was released on both seafoam green and clear vinyl with a CD copy of the album included.
The Dark Side of the Moon (2009 album) | Introduction
Cook said that while "Here's to You" and "Hard-Hearted" sound like break-up songs, the lyrics are actually about her career.
This Side of the Moon | Lyrics
This heartbeat is most prominent as the intro and the outro to the album, but it can also be heard sporadically on "Time" and "On the Run". "Time" features assorted clocks ticking, then chiming simultaneously at the start of the song, accompanied by a series of Rototoms. The recordings were initially created as a quadraphonic test by Parsons, who recorded each timepiece at an antique clock shop. Although these recordings had not been created specifically for the album, elements of this material were eventually used in the track.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Instrumentation
One of the more notable covers of "The Dark Side of the Moon" is "Return to the Dark Side of the Moon: A Tribute to Pink Floyd". Released in 2006, the album is a progressive rock tribute featuring artists such as Adrian Belew, Tommy Shaw, Dweezil Zappa, and Rick Wakeman. In 2000, The Squirrels released "The Not So Bright Side of the Moon", which features a cover of the entire album. The New York dub collective Easy Star All-Stars released "Dub Side of the Moon" in 2003 and "Dubber Side of the Moon" in 2010. The group Voices on the Dark Side released the album "Dark Side of the Moon a Cappella", a complete a cappella version of the album.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Covers, tributes and samples
The following credits were adapted from the booklet of "This Side of the Moon" and AllMusic:
This Side of the Moon | Credits and personnel
His second wife, Patricia "Puddie" Watts (now Patricia Gleason), was responsible for the line about the "geezer" who was "cruisin' for a bruisin used in the segue between "Money" and "Us and Them", and the words "I never said I was frightened of dying" heard halfway through "The Great Gig in the Sky".
The Dark Side of the Moon | Voices
Roger "The Hat" Manifold proved difficult to find, and was the only contributor recorded in a conventional sit-down interview, as by then the flashcards had been mislaid. Waters asked him about a violent encounter he had had with another motorist, and Manifold replied "... give 'em a quick, short, sharp shock ..." When asked about death he responded "live for today, gone tomorrow, that's me ..." Another roadie, Chris Adamson, who was on tour with Pink Floyd, recorded the snippet which opens the album: "I've been mad for fucking years absolutely years". The band's road manager Peter Watts (father of actress Naomi Watts) contributed the repeated laughter during "Brain Damage" and "Speak to Me".
The Dark Side of the Moon | Voices
She was initially embarrassed by her exuberance in the recording booth, and wanted to apologise to the band only to find them delighted with her performance. Her takes were then selectively edited to produce the version used on the track. For her contribution she was paid £30, equivalent to about £ in 2020. In 2004, she sued EMI and Pink Floyd for 50% of the songwriting royalties, arguing that her contribution to "The Great Gig in the Sky" was substantial enough to be considered co-authorship. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum, with all post-2005 pressings crediting Wright and Torry jointly.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Voices
The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973 by Harvest Records. Primarily developed during live performances, the band premiered an early version of the record several months before recording began. The record was conceived as an album that focused on the pressures faced by the band during their arduous lifestyle, and dealing with the apparent mental problems suffered by former band member Syd Barrett, who departed the group in 1968. New material was recorded in two sessions in 1972 and 1973 at Abbey Road Studios in London.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Introduction
Parts of the new album were taken from previously unused material; the opening line of "Breathe" came from an earlier work by Waters and Ron Geesin, written for the soundtrack of "The Body", and the basic structure of "Us and Them" borrowed from an original composition by Wright for "Zabriskie Point". The band rehearsed at a warehouse in London owned by the Rolling Stones, and then at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park, London. They also purchased extra equipment, which included new speakers, a PA system, a 28-track mixing desk with a four channel quadraphonic output, and a custom-built lighting rig.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Background
Some of the material composed during the creation of "Meddle" was not used; however, one song would eventually become "Brain Damage", on "The Dark Side of the Moon".
Meddle | Composition
Some releases of "Dark Side of the Moon", for example TC-SHVL. 804 (cassette, New Zealand release) and Q4SHVL 804(quad LP, UK release) have a different mix of "Brain Damage". During the closing instrumental, beginning at about 3:02, after the second chorus and leading into the final track, "Eclipse", only Peter Watts' "lunatic laughing" is heard, repeatedly, unlike other versions which have the speech sample "I can't think of anything to say", then Peter Watts' laugh and another sample "I think it's marvelous (ha ha ha)".
