Revisting DSOTM's Concept 41 Years Later

In a chat last night with both The Dark Elf and And Dr. Wu, I dicussed my arguement for Aqualung being considered a concept album just  the same as Pink Floyds DSOTM (Ian Anderson never said that that Aqualung was a concept album and my arguement is tenuous, to say the least, the cheeky devil), but both The Dark Elf and Dr. Wu brought up some very insightful questions regarding my perceptions of DSOTM.

In a fairly recent Roger Waters interview regarding DSOTM, he described its concept as a "journey through life". The Dark Elf corrected my statement, saying that all former members at one time or another regarded the album's theme to be centered around madness. I immediately recalled interveiws with both David Gilmour and Nick Mason making statements to that effect but not Rick Wright, who based the album's theme on his centerpeice song The Great Gig In The Sky, which is naturally about death.

Dr. Wu later asked me for my impressions of the 'concepts' of both the Aqualung and DSOTM albums. Another revealing question as I had a set answer regarding Aqualung which, again, is not considered to be a concept album, but I struggled to come up with one for DSOTM. I always took it, along with a wink and a nod to the band, that DSOTM was simply about "The Dark Side Of Life". That, to me, was the theme of the album regardless of what Messrs. Waters, Wright, Gilmour and Mason contended.

So, after 41 years, what did the band actually attempt to accomplish with DSOTM. What  meaning did the band (or Waters) try to impart in the songs. And, last but not lest, just  what is the concept of DSOTM?


Edited by SteveG - August 20 2014 at 11:25

Metalmarsh89 wrote: I'll skip to your last question.I agree with the sentiments of Mr. Waters and others, but who am I to deny what they've said, lol. Anyway, I believe there's an obvious corallation from beginning to end that targets on the subjects of madness and insanity. Time and Money, two things in life that people waste in pursuit of more. Us and Them doesn't have many words, but the title and the lyrics seem to point to relationships between people. Brain Damage is obviously about lunacy, and self-induced madness. Eclipse is a brilliant close to the album that seems to sum up the ideas explored in the album.The concept in this album doesn't seem to be in the words, but in the music and atmosphere. You've got three (or four) instrumental tracks that need no words that speak for themselves. The album flows as well as any album you'll ever hear. And then there are all those extra spoken lines inserted in that seem to hit on a less-conscious level than everything else, but they are another crucial piece. They're like the little voice inside your head, one that drives some people insane, or just make you feel that way.

Excellent summation, MM. I also recall the instrumental "On the Run" was about Richard Wright's fear of flying, which makes sense because the background noise sounds like an airport with a breathless man trying to catch a flight.

^I would like some especialist explain me why THE CONCEPT has so much importance for the sake of the music. Because at least for me good albums almost never needed any kind of concept in order to keep forever alive as an outstanding work. Tbh I never mind about my favourite albums having or not having a concept at all.

Rick Robson wrote: ^I would like some especialist explain me why THE CONCEPT has so much importance for the sake of the music. Because at least for me good albums almost never needed any kind of concept in order to keep forever alive as an outstanding work. Tbh I never mind about my favourite albums having or not having a concept at all.   Of course I'm making a generalization anyway, but oftenly the strenght of MY favourite prog music relies mainly in the instrumental parts of it - btw I´m really interested to know some fully instrumental concept prog albums, though I think there are not many of them, any suggests ?

Aside from the fact that DSOTM is considered the jewel of Progressive Rock concept albums, I actually come from a folk music background and the lyrics will probably carry more weight with me than the music will, but I can appreciate the opposite feeling that a majority of prog fans have about the music being more paramount than the lyrics. Just as long as concepts or lyrics are not completely dismissed out of hand. (Unless you are into instrumental music only, then my opinion means nothing.) I hope this "specialist", that has  recorded over 700 music artists from studios ranging from Electric Lady Studios  in New York City to Olympic Studios in London, was qualified to answer your question answered your question.


Edited by SteveG - August 21 2014 at 10:48

Dean wrote: Dark Side of the Moon is about the voices in your head. That's the concept in a nutshell.  There's someone in my head but it's not me.  You can expand on that to your heart's content: you can pour and paw over the lyrics as much as you like; you can identify the theme of each lyric readily enough the clue is in each song title; you can then try and construct a narrative that connects the dots between one song and the next just as the music segues seamlessly through the album; you can make it as allegorical or as literal as you like; it can be as linear as a journey, as regular as a heartbeat or as random as the sound-bites; you can incorporate George Hardie's cover graphic or you can ignore it; you can puzzle over the riddle of the pyramid and ponder the omission of indigo from the spectrum. The wide appeal of the album is that you don't have to think about it if you don't want to, it's the Forer Effect - the universal horoscope - one size fits all - anyone and everyone can identify with some part of the lyrics at some point or other.  It's just the voices in your head.

You said it much better than I.

^ I don't understand the point you are trying to make. The voices in your head are reactions to how things are in real life. I think that's what Dean was trying to say.

Edited by Dayvenkirq - August 21 2014 at 13:25

I've always considered the album to be about searching for the meaning of life. Some find it in the pursuit of money, some in religion, but the message in the album is "all you touch and all you see 
Is all your life will ever be" and that the ultimate end of everyone is death. A bit like Ecclesiastes in the Bible "All Is vanity."

AlanB wrote: I've always considered the album to be about searching for the meaning of life. Some find it in the pursuit of money, some in religion, but the message in the album is "all you touch and all you see  Is all your life will ever be" and that the ultimate end of everyone is death. A bit like Ecclesiastes in the Bible "All Is vanity."

Edited by Rick Robson - August 21 2014 at 16:46

^I've grown bored with the threads in these posts my friend, but I throw out one last question before I permanently pack it in. Going by the logic of the member you quoted, AlanB, why wasn't the album concluded with the Great Grig In The Sky? Surely, that's where all of this is ultimately leading to? Or did you and I miss something?

Edited by SteveG - August 26 2014 at 09:04

Voices In Your Head. part 2

Edited by Dean - August 21 2014 at 18:24