E minor to A to D (along with its other eleven transposed forms) happens to be one of the most conventional and popular chord progressions in the history of western tonal music. Often it will be used at the concluding moments of a section due to its stable, resolving quality. No surprise then that this very three-chord sequence, referred to by musical analysts as a II-V-I chord progression, is the one used repeatedly and to the same effect on Dark Side Of The Moon. However one statement of the sequence is particularly interesting.

“Breathe”(E minor) to “Time” (A) to “Us and Them” (D)… This long-term realisation of ‘E minor to A to D’ contributes to the overall sense of overall coherence. Spread out, as it is, to form the backbone of the entire album’s harmonic structure.

But why call it II-V-I? Well, as any musical analyst will tell you, if ‘D’ is to be our 'chord I' then a visit to the chords of ‘E minor’ and ‘A’ immediately prior to it can be seen respectively as a statement of 'chord II' (a triad based on the second note of the scale) and 'chord V' (based on the fifth) in D major. So there we have it in summary…II-V-I of D major. A softly spoken spell under the surface which embraces the whole of Dark Side Of The Moon and another magical way of convincing our ears of its apparent unity.

A full chordal analysis of the album, song by song, should serve as support to the claims made so far. Not only will it help to clarify the points about coherence due to one particular chord progression but it will serve to expose some other interesting points too about Pink Floyd’s economy with material and a fondness for simplicity behind the mystique and the magic.

The Whole Of The Moon

SPEAK TO ME

Heartbeats, ticks and clanks.
Fragments of speech about madness.
Clare Torry’s scream.

Surely we can’t start talking about chord progressions here at this early point, can we? Or CAN we? It so happens (amid all the heartbeats, talking and screaming) there is a note. A held note. The pitch of that encroaching helicopter-like drone is…B!!!