Brain Damage (song) | Versions
"Us and Them" addresses the isolation of the depressed with the symbolism of conflict and the use of simple dichotomies to describe personal relationships. "Any Colour You Like" concerns the lack of choice one has in a human society. "Brain Damage" looks at a mental illness resulting from the elevation of fame and success above the needs of the self; in particular, the line "and if the band you're in starts playing different tunes" reflects the mental breakdown of former bandmate Syd Barrett. The album ends with "Eclipse", which espouses the concepts of alterity and unity, while forcing the listener to recognise the common traits shared by humanity.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Concept
The record builds on ideas explored in Pink Floyd's earlier recordings and performances, while omitting the extended instrumentals that characterised their earlier work. The group employed multitrack recording, tape loops, and analogue synthesisers, including experimentation with the EMS VCS 3 and a Synthi A. Engineer Alan Parsons was responsible for many sonic aspects and the recruitment of singer Clare Torry, who appears on "The Great Gig in the Sky". A concept album, the themes of "The Dark Side of the Moon" explore conflict, greed, time, death, and mental illness. Snippets from interviews with the band's road crew, as well as philosophical quotations, were also used.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Introduction
The following dedication can be found in the album's booklet: A.J.H. stands for Andrew Jay Harris (a.k.a. "Akhenaten"), who was the frontman of American/German black metal band Judas Iscariot. The track "The Dark Side of the Moon" features samples of spoken word (dubbed in German) of the homonymous 1990 film.
Prosatanica Shooting Angels | Trivia
The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing The Dark Side of the Moon is a collaborative studio album by the psychedelic rock group the Flaming Lips. The album is a complete track-for-track reimagining of Pink Floyd's seminal 1973 album "The Dark Side of the Moon". The album was released through the iTunes Store on December 22, 2009, and was released on other digital music retailers a week later. On April 17, 2010, Warner Bros. released 5,000 copies of "The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing The Dark Side of the Moon" on 12" seafoam green vinyl as part of Record Store Day.
The Dark Side of the Moon (2009 album) | Introduction
Pink Floyd recorded "The Dark Side of the Moon" between May 1972 and January 1973 with EMI staff engineer Alan Parsons at Abbey Road. The title is an allusion to lunacy rather than astronomy. The band had composed and refined the material while touring the UK, Japan, North America and Europe. Producer Chris Thomas assisted Parsons. Hipgnosis designed the packaging, which included George Hardie's iconic refracting prism design on the cover. Thorgerson's cover features a beam of white light, representing unity, passing through a prism, which represents society. The refracted beam of coloured light symbolises unity diffracted, leaving an absence of unity.
Pink Floyd | "The Dark Side of the Moon" (1973)
Reflecting the circumstances of the song's creation, the recording features a lush musical arrangement that includes acoustic and slide guitars, layered harmony vocals, orchestral strings, and sitar drone. An edited version of the track appeared on his 1989 compilation "Best of Dark Horse". Harrison's solo demo of the song was included as a bonus track on the 2004 reissue of "George Harrison".
Here Comes the Moon | Introduction
"Us and Them" is a song by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, from their 1973 album "The Dark Side of the Moon". The music was written by Richard Wright with lyrics by Roger Waters. It is sung by David Gilmour, with harmonies by Wright. The song is 7minutes and 51 seconds, the longest on the album. "Us and Them" was released as the second single from "The Dark Side of the Moon" in the United States, peaking at No. 72 on the "Cash Box" Top 100 Singles chart in March 1974. The single peaked at No. 85 in the Canadian chart.
Us and Them (song) | Introduction
Dick Parry would join Pink Floyd during Money and Us and Them and a backing chorus of three or four women. Clare Torry sung backing vocals during the Robert Wyatt benefit concerts, she wouldn't do this again until 1990 at the Knebworth Festival. Due to the overwhelming chart success of both "Dark Side of the Moon", which reached #1 in the US in late April, #2 in the UK, and the US-released single "Money", the nature of Pink Floyd's audiences changed in June 1973. They used to play at theaters and auditoriums but in this tour they played at Stadiums and large arenas.
Dark Side of the Moon Tour | 1973 Dark Side of the Moon Tour
The original version of "Dark Moon" was recorded by American country music artist Bonnie Guitar in 1957. Guitar's producer, Fabor Robison, originally intended for rock and roll singer Dorsey Burnette to record the song, but was dissatisfied with the finished product. Instead, Guitar offered to record "Dark Moon", giving up her royalties to record the song, stating "I told him I’d give up my royalties to be able to record that song. I knew in my mind, as little as I knew, that that was a hit song. I just knew it. So, we went right in the studio and started working on it, and I played the lead guitar and everything." Ned Miller himself played the guitar in this recording.
