Editing The Dark Side of the Moon (section)

== Concept ==
''The Dark Side of the Moon'' was built upon experiments Pink Floyd had attempted in their previous live shows and recordings, although it lacked the extended instrumental excursions which, according to the critic [[David Fricke]], had become characteristic of the band following the departure of the founding member Syd Barrett in 1968. Gilmour, Barrett's replacement, later referred to those instrumentals as "that psychedelic noodling stuff". He and Waters cited 1971's ''Meddle'' as a turning point towards what would later be realised on the album. ''The Dark Side of the Moon''{{'}}s lyrical themes include [[emotional conflict|conflict]], [[greed]], the [[Time|passage of time]], [[death]] and [[insanity]], the last inspired in part by Barrett's deteriorating mental state.<ref name="makingof" /> The album contains [[musique concrète]] on several tracks.<ref name="Mabbett" />

Each side of the vinyl album is a continuous piece of music. The five tracks on each side reflect various stages of human life, beginning and ending with a heartbeat, exploring the nature of the human experience and, according to Waters, "empathy".<ref name="makingof" /> "[[Speak to Me]]" and "Breathe" together highlight the mundane and futile elements of life that accompany the ever-present threat of madness, and the importance of living one's own life{{Snd}} "Don't be afraid to care".<ref>{{Harvnb|Whiteley|1992|pp=105–106}}</ref> By shifting the scene to an airport, the synthesiser-driven instrumental "[[On the Run (instrumental)|On the Run]]" evokes the stress and anxiety of modern travel, in particular Wright's fear of flying.<ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|pp=78–79}}</ref> "[[Time (Pink Floyd song)|Time]]" examines the manner in which its passage can control one's life and offers a stark warning to those who remain focused on mundane pursuits; it is concluded with a retreat into solitude and withdrawal in the reprise of "Breathe". The first side of the album ends with Wright and Clare Torry's soulful metaphor for death, "[[The Great Gig in the Sky]]".<ref name="Mabbett" />

"[[Money (Pink Floyd song)|Money]]", the first track on side two, opens with the sound of [[cash register]]s and rhythmically jingling coins. The song mocks greed and [[consumerism]] with sarcastic lyrics and cash-related [[sound effect]]s. "Money" became the band's most commercially successful track and was covered by other artists.<ref>{{Harvnb|Whiteley|1992|p=111}}</ref> "Us and Them" addresses the isolation of the depressed with the symbolism of conflict and the use of simple [[dichotomies]] to describe personal relationships. "[[Any Colour You Like]]" tackles the illusion of choice one has in society. "[[Brain Damage (Pink Floyd song)|Brain Damage]]" looks at [[mental illness]] resulting from the elevation of fame and success above the needs of the self; in particular, the line "and if the band you're in starts playing different tunes" reflects the mental breakdown of Syd Barrett. The album ends with "[[Eclipse (Pink Floyd song)|Eclipse]]", which espouses the concepts of otherness and unity while encouraging the listener to recognise the common traits shared by humanity.<ref name="Reisingpp181184">{{Harvnb|Reising|2005|pp=181–184}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Whiteley|1992|p=116}}</ref>