Home · Songs · Pink Floyd · Money
From album
The Dark Side of the Moon
Pink Floyd · 1973 · Track 5
Details
TonalidadBm
Compás4/4
Tempo129 BPM
Duración6:20
ÁlbumThe Dark Side of the Moon
Año1973
ISRCGBN9Y1100081
If you like this, try
The story behind
The first thing that catches the eye in Pink Floyd's Money is its rhythm. The song kicks off with a pattern of money sound effects, like the jingle of a cash register and the sound of coins, which set a seven-beat tempo. This sonic loop, created from Roger Waters' recordings in a makeshift studio in his garden shed, not only establishes the pulse but is also heard intermittently throughout the piece. The composition is based on the twelve-bar blues structure, but with unusual twists. Much of the song unfolds in a 7/4 time signature, a choice Waters made to give it a more "bluesy" feel. However, there's a key moment where the music drastically shifts to 4/4 time to make way for an extensive guitar solo, before returning to a 7/8 rhythm and finishing in 4/4. The lyrics, written by Waters, aim to reflect the irony and criticize the power of money and the capitalist system, exploring the contradiction between his ideals and the desire for material possessions.
The recording of Money took place between June 6, 1972, and January 19, 1973, at EMI studios in London, which we know today as Abbey Road Studios. This song, part of the album The Dark Side of the Moon, was written by Roger Waters and occupied the beginning of the B-side of the original vinyl. Its release as a single marked Pink Floyd's first major success in the United States, reaching number 10 in Cash Box magazine and number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album itself, conceived as a concept about the band's life pressures and Syd Barrett's mental health issues, developed during live performances and was recorded in two sessions. The album's production was handled by Pink Floyd, with Alan Parsons and Peter James as recording engineers and Chris Thomas on mixing. The song has been performed on numerous tours since 1972, and both David Gilmour and Waters have included it in their solo shows, with re-recordings by both in 1981 and 2023 respectively.
0:00