# Pink Floyd's 'Synchronicity' **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [January 30, 2001, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-floyds-synchronicity/52329 "2001-01-30T00:39:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Irish\_Rebel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@Irish\_Rebel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irish_Rebel)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-floyds-synchronicity/52329/1 "2001-01-30T00:39:36Z")
I noticed this thread about a band I have enjoyed for a long time, and the ‘legend’ surrounding the supposed synching of Dark Side of the Moon with The Wizard of Oz. It is true to say that all the band and their producer were involved in the making of the album and its various songs. However, I do believe that Roger Waters was the genius behind the ‘concept’ of the album - a sort of running commentary on a story or a life. A schoolfriend of mine at the time actually wrote to the band asking what the album was about. They replied to him! Apparently, it revolves around a man fed up with his corporate life who tries to escape to another place, but the plane he takes crashes… This can’t be seen obviously from the songs, but does fit with its theme. The point I am making here is that I don’t believe the synching is anything magical or supernatural, nor do I believe that the WHOLE album fits into the film script. As pointed out in the column, only a dozen or so points fit. This to me would be in keeping with the amount of Waters’ input - he was able to coincide these few things without having to tell any of the rest of the band, and so enact a partial allegory. The Wizard of Oz is about escaping this world and finding our dreams. Waters was obviously a deeply melancholic genius in search of something. Further proof comes from “The Wall” - there is a constant background chatter from TVs in the recording, audible in the ‘silent’ bits between songs. Listening to this album many, many times, I became convinced a long time ago that it was mainly one old British film being played throughout, probably perfectly in synch, and the dialogue does have some connection to the moods in the album. Waters wrote practically all of that album himself, especially the lyrics. Tim. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-floyds-synchronicity/52329/2 "2001-01-30T05:25:14Z")
A link to the column is appreciated. It is [Does the music in Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon coincide with the action of The Wizard of Oz?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mdarkside.html) Since the column was a mailbag item and not one of Cecil’s columns, **Arnold** will soon be along to move this thread to [Comments on Staff Reports](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=6&daysprune=) ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-floyds-synchronicity/52329/3 "2001-01-30T15:48:07Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, and thank you for posting your comment. Please include a link to the appropriate column if it’s on the straight dope web site. To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL). The Staff Report can be found on-line at the link provided by **bibliophage**. Since the article is a mailbag answer, not a Straight Dope column, this thread is leaving the «[**Comments on Cecil’s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)» forum and going to visit my colleague **C K Dexter Haven** in the «[**Comments on Staff Reports**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=6)» forum. * * * moderator, «[**Comments on Cecil’s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)» ---
**Author:** ![monkeylucifer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@monkeylucifer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monkeylucifer)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2001, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-floyds-synchronicity/52329/4 "2001-02-06T21:04:58Z")
Let me preface this with the following statements: I have thoroughly enjoy synching _Dark Side Of The Moon_ and _The Wizard Of Oz_, but I find the idea that it is an intentional match to be absurd, as the linking concepts do not hold up under closer inspection (I and other viewers tend to have their judgement altered by certain substances 😉 ). [PinkFloyd.com](http://www.pinkfloyd.com/CustomPage.asp?WEBSVCID=1461&SID=%7BB9D11E05-C638-4786-B1A8-457748DD4518%7D) states that “Us And Them” was inspired by the film _Zabriskie Point_ and that Waters rewrote the song “Breathe” after it was featured in a ‘surreal medial documentary’ entitled _The Body_. There is documentation that shows that the members of Pink Floyd were not inspired by _The Wizard Of Oz_ and the fact that this is still debated is a testimony to the fact that long term drug use can seriously cloud your judgement. 😃 Seriously though, I have become a fan of “synchs” and have found that it is quite possible to find visually stirring films that have a similar pacing to an album and play them for individuals unfamiliar with the _DSOTM_/_TWOZ_ phenomenon, and have an even greater effect because it is a subjective experience. My main two examples of this are Pink Floyd’s _Wish You Were Here_ (my personal favorite Floyd work) played to _The Dark Crystal_ and The Chemical Brother’s _Brothers Gonna Work It Out_ played to _Akira_. Well, anyway, that’s just my $0.02, but I would like to add on a semi-related note that I just bought _Is There Anybody Out There_ and just listening to that makes me wish I could have seen them perform _The Wall_ live… **sigh** “Congratulations. You’ve just discovered the secret message. Please send your answer to Old Pink, care of the Funny Farmhouse” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2001, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-floyds-synchronicity/52329/5 "2001-02-08T03:28:22Z")
OK, I’ve gotta ask… Is there any possible album which, when played synchronously to _Akira_, is any freakier than _Akira_, all by itself? I would tend to suspect that the answer is no.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2001, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-floyds-synchronicity/52329/6 "2001-02-08T06:23:37Z")
> [@](#): > > **Chronos:** Is there any possible album which, when played synchronously to _Akira_, is any freakier than _Akira_, all by itself? I’m speaking hypothetically rather than from experience, but for experimentation purposes, may I suggest [this](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000089JE/o/qid=981613294/sr=8-1/ref=aps_sr_pm_1_1/107-8478118-7597328)? ---
**Author:** ![monkeylucifer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@monkeylucifer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monkeylucifer)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2001, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-floyds-synchronicity/52329/7 "2001-02-08T17:27:29Z")
Or even [this](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000AEWA/qid%3D981652438/102-0565456-9573703)… Slight hi-jack: _Akira_ is finally getting a DVD release this year as well as a theatrical rerelease in the U.S. with a completely new dub and a digital remastering. I, for one, am so glad that this is finally gonna be available on DVD, as not only is it one of me favortie films of all time, but I also like synching up with the DVD…much, much easier to do. In fact, I bought the DVD of _The Wizard Of Oz_ because of the synching phenom, and to date it is actually one of the best DVDs I own…now if they could just release a special edition with _Dark Side Of The Moon_ as an alternate soundtrack I could die a happy man.