Fifty Years Of “The Dark Side Of The Moon!”
An album of history-making importance – Pink Floyd’s seminal “The Dark Side Of The Moon” is turning 50!
What was supposed to be a celebration has become a stupid controversy showing just how polarized we are – it all began with this logo:
It’s to honor the upcoming 50th anniversary of this classic album…but it ignited a huge social media controversy because of the rainbow used inside of the zero!
My friend, who publishes a terrific blog called “In Saner Thought”, explains:
What should’ve been an exciting time for Floyd fans to join together to celebrate the album, however, turned into an online battle, as some who’d apparently forgotten about the original cover art started accusing the band of suddenly becoming “woke” by using the rainbow, often seen as a symbol of gay pride, to promote LGBTQ rights, per USA Today. “Lose the rainbow, you’re making yourself look stupid,” one commenter wrote, as seen in a viral screenshot now circulating. “Just another band pandering,” noted another. Some even noted they wouldn’t be listening to Pink Floyd anymore because of the logo update.
So, let all that sink in as you take a look at the original album cover…and now, let’s continue to break down this ridiculous controversy:
Louder reports that other fans soon came to the rescue to educate these “less enlightened” detractors. “Boycotting Pink Floyd (as if it would matter) because you don’t understand prisms and can’t remember the original cover is beyond parody,” one person wrote. Still others came just to watch the comments fly back and forth. One of the most popular remarks: “Man, some people took ‘we don’t need no education’ too seriously.”
That’s right: these “protesters” failed to understand that the 50th anniversary logo is simply an homage to the artwork on the original album cover!
It is so sad that we live in these times, for two reasons: first, that this would even be a “controversy” at all and two, what would be wrong for their logo to incorporate an “inclusive” message if they wanted to?
Instead, let’s look at the real Pink Floyd controversy!
Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Rainbow!”
Yes, Pink Floyd created “The Dark Side Of The Moon” as a soundtrack to this classic movie! Here’s what has been reported:
Dark Side of the Rainbow – also known as Dark Side of Oz or The Wizard of Floyd – is the pairing of the 1973 Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon with the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. This produces moments of apparent synchronicity where the film and the album appear to correspond.
This bizarre idea was first put forward in 1995 via an article published in The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette and has since attracted many converts – so much so that some TV stations even used to give an option to have “Dark Side of the Moon” playing instead of the movie’s original score. However, Waters was quick to dispel the whole concept, as he said (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar):
“[Laughs] It’s bullshit. Of course it is. I mean, it may not be. It may be that if you do what they say – but has nothing to do with us, any of us. Nothing to do with anyone in Pink Floyd, or anyone who wrote or recorded any of the music. It’s something that somebody thinks. So, it’s a coincidence… And maybe it’s [with exaggerated awe] cosmic coincidence.”
OK, let’s finish this with something to put a smile on your face…a gorgeous video created to the title track – hauntingly beautiful music from Pink Floyd:
Time to celebrate Pink Floyd…one of rock’s greatest bands, with a history of timeless music like “The Wall”:
And of course, there is also “Wish You Were Here”, with one of their most iconic album covers:
And then there is also one of their most introspective works, “Animals”…and again, an iconic album cover that involved floating a giant inflatable pig over a factory in England…
Pink Floyd’s Seminal Achievement!
But without a doubt, Pink Floyd’s greatest achievement has also become a tantalizing mystery: but first, imagine how excited Pink Floyd was to record their seminal masterpiece, “Dark Side Of The Moon” at the iconic Abbey Road studios!
Time to jump up and down, just like Pink Floyd, to celebrate one of rock’s masterpieces:
50 years ago Pink Floyd released The Dark Side of the Moon. It remained on the US charts from 1973 to 1988, longer than any other album in history.
Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon” is not only a timeless piece of music – it introduced an iconic musical image that has lasted ever since!
When “Dark Side Of The Moon” was released, Pink Floyd was a popular, but not hugely successful band. The idea that this album would become one of the biggest selling albums in history wasn’t assured at all. In fact, Guitarist David Gilmour had a bet with manager Steve O’Rourke that the album wouldn’t crack the US top 10! He lost the bet when the album hit number one on the US charts!
Bring On The Guinness Book Of World Records!
Among the album’s many other records, “Dark Side Of The Moon” is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for being on the record charts longer than any other album in history – 591 consecutive weeks or 11.4 years in Billboard’s top 200!
Yes, more than eleven years on the record charts!
Time For Some Pink Floyd Trivia!
There are a number of great stories about this album. The original title for the album was “Eclipse (A Piece for Assorted Lunatics)”. Before the album was released, the band changed their mind and the title was renamed – and then they found out there was a problem…
The band discovered that the progressive folk rock act Medicine Head had released an album with the title of “Dark Side of the Moon” just a year earlier! After a brief discussion, they decided that, since the Medicine Head release wasn’t successful, they would go ahead with their plans to use the name.
A “Dark Side” Rush Job!
Did you know that the music and lyrics for the entire album were written during a seven week period? The band were preparing for a tour at the time, and they desperately wanted to showcase new material!
Listen Closely…
There are a number of spoken word elements to “Dark Side Of The Moon”, and there are some famous voices buried on the album…cue Cards with generic questions were written up by lead singer Roger Waters and given to roadies, anyone at Abbey Road, doormen, and members of Wings including Paul and Linda McCartney!
Approximately 20 questions were asked along the lines of, “Are you afraid of dying?”. “When was the last time you were violent and were you in the right?”, and “What does the phrase ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ mean to you?” Wings’ guitarist Henry McColluch said “I don’t know I was really drunk at the time” in response to the question about violent behaviour, and you clearly hear it at the fade out of “Money”.