Dark Moon (song) | Bonnie Guitar version
As of September 2006 Fahl completed the recording of "Mary Fahl: From the Dark Side of the Moon," produced by Mark Doyle and David Werner and mixed by Bob Clearmountain. Doyle also provided nearly all of the instrumentation. The album remained unreleased for several years, and Fahl released it independently on May 10, 2011.
From the Dark Side of the Moon | Production
The recording sessions suffered regular interruptions; Waters, a supporter of Arsenal F.C., would often break to see his team compete, and the band would occasionally stop work to watch "Monty Python's Flying Circus" on the television, leaving Parsons to work on material recorded up to that point. Gilmour has, however, disputed this claim; in an interview in 2003 he said: "We would sometimes watch them but when we were on a roll, we would get on." Returning from the US in January 1973, they recorded "Brain Damage", "Eclipse", "Any Colour You Like" and "On the Run", while fine-tuning the work they had already laid down in the previous sessions.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Recording
In a contemporary review for "The Dark Side of the Moon", Loyd Grossman of "Rolling Stone" gave "Time" a positive review, describing the track as "a fine country-tinged rocker with a powerful guitar solo by David Gilmour".
Time (Pink Floyd song) | Reception
On "Classic Albums: Pink Floyd – The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon", it is pointed out that during the recording of the album, in which death and life had been a consistent theme, the members of the band went around asking questions and recording responses from the folks working inside Abbey Road. Among the questions, they were asked "Are you afraid of dying?" The responses of doorman Gerry O'Driscoll and the wife of their road manager Peter Watts were used, as well as other spoken parts throughout the album ("I've always been mad" "That geezer was cruisin' for a bruisin").
The Great Gig in the Sky | Spoken parts
Alan Parsons has stated that the film was not mentioned during production of the album.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Dark Side of the Rainbow
Publication "Nippertown" referred to the album as "mindblowing," while "The Morton Report" called it "brilliant" and "a worthy re-interpretation not to be missed."
From the Dark Side of the Moon | Reception
The Dark Side of the Moon Live was a worldwide concert tour by Roger Waters, lasting two years. Waters and his band performed the titular album in its entirety at each show, beginning at the Rock in Rio festival on 2 June 2006. The tour featured elaborate stage design by Mark Fisher (the architect of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" shows), including giant puppets, large video screen displays and a 360° quadraphonic sound system. The performances were divided into two sets: the first being a collection of Pink Floyd material along with songs from Roger's solo career, and the second "The Dark Side of the Moon" in its entirety, plus encores.
The Dark Side of the Moon Live | Introduction
In an interview for "Rolling Stone", guitarist David Gilmour said: "I think we all thought and Roger definitely thought that a lot of the lyrics that we had been using were a little too indirect. There was definitely a feeling that the words were going to be very clear and specific." Generally, all four members agreed that Waters' album concept unified by a single theme was a good idea. Waters, Gilmour, Mason and keyboardist Richard Wright participated in the writing and production of the new material, and Waters created the early demo tracks at his Islington home in a small studio built in his garden shed.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Background
During the first official performance of "Dark Side of the Moon", at the Rainbow Theatre on 17 February 1972, a version of this song was played with guitar, keyboard and drums instead of the synthesizer track that appeared on the album. Subsequent performances matched the album version and, at the end of the song, a model aeroplane would fly from one end of the arena to the other, appearing to crash in a brilliant explosion. The same effect was used in the "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" tour, but with a flying bed rather than an aeroplane. "The Division Bell" tour would reuse the aeroplane, only this time with the back of it in flames for additional effects.
On the Run (instrumental) | Live performances
On 4 February 1974, a double A-side single was released with "Time" on one side, and "Us and Them" on the opposite side. Menon's efforts to secure a contract renewal with Pink Floyd were in vain however; at the beginning of 1974, the band signed for Columbia with a reported advance fee of $1M (in Britain and Europe they continued to be represented by Harvest Records).
The Dark Side of the Moon | Label
Credits adapted from the liner notes of "This Side of the Moon":
This Side of the Moon | Track listing
At the end of Pink Floyd's 1973 album "The Dark Side of the Moon", on the track "Eclipse", a section of the orchestral version of "Ticket to Ride" can very faintly be heard beneath the closing heart-beat sound effect. It is believed to be from this album. Before digital recording, recording tapes were wiped and re-used. It is possible that the tape used to record the heart-beat sound effect was not properly wiped and formerly had this track on it, if it was a deliberate inclusion by the band, or if it was playing in the background of Abbey Road Studios when the part of the track was being recorded, the latter theory being the most accepted.
