Money

This song is now 40 years old (hit the top 40, 6-23-1973) & I still hear the cash register jingle in my mind all the time. Great song.

Money is only evil to me if you put it before your friends, your family, & most importantly God. We all need money to live and use it for what need in life, but having a lot of it & by wasting it on nothing is when we drown in our own greed. The government is a huge example.

7/8? I guess they intended 7/8 if they say they did. But the tempo just seems to drag out each measure long enough that I personally wouldn't measure with seven 8th notes. They hold long enough that I'd count 7 quarter notes... unless the tempo is slowed incredibly. As for the swing beat, it's been called 4/4 (I've called it 4/4 myself), but lately I tend to measure only disco-techno as 4/4. The Swing beat in 4/4 uses an awful lot of triplets that it might be simpler to measure it as 12/8 instead, as I've done lately.

I'm happy to see that so many people still like this song "even though it's popular", if that makes any sense. I love this song but all my friends hate it. My one friend even skips it everytime we listen to it. Not only is that EXTREMELY annoying, it kills the whole flow of the album! More evidence that vinyl truly IS the way to go.

Same old story here: A band bashes the pursuit of money while they pursue money.

You're wrong concerning the origin of the tape loop put together by Roger Waters. Yes, he did tear paper and bags apart, but the tape loop is recorded in a little hut in the garden of his house. A little place where his wife used to play around with some clay, and in relation to this occupation, there was a huge bowl intended for clay. The sound of the cash register in "Money" has it's origin here. And furthermore, these money-alike sounds were recorded on seven individual pieces of tape, and then put together. So it says in The Making of Dark Side of The Moon.

And Patrick, you couldn't be more far off. This song absolutely flows with the theme of the album, as the theme is the things that make people mad. And you can't deny that money make people mad.

To those who say the song is in 7/4, it's not. It's in 7/8. They even talk about it in the documentary "Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon".
Along with "The Wall", this is one of my PF favs! :)

Besides "The Wall", this is my favorite song of Pink Floyd.

I don't think it ever goes to 3/4 time. It has 7/4 where there are lyrics and 4/4 (w/ swingish triplets) in the instrumental parts. But no 3/4 that I recall.

One of my favorites...indeed stands out from the rest of the songs on DSOTM, but in a good way in my opinion...best song on there, alongside Time.

The song is in 7/4, not 7/8

Correction, Melissa...The LOVE of money is the root of all evil...but not the love of the song, "Money"! :)

i love this song and money is the root of all evil

chloe,MO----where did you hear it was Paul talking on the end of this??...i had thought it was drummer Nick Mason.

i cant believe people are saying that this doesnt fit the album. its essential! the sound is a bit different from the more serene-sounding tracks like "breathe" or "brain damage", but its perfect for the theme of the album. its about all the pressures of modern day life- birth *breathe*, time *time, obviously*, death *great gig in the sky*, alienation *us and them*, insanity *brain damage*, and, of course, money. on another note, im glad i know of this site because ever since id heard this song, id always wondered who it was talking at the end! i remember once a couple of weeks ago i was listening to this song, and i thought "wait a second....is that paul mccartney?" turns out i was right. haha.

Isn't this album "Dark Side" still, to this day; somewhere on the billboard Top 100 albums?...hey, we're talkin' 36 years? [2009]...that's quite a major accomplishment, to say the least!
also, the first album i ever heard after taking a couple drags off an erbal jazz cigarette.

The Sax Solo here in 7/4 makes it sound more like talking than music which makes the song seem almost cold and blunt - like money. Nice choice.

Money fits perfectly, the album is about the pressure that can push us either to greatness or the edge, not a life cycle. If there was a song that did not "fit" it would be ""any colour you like", but even it is a nice segue to brain damage and eclipse giving the listener a chance to use they're imagination.

this is one of my favourite pink floyd songs. Waters's lyrics speak the truth. My great idea; outlaw money for it is the root of all evil because what does it create? GREED
Awesome sax part too, ingenious work by one of the greatest bands of all time.

"Money roots all evil, so they say; lusting over money is the REAL root of all evil!" Roger Waters doesn't mention that correction "lusting over money" that I recall, but I do recall that he acknowledges "so they say," meaning that "money roots all evil" is not exactly true. Pink Floyd seems to be a saved band from what I can tell, but I can't make any guarantees. But Pink Floyd music is some good music!