The “stoned” laughter used in the background of “Speak to Me” and “Brain Damage” is from Peter Watts, a road manager for Pink Floyd pictured on the back of the “Ummagumma” sleeve.
Pink Floyd Walk Abbey Road!
Yes, the album was recorded at the London studio made famous for all time by The Beatles. Here is a photo of the band recording “Dark Side Of The Moon” at Abbey Road!
Yep, Pink Floyd walked in the steps of the Fab Four when they recorded in London’s iconic Abbey Road studios…and they met The Beatles there as well…check out this picture…
The album cover to The Beatles “Abbey Road” is probably one of the most iconic in music history, as is “Dark Side Of The Moon”…here’s a classic Beatles outtake from their photo shoot…
“Dark Side Of The Moon” was recorded at Abbey Road using state of the art 16-track equipment. Roger Waters created tape loops for the rhythmic chiming of the sound effects for the hit single “Money”.
“Bring Me A Ruler, I’m Making Music!”
Due to the technology of the time, making tape loops meant physically cutting and mending bits of tape together in precise measurements using a ruler and feeding these manually into a tape machine for duplication! Yes, they used a ruler to measure out the music!
Monty Python’s Role In “Dark Side Of The Moon!”
Yes, the famous british comedy troupe Monty Python were part of Pink Floyd’s recording as well! Studio time would be typically interrupted for Monty Python television broadcasts. In fact, Pink Floyd were such Python fans that they used some of the money they made from the initial success of the album to help fund Monty Python’s The Holy Grail film.
The design of the inner spread of the gatefold, featuring the spectrum heartbeat, echoing the audio heartbeat at the beginning of the album, was an idea from Roger Waters.
“Us and Them” was originally written by Richard Wright in 1969 as an instrumental piano solo intended for use in Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Zabriskie Point” film which the band had been commissioned to score.
The piece, then known as The Violent Sequence, was to be used over slow-motion scenes of student / police riots at UCLA. It was rejected for the film and resurrected for Dark Side after Waters penned the lyrics. Tapes exist of the band performing it as The Violent Sequence early in 1970.
“Us And Them” Live From 1974!
Here is a great live performance of “Us And Them” from Bristol, England in 1974…
“Us And Them” is one of the most beautiful ballads ever written. An absolutely gorgeous piano-only demo of “Us And Them” is included on the special edition release of the CD…
Now, back to the “Wizard Of Oz” controversy. Band member David Gilmour denied the album was intentionally written to be synchronized with the film, saying:
“Some guy with too much time on his hands had this idea of combining Wizard of Oz with Dark Side of the Moon.”
That being said, it has become one of rock’s most fabled conspiracy theories, right up there with The Beatles famous “Paul Is Dead!” scandal…and here is a video that shows how one sequence seems to sync up…
Ah, to have too much time on ones hands indeed!
Yes, The Beatles recorded at Abbey Road studios as well, but did you know there is an incredible documentary about their Secretary?
This terrific documentary shows her relationship with the Fabo Four and her crucial role in their success!
Click here to see the trailer:
So there you have it, the story of Pink Floyd in words and music!
If you enjoy these posts, why not subscribe and never miss out? It’s easy, and there are NO ads of any kind, just stuff I like…click on the main page and “follow” me on the upper right…
If you like the story, share it with friends on social media! Thanks!
Categories: 70's Cinema, 70's Music, Art, Books / Media, Classic Rock, Cult Movies, London, Music, Pop Culture, Talent/Celebrities, The Beatles
johnrieber 
Hi John, I do like Pink Floyd, but I’ve never seen that Wizard of Oz merging before.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s probably nothing more than an interesting coincidence, but it does sync up strangely at times! Thanks for your comment!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ – it’s one of my favourites. I can’t believe it’s 50 years old! Probably those who are kicking up so much fuss about the 50th anniversary banner have never even seen the original cover or played the album. It seems everyone is offended these days by one thing or another.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are right on both counts Stevie! Thank you for commenting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
sheer idiocy. one of my highlight concerts of my life was seeing that album performed when it came out, the lights and prisms were a huge part of the show. p.s. loved good ‘ol freeda, too
LikeLike
People, You’re missing the big picture, the music! The rainbow is beautiful and has many meanings.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And as I said in the story, the idea of an image that is meant to respect and support equality and inclusion isn’t bad – EVER. But still, they didn’t even realize it was from the original album cover art!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly!! What a shame people didn’t realize.
LikeLike
Whoa! I had never heard about all the “controversy” surrounding the cover. I get the feeling that some people lie in wait so that they can find things to complain about. I did recall the lengthy run of success that The Dark Side of the Moon had.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, sadly it was a completely pointless “controversy” when it should be about the music of course! Thanks for commenting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
An excellent post – both witty and informative and I like to think I know my Floyd trivia 😉 As you say, one of the all time great albums and I also echo your thoughts about the sad sanctimonious judgemental fools who got on their high horses without even knowing what the album cover actually looked like! 🙄🙄
LikeLiked by 1 person
It made me ask “Alexa” to play a variety of PF albums, like this one, “Animals” and “A Momentary Lapse Of Reason” and “The Division Bell!”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha good! They are the only band that I went to see in concert on consecutive nights! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
John, I was never a fan of Pink Floyd. They were too self-indulgent for me.
But all this fuss about the ‘rainbow’ image is simply just so much nonsense, in my opinion.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
A fantastic post, John, for one of my all-time favourite albums. This was part of the soundtrack to my uni days and I still enjoy it now. Though I have to say I think I might prefer Wish You Were Here! Some great stories and background here.
LikeLike