Help! (George Martin album) | Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon"
Several tracks, including "Us and Them" and "Time", demonstrated Richard Wright's and David Gilmour's ability to harmonise their voices. In the 2003 Classic Albums documentary "The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon", Waters attributed this to the fact that their voices sounded extremely similar. To take advantage of this, Parsons utilised studio techniques such as the double tracking of vocals and guitars, which allowed Gilmour to harmonise with himself. The engineer also made prominent use of flanging and phase shifting effects on vocals and instruments, odd trickery with reverb, and the panning of sounds between channels (most notable in the quadraphonic mix of "On the Run", when the sound of the Hammond B3 organ played through a Leslie speaker rapidly swirls around the listener).
The Dark Side of the Moon | Voices
The success of the album brought wealth to all four members of the band; Richard Wright and Roger Waters bought large country houses, and Nick Mason became a collector of upmarket cars. Some of the profits were invested in the production of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". Engineer Alan Parsons received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical for "The Dark Side of the Moon", and he went on to have a successful career as a recording artist with the Alan Parsons Project. Although Waters and Gilmour have on occasion downplayed his contribution to the success of the album, Mason has praised his role.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Legacy
In fact, there were never any hints that they were later going to fall out. It was a very creative atmosphere. A lot of fun." Although the truth remains unclear, Thomas's intervention resulted in a welcome compromise between Waters and Gilmour, leaving both entirely satisfied with the end product. Thomas was responsible for significant changes to the album, including the perfect timing of the echo used on "Us and Them". He was also present for the recording of "The Great Gig in the Sky" (although Parsons was responsible for hiring Torry). Interviewed in 2006, when asked if he felt his goals had been accomplished in the studio, Waters said:
The Dark Side of the Moon | Completion
Originally written by Howard Richardson in 1939 as a dramatization of the centuries-old European folk song "The Ballad of Barbara Allen", it was first performed at the University of Iowa in 1942 under the title "Barbara Allen".
Dark of the Moon (play) | Introduction
Waters is the sole author of the lyrics. Released in March 1973, the LP became an instant chart success in the UK and throughout Western Europe, earning an enthusiastic response from critics. Each member of Pink Floyd except Wright boycotted the press release of "The Dark Side of the Moon" because a quadraphonic mix had not yet been completed, and they felt presenting the album through a poor-quality stereo PA system was insufficient. "Melody Maker"s Roy Hollingworth described side one as "utterly confused ... [and] difficult to follow", but praised side two, writing: "The songs, the sounds ... [and] the rhythms were solid ...
Pink Floyd | "The Dark Side of the Moon" (1973)
As the quadraphonic mix of the album was not then complete, the band (with the exception of Wright) boycotted the press reception held at the London Planetarium on 27 February. The guests were, instead, presented with a quartet of life-sized cardboard cut-outs of the band, and the stereo mix of the album was presented through a poor-quality public address system. Generally, however, the press were enthusiastic; "Melody Maker"s Roy Hollingworth described side one as "so utterly confused with itself it was difficult to follow", but praised side two, writing: "The songs, the sounds, the rhythms were solid and sound, Saxophone hit the air, the band rocked and rolled, and then gushed and tripped away into the night." Steve Peacock of "Sounds" wrote: "I don't care if you've never heard a note of the Pink Floyd's music in your life, I'd unreservedly recommend everyone to "The Dark Side of the Moon"".
The Dark Side of the Moon | Release
"Time" examines the manner in which its passage can control one's life and offers a stark warning to those who remain focused on mundane aspects; it is followed by a retreat into solitude and withdrawal in "Breathe (Reprise)". The first side of the album ends with Wright and vocalist Clare Torry's soulful metaphor for death, "The Great Gig in the Sky". Opening with the sound of cash registers and loose change, the first track on side two, "Money", mocks greed and consumerism using tongue-in-cheek lyrics and cash-related sound effects. "Money" became the most commercially successful track, and has been covered by several acts.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Concept
All lead vocals performed by Alex Kapranos. CD1 DVD
The Dark of the Matinée | UK track listings
Following the completion of the dialogue sessions, producer Chris Thomas was hired to provide "a fresh pair of ears". Thomas's background was in music, rather than engineering. He had worked with Beatles producer George Martin, and was acquainted with Pink Floyd's manager Steve O'Rourke. All four members of the band were engaged in a disagreement over the style of the mix, with Waters and Mason preferring a "dry" and "clean" mix which made more use of the non-musical elements, and Gilmour and Wright preferring a subtler and more "echoey" mix. Thomas later claimed there were no such disagreements, stating "There was no difference in opinion between them, I don't remember Roger once saying that he wanted less echo.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Completion
Side one Side two Side two
Joan of Arc (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song) | B-side
In his 1973 review for "Rolling Stone" magazine, Loyd Grossman declared "Dark Side" "a fine album with a textural and conceptual richness that not only invites, but demands involvement". In "" (1981), Robert Christgau found its lyrical ideas clichéd and its music pretentious, but called it a "kitsch masterpiece" that can be charming with highlights such as taped speech fragments, Parry's saxophone, and studio effects which enhance Gilmour's guitar solos. "The Dark Side of the Moon" was released first in the US on 1 March 1973, and then in the UK on 16 March. It became an instant chart success in Britain and throughout Western Europe; by the following month, it had gained a gold certification in the US.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Release
It was all based on "The Sound of Music"." "Dark Side of the Moon" audio engineer Alan Parsons denied any connection, saying the band had no means of playing video tapes in the studio at the time of recording. He said in 2003:
Dark Side of the Rainbow | History
Richard Wright: Roger Waters: Alan Parsons: David Gilmour: Clare Torry: Chris Thomas, who was brought in to assist Alan Parsons in mixing the album, mentions that they were actually in mixdown at the time. On the DVD "Classic Albums: Pink Floyd – The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon", various members mention that they had this song and weren't quite sure what to do with it. Wright further mentions that when she finished, she was apologetic about her performance even though those present were amazed at her improvisation.