Naomi Watts' father was Pink Floyd's sound engineer and her mother says the line "cruising for a bruising" and also the whispered dialogue on "The Great Gig in the Sky".

Whilst i'll be the first to admit i'm not the longest serving die hard floyd fan, in fact it took this UK born boy a trip to australia at the age of 25 (1993)to first discover them (& the naturally grown herbal relaxent that gives you the patience & awareness to chill properley & listen to the quality of Floyd music)but after hearing Dark Side for the very first time i've always sort to listen to inspiring, thought provoking music ever since. So whether they looped cash till samples around a dozen studies & asked random questions to the entire music industry i really don't care, to me they were (& still are) what true music is all about. 14 years on i still load the 6 disk & get lost in the tranquil but yet controlled manic world of Floyd, whether its The Wall - Darkside or wish you were here - momentary lapse of reason it will always work for me. I was lucky enough to hear them (side of stage seats)at Earls Court '94, can anyone tell me if they plan to tour again so i can book a seat & a bag of green!!

Money..... is the root of all evil today.
The Bible does not say this at all- it is not money that is the root of all evil, its the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil. What the Bible is saying is , basically, don't make money or the pursuit of money your god (Have no other gods but me)
Roger waters got it right, whether intentionally or not, by adding "so they say", may be alluding to the universal misquoting of this Bible verse. Anyway, its a great social commentry as well as musicianship-something's that missing in todays contemporary
music- good lyrics with something to say backed uo with a good melody and clever musicianship.

this is probably the best song for people who dont like pink floyd very much or have never heard it. but it just seems like there are two types of pink floyd...theres waters and gilmour[both too similar to be differed] and then...then theres syd barrett floyd. everyone is different, some like serious slow kind of boring stuff, and then some like happy somewhat bizzare but extremely genius pink floyd. i know you'll all want to slaughter me for saying so, but i think syd is a million times better than roger waters and david gilmour in singing, composing, and everything else. we miss you syd...

Anyone who thinks this song is wrong for the album is talking out of their arses! DSOTM wouldn't be what it is without this song.

very good song!!!!the timing in the first part is weird, 7/8 but it kicks ass when they go to good old 3/4 time.. it gets your feet moving and i never get tired of listening to and playing this song.

The classic rock radio stations from Philadelphia that I listened to actually kept in the curse word in the second verse until a few years ago. I'm just wondering what the hell made them suddenly want to censor it after 30 years! You may as well just leave it alone. They recently did the same thing with the f-bomb in "Who Are You?" I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with Dubya. That idiot. I'm probably way off, but it's just easier to blame him.

Floyd's most popular radio hit, about the obvious evils of ... well whatever. Thinking about PF starting as a 60's art band, in the same vein as King Crimson, Tangerine Dream, ELP and Yes yet this songs greatest contribution was a blistering straight forward solo on Sax by the world famous Dick Parry(?), along with the blues riffs of Gilmore, with little electronic sonic intervention.

good song this is the reason i'm obsessed with floyd today....money is the root of all evil in my opinion...but thats just my opinion

"if money is the root of all evil, then why do churches beg for it?" DON'T ANYBODY TAKE THIS QUOTE OR I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN!! I MADE THIS UP!!

When they recorded the random voices, they did indeed invite various people in the studio at the time to give off-the-cuff answers to the questions Waters had written on cards. Both Paul and Linda McCartney were in studio, so they did sit down and read the cards. However, Paul and Linda were too cagey (smart) so they gave simple answers that were unlikely to be "used" in any way. DSOTM is the greatest album of all times, and the continuing sales are a tribute to that fact. BTW: after all of these years, I can still be brought to shivers/tears by listening with the volume up (but I only do it when I have the house to myself!)

Oh and @Cal, I was watching the video and as far as I can tell he's using a pick. You never actually see what he's picking with, but using a coin would make a much more raspy sound from the printing on it rubbing against the strings. If he was using a coin, the audio would sound a lot more grainy and weird. Oh, and I don't really recommend using a coin for any real performances. It's a novel idea, but ends up not working out that great. Or what I like to do sometimes is rub the side of a quarter on the strings, so the ridges make a soft, rasping sound.

@Bill: The guitarist for Queen was famous for using a sixpence coin for some of his solos, most notably on "Bohemian Rhapsody."

