The Great Gig In The Sky

And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear
And if the band you’re in starts playing different tunes
I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon

Yep. I got that Pink Floyd record! Ha! That sister of mine hasn’t even mentioned anything, so I guess the Bundy and Coke must have addled her brain on Christmas day and she’s forgotten that “rock off”. Oh well. She loses. And I win. I have listened to parts of this record many times before, but never on vinyl. I still think music sounds better on vinyl.

Well...how do I best describe The Dark Side of The Moon? It’s kind of like a movie soundtrack to someone’s life, going through different moods and phases of person’s being. It’s an explosion of sound. A smorgasbord of special effects, complete with the ka-ching of a cash register at the beginning of Money. It’s a bit of a cynical record really and depressing at times. Maybe it’s just too truthful for a dreamer like me! It touches on a many themes though, and every song has a poignant message that leaps out at you and pokes you in the eye surreptitiously.

Money is a tongue-in-cheek jeer at the greediness of society. Time is a slightly depressing glance at a life wasted away...a reminder that now is as good a time as any to do the things you keep saying you are going to do. The Great Gig in the Sky is a poetic metaphor for death... and a brilliant piece of music to boot, even with its vocals that are a little like a monkey wailing in pain. I know I’m probably going to be beaten with a stick by Floyd lovers for saying that, but come on!! It’s true! And its okay, it’s on the song about dying...it supposed to sound like someone, or something, crying in agony. Anyway I like it. In a strange way.

I think my favourite part of the record though, is Brain Damage. The song is actually about guitarist Syd Barrett’s mental breakdown but is somehow quite a facetious, and not very politically correct jesting of nutcases the world over. You can’t help but giggle at the opening line “the lunatic is on the grass” ha ha. Just in case you’ve no idea what I’m on about...check this out.



So that’s The Dark Side of the Moon. Sometimes satirical and jaded, yet the wall of sound every song provides is awe inspiring and actually quite uplifting. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up from Ms Beret. Then again, it is the third highest selling album of all time – a cool 45 million copies in case you wondered – so enthusiasm and thumbs up are to be expected!

The only disappointment is the fact that this record (and a few others) are pretty bloody dirty and marked and the record skipped a few times as a result. But my record cleaning kit is in the post, as is my enormous box of plastic LP record sleeves so I can make all my records pristine and protect them in true ‘wanky record collector’ form. :D

Happy Happy Joy Joy.

In my next installment I will be rabbiting on about Elvis Costello, cause he is cool and cause my awesomely talented friend Gerard Masters reminds me of him, somewhat. Unsurprisingly, Gerard was very pleased with that comparison! And I'm going to very unabashedly plug him and tell you all to check him out cause if I have anything to do with it, you'll all be hearing him on the radio this year!

Until then, see you round like a fruit loop,

Raspberry Beret Xx