The Great Gig in the Sky | Quotes from those involved
The light band emanating from the prism on the album cover has six colours, missing indigo compared to the traditional division of the spectrum into red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Inside the sleeve were two posters and two pyramid-themed stickers. One poster bore pictures of the band in concert, overlaid with scattered letters to form PINK FLOYD, and the other an infrared photograph of the Great Pyramids of Giza, created by Powell and Thorgerson. The band were so confident of the quality of Waters' lyrics that, for the first time, they printed them on the album's sleeve.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Packaging
Throughout March 1973 the band played the album as part of their US tour, including a midnight performance at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on 17 March before an audience of 6,000. The album reached the "Billboard" Top LPs & Tape chart's number one spot on 28 April 1973, and was so successful that the band returned two months later for another tour.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Release
The performers change instruments from their usual places. Guitarist Henry McCullough plays drums, guitarist Denny Laine plays bass, and drummer Denny Seiwell plays xylophone.
C Moon | Lyrics and structure
Dark Side of the Black Moon: What Planet Are We On? is an album by Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O., released in 2009 by Important Records. The album was released on CD and LP. The LP release was limited to 100 copies on blue vinyl and 100 copies on clear vinyl.
Dark Side of the Black Moon: What Planet Are We On? | Introduction
Michael Wale of "The Times" described the piece as "bringing tears to the eyes. It was so completely understanding and musically questioning." Derek Jewell of "The Sunday Times" wrote "The ambition of the Floyd's artistic intention is now vast." "Melody Maker" was less enthusiastic: "Musically, there were some great ideas, but the sound effects often left me wondering if I was in a bird-cage at London zoo." The following tour was praised by the public. The new material was performed in the same order in which it was eventually sequenced on the album release; differences included the lack of synthesisers in tracks such as "On the Run", and Bible readings replaced by Clare Torry's vocals on "The Great Gig in the Sky".
The Dark Side of the Moon | Background
The film's title is a reference to the 1973 Pink Floyd album of the same name. German black metal band Nargaroth uses samples of spoken word (albeit dubbed in German) of the film in their homonymous track of the 2004 album "Prosatanica Shooting Angels". Swedish death metal band Crypt of Kerberos utilizes samples from the film in their 1991 track "Devastator."
The Dark Side of the Moon (1990 film) | Connections in popular culture
The tracks "Universe In Witch's Blue" and "Intergalactic Space Trackin"' are exclusive to the vinyl edition.
Dark Side of the Black Moon: What Planet Are We On? | Vinyl Edition
The bluegrass band Poor Man's Whiskey frequently play the album in bluegrass style, calling the suite "Dark Side of the Moonshine". A string quartet version of the album was released in 2003. In 2009, The Flaming Lips released a track-by-track remake of the album in collaboration with Stardeath and White Dwarfs, and featuring Henry Rollins and Peaches as guest musicians. Several notable acts have covered the album live in its entirety, and a range of performers have used samples from "The Dark Side of the Moon" in their own material. Jam-rock band Phish performed a semi-improvised version of the entire album as part their show on 2 November 1998 in West Valley City, Utah.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Covers, tributes and samples
He was temporarily replaced by Emre Ramazanoglu to continue the recording.
Who Built the Moon? | Background
Additional backing vocals were provided by Max Edie.
