Description
Pink Floyd – The Dark Side Of The Moon / Pop Classic / Euroton Audio CD / EUCD-0012
UPC 5998490700126
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 health 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 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 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 is among the most critically acclaimed records in history, often featuring on professional listings of the greatest albums. The record helped to propel Pink Floyd to international fame, bringing wealth and recognition to all four of its members. It has been certified 14× platinum in the United Kingdom, and topped the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart, where it has charted for 950 weeks in total. With estimated sales of over 45 million copies, it is Pink Floyd's most commercially successful album, and one of the best-selling albums worldwide. In 2013, it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Tracklist:
| 1 | Speak To Me | 1:06 |
| 2 | Breathe | 2:45 |
| 3 | On The Run | 3:35 |
| 4 | Time | 7:05 |
| 5 | The Great Gig In The Sky |
4:47 |
| 6 | Money | 6:24 |
| 7 | Us And Them | 7:50 |
| 8 | Any Colour You Like | 3:26 |
| 9 | Brain Damage | 3:51 |
| 10 |
Eclipse | 2:01 |
|
Bonus Tracks: |
||
| 11 | Julia Dreams | 2:39 |
| 12 | Biding My Time | 5:20 |
| 13 | Cirrus Minor | 5:20 |
Pink Floyd
- David Gilmour – vocals, guitars, Synthi AKS
- Nick Mason – drums, percussion, tape effects
- Richard Wright – organ (Hammond and Farfisa), piano, electric piano (Wurlitzer, Rhodes), EMS VCS 3, Synthi AKS, vocals
- Roger Waters – bass guitar, vocals, VCS 3, tape effects
Additional musicians
- Dick Parry – saxophone on "Us and Them" and "Money"
- Clare Torry – vocals on "The Great Gig in the Sky"
- Doris Troy – backing vocals
- Lesley Duncan – backing vocals
- Liza Strike – backing vocals
- Barry St. John – backing vocals