And it's great to know that you can't spell the name of your instrument. ;-D

Cal- I play the base as well, and I've found that using a coin creates an entirely different kind of sound than using a pick or your fingers. Although I suspect Roger was using the coin ironically for this song, it would be interesting to see a base player who used coins instead of picks. Wouldn't reccommend it for guitar, though. The strings aren't thick enough.

It is the craziest thing in the world in the DSOTM/Wizard of Oz synch, when the munchkins are dancing to the beat of this song. Every time I see it it makes me laugh out of amazement.

The song is in 7/8 for the singing and sax sections with the beat 1-2,1-2-3,1-2, although the riff could quite easily have an extra [which would resolve itself to the B?? tonic], or in fact less beats, and still work.
I feel the music is a very good description of the lyrics, from the plodding 'off to work' bassline, the angry (and awesome) guitar solo to the sleazy sax solo.
I've got to the sax is the weakest part, I play myself and am not a fan of Dick Parry's work, although Us and Them is an improvement somewhat. The guitar solo is really great, 3rd after All Along the Watchtower and Whole Lotta Love.
The vocal is best at "Money, it's a crime" this line is just so well delivered.

this song is in 7/8 time for a majority of the song, from the begining to sax solo, and eventually goes back into it after the guitar solo. but david gilmore had a lot of trouble soloing in the wierd timing. so the transition after the sax solo is when it changes to 4/4. the switch of timing makes it go from more of a funky, jazzy sound to a hard rock riff. this, in my opinion, is one of the greatest moments in rock n' roll. the first notes of the solo are so heavy, it amazes my every time i listen to it.

Okay, 7/8 is counted like 1,2-1,2-1,2,3. Okay? So it's not in 7/8. And the eighth note isn't getting the beat.

The correct line should be "The love of money is the root of all evil"(I Tim.6:10). Money is a reality. It's how you treat it that makes the difference.

I really love the guitar solo on Money. Although there are only 2 guitar solos on DSOTM the creative chord and chord progressions make up for it.

this is defintely one of the best bass lines ever

people claim money is the 'root' of all evil, because of what it does to companys and there greed... but they don't realise they're exactly the same themselves... just on a lesser scale... but still doing the exact same thing.
Money is something we all need...
People Say it's evil..just cause of what it does to big bussiness...what it makes them do... the evil things they do to gain more money..
but we are all the same... we would do the same evil things to get that money... we are just not in the same position to do that.

The Cash register they used to record this song was the same that the Beatles used in Yellow Submarine.

Tom, the "I dunno I was really drunk at the time" was in response to "Would you do it again" (great answer, eh?). I'm pretty sure the "He was cruisin' for a bruisin'" was in response to "when was the last time you hit someone", but I could very well be wrong (Somewhere one of the band members said what the specific answers were to which questions, but I don't remember where that article is..)

I have a great collection of DVDs by Time Life called the History of Rock and Roll. When talking about Pink Floyd and Dark Side of the Moon, it interviews David Gilmour, he says some of the questions asked were: When was the last time you hit someone? Were you in the right state? Would you do it again? What does the dark side of the moon mean to you? I assume at the end of the song when you can hear someone say "I dont know, I was really drunk at the time." He is answering the the second or third question. Does any one know why someone says 'criusing for a bruising'. The only album better than Dark Side of the Moon is Srg. Peppers.

Oops, I meant to say '*during this song* he was using a coin'... don't think he did in any others.

Even though this is really random, I feel like posting it :P. During Live 8, Roger is using a coin (as far as I can tell) instead of his fingers or a normal guitar/bass pick. Now now, members of Pink Floyd shouldn't be coming to shows unprepared.

i disagree with umesh, i found it the most immeadiately likeable song on the album (by that i mean the song people like at FIRST, not necessarily the best)

Well this is a first. Having a bunch of sounds that involve money for the intro, as well as keep the time throughout the song. It is a song I used pared with Time for a Speech I had to make in school. it really put into context what it means when you read the lyrics and speak them to an audiance. I now know this song backwards and forwards, and can say that the line "New car, caviar, four star daydream. Think Ill by me a football team' sums up the feeling. They give the impression that money can bring people most everything. And using the Sax, the song is a total winner, and a top five song for me!

listen to the groove man!!!!the guitar is the groove

o yeah and i fail to see how this doesn't fit on the album, or how any song can suck just because its popular.

I agree with luke about that except i believe that Breathe is supposed to be birth itself.

