Money (Pink Floyd song)
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| "Money" | ||
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| Single by Pink Floyd | ||
| from the album The Dark Side of the Moon | ||
| Released | June 23rd, 1973 | |
| Genre | Progressive rock | |
| Length | 6:23 | |
| Label | Harvest, EMI (UK) Harvest, Capitol (US) |
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| Writer(s) | Waters | |
| Producer(s) | Pink Floyd | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Pink Floyd singles chronology | ||
| "Free Four" (1972) |
"Money" (1973) |
"Us and Them"/"Time" (1973) |
| The Dark Side of the Moon | ||
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| Tracks | ||
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"Money" is the sixth track[1] from British progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon. It is the only song on the album to hit the top 20 in the United States charts. On the original LP, it opened the second side of the album. It was written by Roger Waters.
Contents |
[edit] Credits
- David Gilmour - vocals, guitars, bass guitar
- Roger Waters - bass guitar
- Richard Wright - keyboards
- Nick Mason - drums
[edit] Composition
"Money" is notable for being mainly in a 7 beat time. As stated in the song's sheet music, the predominant time signature is in 7/4 (simple septuple). David Gilmour, the guitarist, states it as being 7/8 on the documentary, The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon. Most rock music is in 4/4, or common time, and most of the exceptions are in 3/4 or a similar triple meter. During the guitar solo the song changes to 4/4, then returns to 7/8, then ends in 4/4 again. This was done because David Gilmour thought it would be too complicated to write the solo in seven beat form. Critics have commented that the change in dynamic (maintaining tempo but changing from seven beats to the bar to 8 beats, making the song feel quicker) is one of the track's strengths.
[edit] History
The song was created in a makeshift recording studio Roger Waters had in his garden shed, and the original demo version was described by him as being "prissy and very English" as opposed to having the bluesy, transatlantic feel of the released version (this was stated in The Making of Dark Side of The Moon). Though credited solely to Waters, since he wrote the basic music and all the lyrics, it is very much a group effort; the instrumental jam was a collaborative effort from the band, Gilmour overseeing the time change and guitar solo, Dick Parry doing the sax solo, and Rick Wright and Nick Mason improvising their own parts. "Money" was re-recorded for the 1981 Pink Floyd album A Collection of Great Dance Songs because Capitol Records refused to license the track to Columbia Records in the US. As a result, David Gilmour re-recorded the track himself playing all of the drums, guitars, keyboards, bass guitar and vocals and co-producing the song with James Guthrie. Dick Parry played saxophone on the track like he did the original.
In the Pink Floyd reunion for Live 8 they performed "Money" along with "Breathe (with its reprise from "Time")," "Wish You Were Here" and "Comfortably Numb".
[edit] Trivia
- In the movie of The Wall, in the middle of "The Happiest Days of Our Lives," there is a short break in the music, during which comes a scene in the school - the teacher mocks Pink's poems. The part he reads out loud is actually the lyrics of "Money": "Money get back, I'm all right Jack, Keep your hands off of my stack. New Car, Caviar, Four-Star Daydream, Think I'll Buy Me A Football Team."
- The line "Don't give me that do goody-good bullshit." remained uncut by MTV, but "bullshit" does not appear on closed caption.
- Parts of the introduction to this song are used on the Dave Ramsey Show, which gives financial advice.
[edit] Alternative and Live versions
- Both P*U*L*S*E and a Delicate Sound Of Thunder CD and video feature live versions of the track. In the latter, the song is slightly elongated to encorporate a series of solos played on various instruments.
- Roger Waters' In the Flesh: Live features another live version being sung by Doyle Bramhall.
- On the compilation album, Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd, the song segues from Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun into Keep Talking.
[edit] Notes
- ^ The track number depends upon the edition of the album; some releases merge the two tracks "Speak to Me" and "Breathe".
