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From album
p·u·l·s·e
Pink Floyd · 1995 · Track 7
Details
Duración7:52
Álbump·u·l·s·e
Año1995
ISRCGBN9Y1100082
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The story behind
The song Us and Them, by Pink Floyd, is a thought-provoking piece, lasting almost eight minutes, making it the longest track on the album The Dark Side of the Moon. Its sound is distinguished by a chord progression uncommon in seventies rock, with jazz influences, and the presence of two saxophone solos performed by Dick Parry. The piece begins with the harmonies of the Hammond organ and the piano of Richard Wright, who also contributes a short solo. In its central part, a brief dialogue from roadie Roger "The Hat" Manifold can be heard.
The basis of this composition originated in 1969, when Richard Wright conceived it on the piano for the film Zabriskie Point, under the title The Violent Sequence. In its initial instrumental form, it only featured piano and bass. Director Michelangelo Antonioni rejected it, arguing that it was too melancholic and evoked church-like sensations. After being discarded, the piece remained stored until the recording of The Dark Side of the Moon. The lyrics, written by Roger Waters, address themes such as the futility of war, the lack of human empathy in the face of consumerism and materialism, and discrimination. The version released as a single in the United States in March 1974 reached number 72 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart. Later, in 2001, it was included in the compilation album Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd, albeit with a particular edit at its end. The recording took place between June 1972 and January 1973 at EMI Studios in London, with production by Pink Floyd and recording engineering by Peter James and Alan Parsons.