Money

Pink Floyd

From the album

Money (1973)

Written by

Roger Waters

Key:B minor
Duration:6:22

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Summary

Serving as the commercial peak of 'The Dark Side of the Moon,' this track blended experimental tape loops with hard-hitting blues-rock. It is legendary for its satirical lyrics and its rare success as a mainstream hit featuring a complex 7/4 time signature.

Progressive RockClassic RockPsychedelic RockBlues RockArt Rock

Musical Analysis

Money is harmonically a minor blues, but it is made distinctive by its unconventional 7/4 time signature and the sudden shift to 4/4 for the guitar solo. The use of minor 7th chords (Bm7, F#m7, Em7) on the Wurlitzer electric piano provides a jazz-inflected tex…

Chords

verse:Bm7
chorus:F#m7 - Em7 - Bm7

History

Roger Waters composed 'Money' as a demo in his home studio. He created the iconic rhythmic loop of coins and cash registers by hand, measuring out tape with a ruler to ensure the sounds hit on the beat. The song is famous for its unusual 7/4 time signature, th…

“The song is primarily in 7/4 time, a rarity for a Top 20 hit.”

Full Musical Analysis

Money is harmonically a minor blues, but it is made distinctive by its unconventional 7/4 time signature and the sudden shift to 4/4 for the guitar solo. The use of minor 7th chords (Bm7, F#m7, Em7) on the Wurlitzer electric piano provides a jazz-inflected texture. Unlike standard pop songs that rely on a major V chord for a strong resolution, Pink Floyd uses a natural minor v (F#m7), which contributes to the song's cool, detached, and somewhat cynical atmosphere.

Roger Waters composed 'Money' as a demo in his home studio. He created the iconic rhythmic loop of coins and cash registers by hand, measuring out tape with a ruler to ensure the sounds hit on the beat. The song is famous for its unusual 7/4 time signature, though it shifts to 4/4 for the guitar solo section to make it easier for David Gilmour to improvise.

Serving as the commercial peak of 'The Dark Side of the Moon,' this track blended experimental tape loops with hard-hitting blues-rock. It is legendary for its satirical lyrics and its rare success as a mainstream hit featuring a complex 7/4 time signature.

Deep Analysis Available

Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song.

Song DNA

Genre

Rock

Era

70s

Mood

Cynical

Tempo

Mid-tempo

Key

Blues

Texture

Layered

Sound

Guitar-driven

Feel

Syncopated

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Listen & Learn

Statistics

15.3M

Plays

1.8M

Listeners

1.0M

Genius Views

21

Annotations

100%

Popularity

6:22

Duration

4/4

Time

Credits

Written by

Roger Waters

Produced by

Pink Floyd

From the album Money