what are our thoughts on Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" (March 1973)?

[TonyJZX]

with the 50th coming and the current 'woke accusations' (!!!) I just listened to this today at work... one thing I do like is that because its a short sharp shock then you can listen to it quite often and it never outstays its welcome... unlike Hotel California where you can never leave...

i think dark side never seems to get stale

of course there's a million versions up to 24/192 and surround and wu tang collabs

 

[Soria Moria]

Well made and well recorded album. Makes me wonder how King Crimson would have sounded if they had the same producer.

 

[voodooless]

Loudness wise, it looks like the album didn't suffer too much over the years:

Album list - Dynamic Range DB

I wonder what the new version will do. I'm afraid they fucked it up, just like Delicate Sound of Thunder.

 

[Vacceo]

Everything under the Sun is in tune, but the Sun is eclipsed by the Moon...

Some of the most inspired lyrics in all of Pink Floyd´s discography. Good enough to stand the test of time and stay relevant even decades after release.

 

[Ron Party]

Well made and well recorded album. Makes me wonder how King Crimson would have sounded if they had the same producer.

As well as Genesis and so many others...

 

[fpitas]

There is no dark side in the moon, really. Matter of fact, it's all dark. The only thing that makes it look light is the sun.

 

[DSJR]

'...And then one day I found, fifty years had got behind me, No-one told me when to run, (and) I (nearly) missed the starting gun...'



I got to really know this album from a Dolby A master tape copy we used for dems back then (when the Crown D Series amps and hybrid speakers they made, BIG JBL, AR LST's and IMF Pro Monitor TL speakers were the high end) and it used to send shivers down the spine. Great classic album and important in the audiophile sensibilities of peeps a certain age

 

[Vacceo]

'...And then one day I found, fifty years had got behind me, No-one told me when to run, (and) I (nearly) missed the starting gun...'



I got to really know this album from a Dolby A master tape copy we used for dems back then (when the Crown D Series amps and hybrid speakers they made, BIG JBL, AR LST's and IMF Pro Monitor TL speakers were the high end) and it used to send shivers down the spine. Great classic album and important in the audiophile sensibilities of peeps a certain age

I´m probably far younger than you and it also sends shivers down my spine. Dark Side, and perhaps Wish You Where Here are the albums that almost make my father present again.

 

[mglobe]

I saw them at Blossom Music Center in the summer of 1973. A car accident, followed by hitchhiking to the venue got us there slightly late. The pings from Echos, which is my all time favorite PF cut were playing as we crested the hill to the amphitheater. Every facet of the Dark Side album stands the test of time.

 

[ZolaIII]

The end of the real Pink Floyd's. Actually liked Live At Pompey the most.

 

[ryanosaur]

In my book it is still (and will likely continue to be) one of the best albums ever put together; truly a seminal work and the high point in 'Floyd's process of long form concept albums. Musically, the band was at their most creative for this effort. Not to take away from the other amazing works they put out from Meddle through Animals and The Wall, but the cohesive effect and staying power of Dark Side really trumps the others, IMO.

 

[DSJR]

I really need to play Animals again, as it took a little longer for my then young life to properly understand but again, their perceptions on 'life' were spot on and appreciation has grown with the passing years...

 

[Vacceo]

I really need to play Animals again, as it took a little longer for my then young life to properly understand but again, their perceptions on 'life' were spot on and appreciation has grown with the passing years...

That album also has some genius lyrics on Pigs Three Different Ones.

 

[ryanosaur]

I really need to play Animals again, as it took a little longer for my then young life to properly understand but again, their perceptions on 'life' were spot on and appreciation has grown with the passing years...

The interesting thing for me in Animals, and really going back to Money in DSOTM, is the growing influence of Water's politics starting to come out more in their songs; lyrics. While many of the other common thematic material is still present... it's his angle that starts to take over, becoming more and more ascendant until by Wall and Final Cut it's almost exclusively about him.

Still excellent work... But with Animals, Pigs (Three Different Ones) and Sheep it gets pretty cutting. From Animals, Dogs is still my favorite cut, followed by Sheep. As a whole, still a stunning album!

That album also has some genius lyrics on Pigs Three Different Ones.

I was always amazed at the "psalm" worked into Sheep, but you are absolutley right about the genius approach Waters had to his cutting commentary in Pigs (3...).

 

[dshreter]

The Strong Songs podcast has an excellent analysis of the album. Worth a listen for sure by any fan of the album.

Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon | Strong Songs: A Podcast About Music

For the 100th episode of Strong Songs, Kirk takes a deep dive into one of the most famous concept albums ever recorded. Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the...

strongsongspodcast.com

 

[Inner Space]

A fabulous album. Over 50 years, I must have spent hundreds - possibly thousands - of hours thrilling to it. An interesting commercial side note: it had an amazing number of repeat buys by the same individuals. Its 1973 release coincided with the beginning of the consumer hifi boom, and people would buy a fresh copy whenever they upgraded, to use as a test or demo disc. Back then, "upgrade" meant "more bass", and the heartbeat thump was the go-to sensation.

 

[mglobe]

The end of the real Pink Floyd's. Actually liked Live At Pompey the most.

I’m a huge fan of Meddle. Love Dark Side, and I think it’s a masterpiece. But it was for me the beginning of the end.

 

[Balle Clorin]

DSOTM always reminds of me of when I was playing ”Great gig in the sky” while making love to my girlfriend at the university, the song ended too early, not me…

 

[Open Mind Audio]

The 5.1 surround version from the 30th anniversary (2003) is one of the greatest surround sound albums for sure. Looks like they are reissuing that same version with the 50th anniversary, adding an Atmos mix. Can't see myself spending $290 for the new box set but love the album.

Top two Pink Floyd for me are DSOTM and Wish You Were Here, which also has an outstanding 5.1 mix. The excellence of the recording and audio quality in their overall work speaks to their incredible attention to detail and pursuit of perfection.

 

[AdamG]

One of, if not the greatest Albums of our generation. It was ahead of its time and had influence upon the Rock Genre from that moment on. It was unlike any music I had ever heard and remains a treasure for the ears.