“The Dark Side of the Moon” was released by Pink Floyd in March of 1973. It has become one of the most popular rock albums ever and is one of my personal favorites. The title of the album is a metaphor for the darkness on the other side of the moon that we cannot see. The moon itself is a metaphor of our choice to decide whether we want to reflect the light and back onto the world or whether we want to reflect darkness on the world. I also want to talk about the album cover, which is widely recognizable and often associated with the rock band, Pink Floyd, themselves. Although there are many interpretations of what the prism means, I think that its meaning aligns with the lyrics and overall message of the album. The white streak heading into the prism is a symbol for the start of life, and the rainbow on the other side represents all of the paths and choices we make in life. Before I get into the meaning of the album, I want to note that similar to the other albums I have analyzed, there are many interpretations of this album and below is my own interpretation. Simply put, this album is about life and how to live it.

The album starts off with a heartbeat in the first song, Speak to Me, and continues into other sounds such as a clock ticking and a cash register (used again in later songs) symbolizing the beginning of life. In the next song, Breathe, two different lifestyle choices are introduced to the new human being: 1- the person who follows what they are told and 2- the person who creates their own path. The song describes a rabbit with the lyrics, “run, rabbit, run, dig that hole, forget the sun, when at last the work is done, don’t sit down, it’s time to dig another one”. This rabbit symbolizes the first lifestyle. In contrast, the second lifestyle is represented by the lyrics, “don’t be afraid to care, look around, choose your own ground”. The next song, On the Run, is about the stressful moments in life, demonstrated my the fast-paced instrumentals. It goes into Time (my favorite song on the album), which is a story about not wasting your life and being full of regret, but instead choosing your own path. It is a meant to be wake up call to all listeners. Next, the song, The Great Gig in the Sky, shows contrasting views on death, some people being afraid of it and others not.

The next song, Money, discusses the illusion of a successful live as a result of a good job, excessive material items, and wealth in general. It also talks about the negative effects of money on society with the lyrics, “money, so they say, is the root of all evil today”. Money continues into the next song, Us and Them (my second favorite song on the album), which discusses fighting about differing opinions with the lyrics, “black and blue, and who knows which is which and who is who”. It describes how although there may be vastly different sides, finding a compromise is still possible. Brain Damage focuses on the thoughts that go on inside your head and how sometimes it can make you insane. The last song in the album, Eclipse, concludes the album with a metaphor through the lyrics, “and everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon”. The sun represents the human experience that is mostly good, but it is eclipsed by the moon- representing the darkness and destructive ideas. There will always be the dark side of the moon. Just as it started, the album ends with a heartbeat that slowly gets softer, symbolizing death.

Keep in mind that this album was made in 1973. Although that was about 50 years ago, the philosophical ideas in life are still relevant today. Highly recommend giving the album a listen if you haven’t already- it is truly amazing.