The Whole of the Moon | Music
Return to the Dark Side of the Moon (subtitled: A Tribute to Pink Floyd) is a tribute album organised by Billy Sherwood, and released in 2006 on Purple Pyramid. It is a re-creation of Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon", and a sequel to Sherwood's "Back Against the Wall", itself a re-creation of Pink Floyd's "The Wall". "Return to the Dark Side of the Moon", in addition includes an original piece composed by Sherwood (and recorded with Tony Kaye and Robby Krieger) in the style of the original album. The album features guests mostly from the world of progressive rock, including former Yes members Peter Banks, Geoff Downes, Rick Wakeman, Kaye and Sherwood himself.
Return to the Dark Side of the Moon | Introduction
We're taking a little break and he starts beating on the bass and singing "Blue Moon of Kentucky," mocking Bill Monroe, singing the high falsetto voice. Elvis joins in with him, starts playing and singing along with him ..." They ended up with a fast version of the song in 4/4 time. After an early take, Phillips can be heard on tape saying, "Fine, man. Hell, that’s different—that's a pop song now, nearly ʼbout."
Bill Black | The Blue Moon Boys
Throughout the album, the lyrics often focus on love and heartbreak. Cook warns her partner in the ballad "Before I Go That Far" about what will happen if they break up. In "This Side of the Moon", she sings about the work required in a relationship, specifically how it involves "going through struggles and becoming disenchanted with what you started working towards in the first place". The album's final track "Somebody's Gotta Do It" is about satisfying a woman's needs. "Heather Are You With Me Tonight" is a love song about a soldier's loneliness and thoughts about his girlfriend. The lyrics describe his moral struggle over carrying out an airstrike ("Ain't it funny how winning / Feels just like sinning?") and his hope that his girlfriend will understand and be faithful ("If I’m going to make this a free land / I’m going to need me a wing man").
This Side of the Moon | Lyrics
The album was partially recorded at Seaside Lounge Studios in Brooklyn, New York City. The EP's cover art is a reference to the cover art for the 1973 album "The Dark Side of the Moon" by English rock band Pink Floyd. Trevor Tyrrell, guitarist and lead vocalist for Weird Owl, has stated that "the cover was a quick joke having more to do with our self-presumed spot in the continuum of mind-music more than it has to do with any great reverence for Floyd. We felt as if we were the sons of a certain musical father (in a collective sense) and that it was now time for the son to assert his independence".
Nuclear Psychology | Recording
Waters retained much of the backing band from his 1999–2002 In the Flesh tours, including guitarists Snowy White and Andy Fairweather-Low, backing vocalists Katie Kissoon and P.P. Arnold, plus Graham Broad on drums. Guitarist Dave Kilminster, along with Waters and Jon Carin, sang much of the lead vocal parts performed by David Gilmour and Rick Wright on the original Pink Floyd recordings. Andrew Latimer, leader of the progressive rock group Camel was auditioned to be lead guitarist and Gilmour's vocal replacement on the tour, but it was felt his voice could not reach the same high notes, although his guitar playing (often compared to Gilmour's) was exemplary.
The Dark Side of the Moon Live | The Performers
Taken from Tidal.
Dark Side (Phoebe Ryan song) | Personnel
Each of the song's three verses begins with a double-stopped guitar intro before Billy Ficca's drums come in, and after the second chorus Richard Lloyd plays a brief guitar solo. After the third chorus, there is a longer solo by Tom Verlaine, based on a jazz-like mixolydian scale, that lasts for the entire second half of the song. On the original vinyl edition of the album, the song faded out just short of ten minutes, but the CD reissues have included the full 10:40 of the take. In concert, the band has sometimes extended the song to as long as fifteen minutes.
Marquee Moon (song) | Composition
Dark Side of the Rainbow and Dark Side of Oz are two names commonly used in reference to rumours (circulated on the Internet since at least 1994) that "The Dark Side of the Moon" was written as a soundtrack for the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz". Observers playing the film and the album simultaneously have reported apparent synchronicities, such as Dorothy beginning to jog at the lyric "no one told you when to run" during "Time", and Dorothy balancing on a tightrope fence during the line "balanced on the biggest wave" in "Breathe". David Gilmour and Nick Mason have both denied a connection between the two works, and Roger Waters has described the rumours as "amusing".
The Dark Side of the Moon | Dark Side of the Rainbow
She was shown on the gatefold sleeve of the original release of Pink Floyd's 1969 album "Ummagumma", but was excised from subsequent CD reissues. The uncropped picture was restored for the album's inclusion in the box set "Oh, by the Way". Waters says that when he played her the finished recording of "The Dark Side of the Moon", she burst into tears, which Waters saw as an indication that the work would be successful. He has admitted to infidelities during the marriage, and to his regret that they lost him his wife, and describes "the beginnings of the end of that marriage" as occurring in Greece in the summer of 1974.
