The Dark Side of Oz

1) The first indicator that everything is going right is the change from "Speak to Me" to "Breathe" which coincides exactly with the fade-in appearance of the name of producer Mervyn LeRoy. Note: In the prologue the word "Time" (one of the songs on the CD) is written with a capital letter even though it isn't at the start of the sentence. Also you will find the word "Heart" capitalized in the middle of a sentence -- which is a sound particular to "The Dark Side of the Moon".

2) "Leave, but don't leave me ..." Auntie Em appears to say "... Leave ..." to Dorothy to which Dorothy turns to leave.

3) Right after the words "... Look around ..." Dorothy looks around.

4) "... Smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry ..." Two men above (Cowardly Lion and Tin Woodsman) are smiling and the man below (Scarecrow) is crying. This one is sort of not on time but worth the mention.

5) "... All you touch ..." Dorothy touches the man (Cowardly Lion) holding a bucket on his arm. Note: "All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be" Dorothy's life will only really be all she touches and all she sees in her Kansas home because Oz exists only in her pretty little head.

6) "... When at last the work is done ..." the man (Scarecrow) hits his finger with the hammer (to the beat of the drum no less) and is done with his work.

7) (æ) Right after "... Dig that hole ..." the farm hand (Scarecrow) points to the ground as if telling Dorothy to dig a hole.

8) "... Balanced on the biggest wave ..." Dorothy is balancing herself on the fence.

9) "... Race towards an early grave." is said at the moment just before Dorothy falls off the fence rail. Note: "... Race towards an early grave ..." Perhaps a reference to Judy Garland's untimely death? Note: (£) Judy Garland died in 1969, the same year we put a man on the moon ... "I'll see you on the Dark Side of the Moon."

10) (#) Song shifts from "Breathe" to "On the Run" at the same time (actually just slightly before) Dorothy falls off the fence. Note: (%) At the moment Dorothy falls off the fence rail and the switch to "On the Run" occurs, the music in that song has an allure of danger as it matches to the mood of the scene and emotion of the other characters as they are concerned with Dorothy's well being and it matches the scene very well.

11) Auntie Em shows up and starts talking exactly at the same time as the woman's voice begins talking during "On the Run". I wonder if anyone knows just what the heck that female voice is saying on the album. It sort of sounds like the overhead voice in an airport to me. I also wonder what kind of cookies Auntie Em has on that plate? "I've got a clan of ginger-bread man. Here a man, there a man, lot's of ginger bread, man. Take a couple of you wish. They're on the dish ..." (Syd Barrett with Pink Floyd from "Bike")

12) (#) During the "On the Run" sequence as Dorothy is singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", the effects sound sort of like helicopters and airplanes are flying overhead & Dorothy's gaze seems to follow one across the screen. Note : "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", Well, we all know what is found on the infamous cover of DSOTM (a rainbow!) and here Dorothy is singing about one. Also there are a few fun little rhythm synchs during this piece such as Toto wagging his tail in time to the clicking sound effect and Dorothy pulling her head towards Toto's during another sound effect and swinging around to another, etc. And then the sort of rumbling sound at the end of the song that for some reason goes along with the sun piercing the clouds in the sky scene. It gives the feel of a passing thunderstorm.

13) (¼) At the end of "On the Run" it looks like Toto is laughing at Dorothy.

14) The chimes in "Time" go off at the appearance of Mrs Gulch (Wicked Witch of the West) on the bicycle and the chimes stop when she gets off the bike. >>>> "I've got a bike. You can ride it if you like. It's got a basket, a bell that rings and things to make it look good ..." (Syd Barrett with Pink Floyd from "Bike")

15) At the first bass chord of "Time" the scene changes to inside Auntie Em's house -- really cool -- and this is where it all begins getting very interesting.

16) (#) Dorothy and the rest of the cast appear to move and react to the rhythm and mood in particular of the music.

17) "... You fritter and waste the hours in an off hand way ..." