5 “The Dark Side Of The Moon” Stories That Will Surprise You

Pink Floyd went from psychedelic cult favorites to international rock stars with their 1973 masterpiece, The Dark Side of the Moon. Although its eerie soundscapes and recognizable prism cover are legendary, the backstage stories give this classic even more nuance.

Clare Torry’s Uncredited Contribution

One of the most memorable parts of the record is the heartfelt, wordless scream on “The Great Gig in the Sky.” Clare Torry, the session vocalist who improvised that soaring vocal, received a small payment for her services. Decades later, realizing the significance of her contribution, Torry sued for co-authorship. In 2004, she reached a settlement with Pink Floyd and EMI, and all releases since then credit the song to “Wright/Torry”.

The Abandoned ‘Household Objects’ Project

After the success of Dark Side, Pink Floyd considered an experimental follow-up: an album made entirely from everyday household sounds. Known as “Household Objects,” the project used objects such as rubber bands and wine glasses to make music. Despite their best attempts, the band felt that the concept was too restrictive and ultimately abandoned it in favor of more conventional instruments.

‘Us and Them’—From Rejection to Classic

The sorrowful tone of “Us and Them” is based on Richard Wright’s composition “The Violent Sequence,” which was written for Michelangelo Antonioni’s Zabriskie Point. Antonioni rejected it, deeming it “too sad.” The band later revisited the composition, added lyrics by Roger Waters, and transformed it into one of Dark Side’s standout tracks.

The Voices Behind the Madness

Waters did interviews with different people at Abbey Road Studios and asked them tough questions to catch the album’s themes of mental instability. Paul McCartney was one of the people who were asked. But Waters said that McCartney’s answers were left out because he was “trying to be funny,” which didn’t fit with the tone of the record. Conversely, Henry McCullough, guitarist for Wings, made the cut with his candid remarks.

A Nod to Syd Barrett

The penultimate track, “Brain Damage,” explores themes of insanity and includes the lyric, “And if the band you’re in starts playing different tunes.” The original frontman of Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett, whose mental health issues caused him to leave the band, is commonly thought to be referenced in this. Roger Waters has admitted that the song expresses his sense of similarity to Barrett’s mental condition.

There are stories of imagination, experimentation, and personal tributes all over The Dark Side of the Moon. These behind-the-scenes stories help us understand a record that people are still talking about decades after it came out.