Judith Trim | Introduction
Dark Side of the Moon is a French mockumentary by director William Karel. It originally aired on the Franco-German television network Arte in 2002 with the title Opération Lune. The mockumentary's basic premise is that the television footage from the Apollo 11 Moon landing was faked and recorded in a studio by the CIA with help from director Stanley Kubrick.
Dark Side of the Moon (2002 film) | Introduction
"The Dark Side of the Moon" built upon experiments Pink Floyd had attempted in their previous live shows and recordings, but lacks the extended instrumental excursions which, according to critic David Fricke, had become characteristic of the band after founding member Syd Barrett left in 1968. Gilmour, Barrett's replacement, later referred to those instrumentals as "that psychedelic noodling stuff", and with Waters cited 1971's "Meddle" as a turning-point towards what would be realised on the album. "The Dark Side of the Moon"s lyrical themes include conflict, greed, the passage of time, death, and insanity, the latter inspired in part by Barrett's deteriorating mental state.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Concept
Richard Wright of Pink Floyd wrote a tune called "The Violent Sequence" for inclusion in the film. Antonioni rejected the song because it was too subdued and instead synchronized a re-recording of the band's "Careful with That Axe, Eugene", retitled "Come in Number 51, Your Time Is Up", with the film's violent ending scene. Roger Waters states in "Classic Albums - Pink Floyd - Making The Dark Side Of The Moon" that while he loved the song, Antonioni said it was "too sad" and that it reminded him of church. Eventually it was reworked into a new song known as "Us and Them", which was released on their album "The Dark Side of the Moon" in 1973.
Zabriskie Point (film) | Unused music
In 2011 the album was re-released as part of the Why Pink Floyd...? campaign, featuring a remastered version of the album along with various other material.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Re-issues and remastering
"Eclipse" is the tenth and final track from British progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album, "The Dark Side of the Moon". It was written and sung by Roger Waters, with harmonies by David Gilmour and Rick Wright. After Waters left the band, Gilmour sang the lead when performing live. This song was one of several to be considered for the band's "best of" album, "".
Eclipse (Pink Floyd song) | Introduction
On the Limited Edition, the song Engel (Rammstein), featuring vocals by , is between the tracks "Gregorian Anthem" and "Ave Satani (The Omen)", making it the eleventh track:
The Dark Side (Gregorian album) | Limited Edition
In some countries notably the UK Pink Floyd had not released a single since 1968's "Point Me at the Sky", and unusually "Money" was released as a single on 7 May, with "Any Colour You Like" on the B-side. It reached number 13 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 in July 1973. A two-sided white label promotional version of the single, with mono and stereo mixes, was sent to radio stations. The mono side had the word "bullshit" removed from the song leaving "bull" in its place however, the stereo side retained the uncensored version. This was subsequently withdrawn; the replacement was sent to radio stations with a note advising disc jockeys to dispose of the first uncensored copy.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Label
Rather than using the album as a chance to showcase his drumming skill, Moon sang lead vocals on all tracks, and played drums only on three of the tracks ("Crazy Like A Fox", "The Kids Are Alright" and "Move Over Ms. L"), although he played percussion on "Don't Worry Baby". The album features contributions from Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, Joe Walsh of the Eagles, Jim Keltner, Bobby Keys, Klaus Voorman, John Sebastian, Flo & Eddie (Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan of The Turtles), Spencer Davis, Dick Dale, Suzi Quatro's sister Patti Quatro, Patti's bandmates from Fanny Jean Millington and Nickey Barclay, and future actor Miguel Ferrer.
Two Sides of the Moon | Content
The song "Memories", sung by Wyatt, was initially demoed in 1967 by Soft Machine (with Allen on guitar) and later covered by Material on their 1982 album "One Down", with a lead vocal by a young Whitney Houston. "Stoned Innocent Frankenstein" was re-recorded in 1977 by Allen in collaboration with Here and Now as Planet Gong on their "Floating Anarchy Live 1977" album.
Banana Moon | Introduction
An early 1973 set list (until mid-March) included: First Set: Second Set: "The Dark Side of the Moon" entire album Encore: For remainder of 1973 (except 4 November), the set list included:
Pink Floyd live performances | Dark Side of the Moon
In a review for "The Philadelphia Inquirer", Nick Cristiano singled out "Cupid", "All We Need Is Love", and "Somebody's Gotta Do It" as moments where Cook demonstrates an "industrial-strength vocal twang" and "Loretta Lynn spunkiness". Although Thompson said Cook lacked a "knockout voice" like Patsy Cline, Kelly Willis and Iris DeMent, he identified her as having a "sincere, unfussy style of singing". While characterizing her voice as "high [and] agile", Sanneh remarked that unlike other singers' approach to ballads, Cook "chuckles where others might sob".
