RAT Rock News

Most are aware of the urban legend that Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon syncs up with The Wizard of Oz. It’s a topic that’s been talked about for decades, and Roger Waters touched on it in a new interview.

While appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience, Waters was asked about the syncing of the album and classic film and whether or not the band purposely planned it. Waters had a one-word response: “Bulls—.”

After he finished laughing, Waters was adamant that Pink Floyd never intended the infamous syncing. However, he did say, “It’s something that somebody thinks – it’s a coincidence. … Maybe it’s cosmic coincidence!”

RELATED: Pink Floyd Rumored to be Selling Their Catalog

Waters then went on to recall one of his favorite stories he’s heard about the album/film sync. He heard an officer in Louisiana was once following a bus that was driving a bit erratically. Once the bus was pulled over, the door was opened and out came a ton of marijuana smoke. The cop then begins searching the bus. He makes his way to a private area in the back of the bus behind a door. He opens the door, and suposedly, the cop finds Willie Nelson listening to The Dark Side of the Moon while watching The Wizard of Oz.

“And I don’t believe it for a minute, but I like the story!” said Waters. (If only there was confirmation that story was true, but it really is incredible.)

In a piece on how to properly sync the album and film together, Goldmine Magazine wrote, “Pink Floyd has denied the rumor outright for years, with Floyd drummer Nick Mason giving one of our favorite answers to MTV in 1997: ‘It’s absolute nonsense. It has nothing to do with ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ It was all based on ‘The Sound of Music.'”

5 Takeaways from Listening to 'Dark Side of the Moon' High for the First Time

  • 1. The channel switching on the album is mental.

    There are a number of instances on Dark Side of the Moon where audio moves from the right channel/speaker to the left and back again. The most dizzying example comes courtesy of “On the Run,” which is rather intense sober, but when you’re high, I could feel the sensations of the audio move from the right and left sides of my body.

  • 2. Glad I invested in good headphones.

    Dark Side of the Moon is an album to be experienced with a quality pair of headphones. It enhances the aforementioned channel transitions immensely. Before listening to the LP high for the first time, I coincidently purchased a pair of Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones. They retail at $148, but fortunately, Amazon offered (and as of publishing, continues to offer) an option to split the cost of the headphones into three monthly payments of $49.34, which I was able to financially handle. (For those interested, you can check out the listing for those headphones here.)

  • 3. Clare Torry's vocals nearly moved me to tears.

    Singer Clare Torry is the force behind the acrobatic vocals on “The Great Gig in the Sky.” They remain some of the most stunning vocals in recorded rock history, and even though I enjoyed the track before, it felt like I was hearing them for the first time. What an incredible achievement this song is on an LP already filled with incredible moments.

  • 4. I can't believe the groove on the verses of 'Time' hasn't been ripped off more

    Let’s just put it out there: “Time” is a bit of a downer of a song. However, that underlying grove that bursts through with the first verse (“Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day”) just SLAPS! It’s uniquely seductive, and it’s amazing it’s not ripped off more. It’s probably due to very few, if any, having the hubris to out-Pink Floyd the actual Pink Floyd.

  • 5. 'Money' might be overplayed on classic rock radio, but it truly is money

    Could I get into trouble for saying “Money” is overplayed on classic rock radio? Yes, but this whole article may get me into trouble, so what’s the sense in stopping now? Anyway, while I wish more Pink Floyd tunes would get airplay, I have a new understanding and appreciation for “Money” after listening to the classic track high for the first time. Perhaps, it’s the alternating time signatures from 7/8 to 4/4, back to 7/8 and then back to 4/4 again. Maybe my own disdain for the super-wealthy is enhanced whist high. Either way, I get it now, and I’ll try my best to refrain from playing “armchair radio program director.”

Erica Banas is a rock/classic rock news blogger who's well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights

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