On 23 June, a brief sound collage had been pieced together featuring parts recorded from completed songs by that date. Not much work would continue. Waters later began to compile a series of questions that tied to the concept of the album. He would begin asking people he knew these questions and tape the responses. One of these questions included “What’s your favourite colour?", which was intended to ease the interviewee into the conversation. The questions would then escalate to questions like, “When was last time you thumped someone?", "Why did you do it?", "Are you frightened of dying?", “Do you think you’re going mad?”, and "What do you think of the dark side of the moon?".
On 1 November, while Paul McCartney was in one of the other studios recording "Red Rose Speedway", Waters decided to ask McCartney the questions, taping his answers. The song would be worked on during the same day. Later, while mixing the album in late January 1973, the inclusion of McCartney on the song was vetoed. This was because Waters felt his responses were too defensive and professional. Clary Torry's vocals on "The Great Gig in the Sky", which was recorded on 21 January 1973, would also be added to the collage.
The song itself is a sound collage, which features no lyrics (although it contains parts of the conversation tapes that Pink Floyd recorded, as well a short snippet of Clare Torry's vocal performance on "The Great Gig in the Sky"), and consists of a series of sound effects. It leads into the first performance piece on the album, "Breathe". As a result, they are usually played together on the radio, and most later re-releases merge the two songs.
Noticeable sound and instrument effects include:
- Heartbeat; this can also be heard at the end of "Eclipse"
- Clock ticking, also heard in "Time"
Manic laughter of Peter Watts, also heard in "Brain Damage"
- Cash register, also heard in "Money"
- Helicopter noise, also heard in "On the Run"
- Clare Torry's scream, also heard in "The Great Gig in the Sky"
- Backwards piano chord, which leads into "Breathe"
Spoken Parts:
"I've been mad for fucking years, absolutely years. I've been over the edge for yonks, been working with bands so long. I think 'Crikey'.
I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have. Very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad."
Speak to Me
Pink Floyd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Been over the edge for yonks
Been working me buns off for bands
I've always been mad, I know I've been mad
Like the most of us, very hard to explain why you're mad
Even if you're not mad
The opening lines of the song "Speak to Me" by Pink Floyd demonstrate the lyricist's personal struggles with mental health issues. The lyrics indicate a long-standing state of madness, which suggests an ongoing struggle with mental illness. The use of the word "fucking" also emphasizes a level of intensity and frustration that one feels when dealing with such issues. The lyricist has been proverbially "over the edge" for a long time, indicating a loss of control or the feeling of being at the end of one's rope. Still, the lyricist has been "working me buns off for bands," which suggests that despite their struggles with mental health, they are still fighting their way through life.
The following lines suggest that the lyricist knows they have been "mad" for a long time, and this madness is hard to explain. The use of "the most of us" suggests that mental health issues are common and that it is challenging to articulate or understand them. The use of the word "mad" instead of "crazy" or "insane" also suggests the societal stigma surrounding mental health issues in the past. Overall, "Speak to Me" conveys a deep sense of pain and confusion regarding mental health and the way society views it.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been mad for fucking years, absolutely years
I have been insane for a very long time, without any specific time frame.
Been over the edge for yonks
I have reached a state of insanity for a long time.
Been working me buns off for bands
I have been working hard for musical groups.
I've always been mad, I know I've been mad
I have always been insane and I am aware of that.
Like the most of us, very hard to explain why you're mad
Like many people, it is difficult to explain the reason behind my insane state of mind.
Even if you're not mad
Even if you are not insane.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Waters Mason
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brunobucciaratiswife
I used to be afraid of the noises I heard on the album. The synth, the cash register sounds, the laughter. Now I appreciate it for what it is and I’m listening to the whole thing
@karamiaziz
Pink floyd forever 💪💪💪
@stekloboy4492
And ever
@CrainesGames
There's no words
@Lp-army1
There technically is, but there's no lyrics bc intro
@luvwings
The first voice you hear is Chris Adamson. He worked as an equipment manager who did lots of other things for the band. It was through knowing him that I got to meet PF. He’s worked with greatest music acts: Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Aerosmith, Bette Midler, John Mayer, Def Leppard — even the chairman himself, Frank Sinatra — and so many more. Impressively, Chris Adamson has also spent two decades-plus with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and more than four decades with Fleetwood Mac. He has a couple of Parnelli Awards on his mantle, having won Production Manager of the Year in 2005 and 2018. His accomplishments, the caliber of artists who sought him out and hired him year after year, and his inspiring leadership style is well-known in the live event industry.
Of course, to the rest of the world, he’s known for saying this: “I’ve been mad for f***ing years — absolutely years” on the opening of Pink Floyd’s seminal Dark Side of the Moon album. But it’s for his work on the road that he’s receiving the industry’s highest honor, the Parnelli Lifetime Achievement Award, at the Parnelli Awards Gala on Jan. 25, 2019, at the Anaheim Hilton.
@nethercreature1624
I love that they released this song individually without Breathe or On The Run to accompany it. Like, you ever think, "Hey, I wanna listen to Pink Floyd's Speak To Me on it's own. Without Breathe or On The Run."
@sq1tl
Speak To Me best PF song
@nethercreature1624
@@sq1tl right up there with "Stop" from the wall
@AdamSandaver
Not, lol