This Side of the Moon | Sound
In the UK, Pink Floyd had blocked the release of singles. Menon pushed for the songs, "Us and Them" and "Time" to be edited and released as singles for American radio. To date, "The Dark Side of the Moon" has spent 950 weeks on the USA-based "Billboard" 200 album chart, the longest duration of any album in history. It is also the fourth highest selling album globally of all time, selling more than forty million units. Menon was featured in the documentary , "The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon." Menon’s contributions to the "Dark Side of the Moon" album’s success were recognized and when asked in an interview whether he was surprised at the results of his efforts he was quoted as saying, "I always believed that the record would be very, very successful.
Bhaskar Menon | Dark Side of the Moon
The Black Grass were backing musicians for the March and May 1973 performances. Nawasa Crowder was not present in the June 1973 concerts. The Blackberries provided backing vocals for two October 1973 performances while Vicki Brown, Liza Strike, and Clare Torry provided backing vocals for two November concerts held on the same day. The setlist usually consisted of "Obscured by Clouds", "When You're In", "Careful with That Axe, Eugene", "Echoes", "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" (starting in mid-March), and "Childhood's End" (only a few performances) in first half and the entire "The Dark Side of the Moon" album in the second half, with "One of These Days" as the encore.
Pink Floyd live backing musicians | <a href="Dark%20Side%20of%20the%20Moon%20Tour">The Dark Side of the Moon Tour 1973</a>
A spoken interlude is also present. The lyrics of the song refer to vampires and werewolves: "Run run her kiss is a vampire grin/The moon lights her way while she's howlin' at him". Gaga explained that the lines were means of expressing how people rely on external motivations to cope with internal anxiety. "She doesn't feel free without the moon," Gaga said. "These lyrics are a way for me to talk about how I believe women and some men feel innately insecure about themselves all the time. It's not sometimes, it's not in adolescence, it's always." The spoken interlude refers to famous people who met with a tragic end of their lives, namely Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Sylvia Plath, JonBenét Ramsey, Liberace, Jesus, Stanley Kubrick, and Princess Diana.
Dance in the Dark | Recording and composition
The single version was leased on Dot Records and issued in March 1957. "Dark Moon" peaked at #14 on the "Billboard" Hot Country Singles chart and became a top 10 hit on the "Billboard" Hot 100, reaching #6. The single was Guitar's first major hit as a musical artist.
Dark Moon (song) | Bonnie Guitar version
Cook wrote the song during the bombing of Baghdad in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Alden emphasized that it was a war song, not a protest song. Comparing the lyrics to Glen Campbell's 1969 single "Galveston", author Alice Randall and songwriters Carter and Courtney Little believed the song asks the listener a moral question: "Can war and love exist in the same heart?" Along with love songs, "This Side of the Moon" explores Cook's experience with Warner Bros., specifically with "Funny Side of Love", "Here's to You", and "Hard-Hearted". She uses humor in "Funny Side of Love" to cope with her feelings of "disappointment and sense of lost opportunity" after leaving Warner Bros.
This Side of the Moon | Lyrics
As of September 2006 Fahl completed the recording of "From the Dark Side of the Moon," produced by Mark Doyle and David Werner and mixed by Bob Clearmountain. Doyle also provided nearly all of the instrumentation. The album is a song-by-song "re-imagining" of Pink Floyd's classic album "The Dark Side of the Moon". Advance copies were not sent out, and the album remained unreleased for several years after V2 Records went out of business right before her release. Fahl self-released the album on May 10, 2011. Publication "Nippertown" referred to the album as "mindblowing," while "The Morton Report" called it "brilliant" and "a worthy re-interpretation not to be missed."
Mary Fahl | "From the Dark Side of the Moon" (2011)
The album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, in two sessions, between May 1972 and January 1973. The band were assigned staff engineer Alan Parsons, who had worked as assistant tape operator on their album "Atom Heart Mother" and gained experience as a recording engineer on the Beatles' "Abbey Road" and "Let It Be". The recording sessions made use of advanced studio techniques; the studio was capable of 16-track mixes, which offered a greater degree of flexibility than the eight- or four-track mixes Pink Floyd had previously used, although they often used so many tracks that to make more space available second-generation copies were made.
The Dark Side of the Moon | Recording
The album was released physically on vinyl and CD in 2010. In 2010, the band performed "I Can Be a Frog" on the Nick Jr. television series Yo Gabba Gabba.
The Flaming Lips | "Embryonic" and "Dark Side of the Moon" (2009)