I don't think the album is about the cycle of life. First of all, the song "Breathe" sounds like a complaint about modern working life. "On the Run" is probably about travel, since we hear voices kind of like the announcements at airports for arriving/departing flights about 30 seconds into the song. Time and Money's subjects are obvious. The Great Gig in the Sky is about fear of death, Us and them is about war, and I could be just guessing about this, but I think Any Colour You Like is about choice. Brain Damage is about insanity, not old age, but Eclipse is indeed about death, or I like to see it as the moment before you die when your life flashes before your eyes.
Just my $0.02

This isn't the best of them but I like it.
I believe it is just the world not big for Janet from Australia

Uh, count it out. It's clearly in 7/4 up until the guitar solo which is in 4/4. Also, it's incorrect to add a "th" to 4/4 because that implies it's a fraction--time signatures aren't fractions. You seem to be a bit jumbled over meters....

Most of you people are so wrong about this album.

Rent or buy the Pink Floyd DVD Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon (2003).

Money is SUPPOSED to be there, no matter how much you sheep bleet about it.

Money is in 7/8's time, not 7/4's.
Why? Because David Gilmore didn't know how to make and play a solo in 7/8's time, so they switched to 4/4th's.

How can anyone complain about this song being so popular when the ALBUM is among the most popular of all time? I don't care how popular the song is, it's still an inventive, meaningful and downright rockin song. The energy of the sax/guitar solos is contagious, and anyone who's watched it with Oz can't deny wanting to get up and skip along with the Munchkins!

Time is my favorite on DSOTM but this song is a nice breath of fresh air in the middle of the album.

Why in the world would they play the version with the naughty swearword on the radio? Doesn't the FCC realize that there is in fact a swearword in one of the verses of this song?

This song remains uncensored even on FCC controlled FM radio. I don't understand how the stations get away with leaving the "bulls--t" in. The FCC must be looking the other way or fast asleep!!

Ok. first off just cuz a song gets popular does it means it sucks? Why is that? The song fits perfectly with the rest of the album but more so if you have it on vinyl. Vinyl is better. Why cant they just mass produce it again?

I'm not sure that's sticks hitting, maybe he caught the rim of a drum on the run down? That fits nicely still with the rhythm. I agree that Money only seems to not fit for some people becuase it is so recognisable. In my opinion it belongs exactly where it is

I love this song. It really does fit the album. For me, The Dark Side Of The Moon is the greatest album ever. I also like the ideas of Luke & Ash about the album.

wow, shane, people who stop liking songs because they're popular are sooo cool. i wish i was as cool as you (learn to spell definitely). This song sounded lush at live 8. Oh! and Maureen - learn how to speak french properly.

i think Nick mason helped make the sound loops..

Why did this song have to be so popular? I believe Money definately has a place in the album, because of its theme and instrumental collaberation. The bass riff has an unforgettable jazz rhythym and Gilmour's solo is one of his most emotional compositions I've heard. Dark Side would be flawless if this track didn't become such a single, eventhough it wasn't released as one.

I think the song does need to be on the album. It fits in pretty well, I think.

Don't you wish cash registers still sounded like this?

That would throw off my timing if i did that when i played drums.

Its true that Mason hits the drumsticks together. But I'm not sure that it was a mistake or part of his play (technique)

DSOTM was a great album and it was arranged pretty well. This is like the album of the cycle of life. Breathing(retard), time, death(time), childhood(gig in the sky), money, experience(us and Them), and disease (brain damage. Well though

This is kind of a random fact, but if you start the track and dont stop it, around the time between 4:20 and 4:23 when Mason is rocken out with his drums it sounds like he hits his sticks together by accident, but just keeps goen like nothing happend. I listen to DSOTM alot and you might not here this the first couple of times when you listen to Money, but it sounds cool when you do.

J'aime la Pink Floyd. J'naime pas la DSOTM. La money une nul, comprais en La Wall. (French. lol.)

I am at a loss to understand the comments here about this song not belonging on this album. This song is ESSENTIAL to the album!!! The four cornerstones of the album, which is essentially a theorum on the aspects of life that we all have to face, are life, money, time and death.

the base riff to this song is by far the best sound ever recorded. Amazing!

Velvet Revolver's version of this song rocks!!!

i like lukes idea about the walk through of life and dsotm. that is a really reasonable idea and it makes sense.

i luv this song! its simple and money does make out the best of us. so, that being said money is our evil today.

The guitar solo is one of the best solos ever. I love this song it is one of the best songs ever. Unfortunately I never heard the album DSOTM but I heard it on Echoes their greatest hits album.

