Time

When one immerses oneself in Time, the first thing that catches the eye is the atmosphere created by the sound of clocks and alarms. It's not something that was recorded specifically for the song; it turns out that engineer Alan Parsons had been doing quadraphonic sound tests in an antique shop and captured those noises. When the band was working on Time, they heard those recordings and thought they were perfect for the intro. That idea of using ambient sounds, which were not planned for the music itself, gives it a very particular character. After that cascade of tick-tocks and chimes, a very marked rhythmic section enters, with Nick Mason leading with his roto-toms, and Roger Waters contributing a bass sound that simulates the tick-tock with muted strings. The song also has the particularity of being the only one on The Dark Side of the Moon where all four main members of Pink Floyd are credited as composers.

The lyrics, written by Roger Waters, reflect on how one often spends life preparing for the future, without realizing that time is already passing and one is already living that future. It is an awareness of taking control of one's own path. Musically, the song moves in the key of F sharp minor. During the verses, David Gilmour handles the lead vocals, while in the bridges, it is Richard Wright who takes the spotlight, accompanied by female backing vocals and Gilmour's harmony. The recording of The Dark Side of the Moon, which includes Time, took place between June 1972 and February 1973 at EMI Studios in London. For echo and delay effects, David Gilmour used a Lexicon PCM-70, seeking to replicate the sound of his old Binson equipment.