Dark side of the moon.

I'm going to be very honest with you. Classic album or not, I'm not a huge fan. I like it yeah, but it doesn't give me the satisfaction I get when putting on Skid Row's self titled and that first note of Big guns hits. Before you attack me again, this is a matter of opinion not slandering a band. I wouldn't dare. It's Pink Floyd we're talking about after all.

But there are certain things about this album that I find fascinating. ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' was an expression of political, philosophical, humanitarian empathy that was desperate to get out." is what Roger Waters said about this album. The lyrics are about greed, conflict, mortality, mental illness and religion, which I believe is a huge deal for an album released in 1973. It was recorded at London's Abbey Road Studios between May 1972 and January 1973 and it still till today holds the record for the most weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. Over 800 weeks! How amazing is that? I was reading about estimated copies sold worldwide just the other day, we're talking about over 45 millions though that means little when you look at the actual artistic legacy which let's be honest is far greater.

I think Neal Schon of Journey described this album perfectly. He said that a double eclipse is an extremly rare phenomenon that happens every 20 000 years, where during a legendary lunar or solar eclipse the moon will pass in front of the sun twice in the same day. Which also connects to the albums name, Dark side of the moon, they saw it as a phenomenon that's why they chose that name. Have you ever asked yourself though what kind of an album deserves to be on this throne? Holding the title of ''extremly rare'' like the double eclipse? I mean imagine the expectations it would have to meet...it's very ambitious if you ask me, setting out to make an album like that. What kind of an masterpiece does it have to be to be so influentual and amazing that every man, woman, child and even their pets would know the title? Do you think there really is an album like that out there? I know everyone would chose a different album for this title, let's be honest, I would of pick Bruce, but just because he changed my life doesn't mean he changed the entire world. So no, I don't think there's an album like that out there but I believe some come close and this one is definatelly one of them.

Depression and mental illness and insanity none the less are a horrible thing, horrible, horrible thing. It turns your own mind into your worst enemy, makes you distant from your family, from everything around you, from the world really. And when you're alone it makes everything even worse. You're completly disconected and all the static in your head is screaming at you making you feel like you're going crazy. It makes you paranoid, anxious, afraid...being alone and disconected is like being in your own world, completly unaware of your surroundings and the fact that Pink Floyd know how to paint that picture is amazing.

All that aside let's focus on what is really extraordinary on this album. The instrumental parts of the album. Gilmour is amazing no arguing here. For the time, the 70's when this album was recorded and released the music is years ahead. The electronic entry of On the run and then the melodies of Any color you like...and all that combined with Gilmour who really outdid himself and Waters and Mason and of course Wright god rest his soul, they all showed off their talents here and it payed of because put together like that...it's pretty much mindblowing.

What I believe really turned this album into this iconic thing that it is now are the lyrics. It starts with Speak to me, 90 seconds long intro that sets this whole psychedelic mood of the album perfectly. I find this intro really mesmerizing, so many sound effects, the manical laughter which is one of my favorite parts ha ha and the ''speech'', "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us are".

Then there's Breathe, starting with "For long you live and high you fly, and smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry", gentle song with a melodic bass like and soft drumming, echo guitar and electric piano. Beautiful song but esentially about paranoia ''Run, run rabbit run. Dig that hole, forget that sun. And when at last the work is done, don't sit down, it's time to dig another one''. Still, a great song. As well as On the run and Time, Time is especially great, I really like the alarm sounds and chimes and the whole bluesy guitars and the lyric ''hanging on in a quiet desperation is the English way''. Not just the English way to be fair...

"The great gig in the sky" built around a piano, you know they originally wanted to title it ''The mortality sequence'' or ''Religious theme''? I read somewhere that the very early live versions of this song incorporated recorded Bible readings. I honestly love this song most because of the title, no musician ever really dies they just go play ''the great gig in the sky'' right?

And then you've got ''Money'' which is probably the most famous Pink Floyd song. If none other this song everyone should know, it's the only song from this album that was featured on the Billboard hot 100. I think it was somewhere in the top 20 when the album came out. The bluesy bass line and an epic guitar solo combined with a saxophone by Dick Parry and the lyrics about capitalism and greed and quite honestly human nature of always wanting more no matter how much we've got. The selfish, greedy nature. ''Money it's a crime. Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie".

This album also features songs, Us and them about dealing with a split personality and the rest of the world during war, Any color you like, Brain damage and Eclipse. Now the last two are the ones that somehow had most impact on me. Brain damage was inspired by Syd Barrett's mental breakdown, originally called the Lunatic song includes a lyric ''I'll see you on the dark side of the moon'' which is aparently about being different and defending it, being proud of it, so Waters said anyways. And then there's the last song Eclipse, maybe it should be called Brain damage part 2. "All that you give... deal, buy, steal, create, destroy, eat, meet, slight, fight ... is in tune. But the sun is eclipsed by the moon."? "There is no dark side of the moon really. As a matter of fact it's all dark.". Plot twist much? What on earth does that mean then? Nothing? Everything? Was everything just a lie? Is that the whole point? To throw you in for a spin? Confuse you? Make you question everything? Show you that in reality there's no dark parts of your mind, instead everything is dark. I suppose that's what's the most brilliant part of this album.

Each song with the lyrics paints a picture, instrumental parts aside it creates a storm of emotions, probably even stronger for those actually dealing with such isues. I like to think of the album as just one really long song, divided into parts, kinda like Green day's Jesus of Suburbia.

Now to my problems, oh yes I have a couple. First one being you need patience to let the album grow on you. I have to admit when I finally got my hands on it and played it for the first time I was severly disappointed. After all the hype and talk about it I expected it will blow my mind the very first second instead someone asked me if my record player died and that is why it's making such weird noises. I don't blame them really. It took me a long time to even get through the side A of the album. I was bored, I wasn't paying attention to the lyrics because the vocals didn't impress me, they seemed rather dull, missing that power, that energy, that they usually had. I'd say it's kinda like life it's not about the destination but about the journey, so if you make it through the journey you won't be disappointed in the end.

I can't say what I usually say ''go get it you'll love it''. It doesn't work like that with this album, you either love it or you hate it, no other option. Well maybe there is a little gray area in between since I don't hate it but I don't love it either. However if you're a collector, if you value music, if you're just a music lover like me then this album shouldn't be missing in your collection nevermind if you love it or not. It is an iconic piece of musical history and an album that started a revolution, and was crowned by many people as the greatest album of all time. Not. I have yet to find an album that will amaze me so much to even consider calling it the best record of all times. Even if Springsteen's Wrecking ball came pretty close to it. For me at least.