Sounds pretty much about simple materialism. Possibly a reference to Ted Turner?

I remember the girl in the background saying, 'You was definitely in the right that geezer was cruising for brusing' it was Mary Badham. At the time she was dating Roger Waters and he asked her, 'So was I in the right for protecting my friend from getting his lights knocked out of him even though he called him a bad name?'

Questions I know of that Roger Waters asked:

Why are you frightened of dying?

Are you mad?

When was the last time you thumped someone, and were you in the right?

What does the phrase 'Dark Side of the Moon mean to you?

Really Great tune, but does anyone else notice how the opening riff sounds a bit similar to the opening riff of How Many More Times, Led Zeppelin.

Actually, the reference to 'football' is correct. In the promotional video for the song, when he says "Think I'll buy me a football team" American football players are shown lining up.

Love the whole album ,buy money always buys the cake

i have dark side of the moon on CD and as an album, and this song fits in a lot more on the album, seeing on the CD it goes right from great gig in the sky to this. on the album money is the first song of the B side, and it seems to fit more seeing it links right into us and them at the end and with the sax.

This is more of a "jam" song than the others on this album. The live version is about 10 or 15 mintutes long, and goes on as an extended jam. Everyone has a really awsome solo in the middle, except for Nick Mason on drums. But it really doesn't fit the flow of the rest of the songs on the album, but still one of their best songs.

When this came on the radio I bet my Dad it would fade out before 'Bull---t'. Lost £1. But I like the song. Once they played it at my church to demonstrate the evils of consumerism, but had the foresight to fade it out before the naughty word :)

"Reloaded" is now called "Velvet Revolver"

I really like how the band put together Dark Side of the Moon. In my opinion, they start out with the song breathe, perhaps a synonym for the beginning of life; being carefree and young. On the Run focuses on growing up a litle bit and going to school and such. Time and Great Gig in the Sky may be like teenage to young adulthood years, knowing that life is fragile and knowing that death is out there. Money is about dealing with finances as an adult and realizing either how important or unimportant money really is. Us and Them is like an older person comparing himself with the younger people that he sees now and the differences or simalarities that exist between them. I havent figured out Any colour You Like yet, its harder than the rest. Brain Damage is about the last few years of your life, and dealing with the fact that you are about to die and trying to keep a level head during that time. Finally, eclipse is death, shown by the line, "everything under the sun is in tune but the sound is eclipsed by the moon". Like everything is supposed to be where it is for you, but it's too late.

This album was enginnered by famed British producer and studio genious Alan Parsons at Abby Road Studios. The song begins in 7/4 time signature and intro was recorded by capturing the sounds of an old cash register on tape, and meticulously splicing and cutting the tape in a rhythmic pattern to make the "cash register loop" effect you hear at the beginning. Complex studio techniques like this took a long time to do in 1973, as there weren't digital recorders and samplers available like we have today. If you wanted to copy and paste something, you had to do it the hard way. Alan Parsons later started his own band called "The Alan Parsons Project", and scored a hit in the '80's with "Eye In The Sky". He remains a much sought after music engineer and producer today.

In the movie "The Wall", the school teacher notices young Pink's collection of poems he wrote in a small book on his desk. When the teacher reads out two of the poems, they were actually lyrics to this song.

The time signature is indeed 7/4 (meaning seven beats to a measure, quarter note gets the beat) throughout most of the song. However, the instrumental break goes to a more traditional 4/4 rhythm, which makes the song doubly unusual - time signature changes don't happen very often in most popular music.

great beat to this song, all the instruments work together so well, and the lyrics on their own are spectacular.

I think this is one of PF's best songs.

On "Dark Side of the Rainbow", this starts playing as Dorothy opens the door to the world of Oz, and you see Techniclor for the first time.

Its a very good song. as ben and patrick said, it doesnt flow as well. but if you think about it, this was the first song on side b of the dsotm album, therefor its hard to make it flow from great gig to money. they lyrics can go with the album theme(money can make a person go insane)yet they are not very powerful. i love the instrumental solos in the middle of the song and dick parry's sax is crazy. davids guitar solos move your soul. Us and them my 2nd favorite song on the album(time 1st) has a wonderful sax solo which just gives a wonderful feeling

good song. wrong album

Pink Floyds worst good song. Doesn't fit the theme/flow of the album DSOTM. Sorry.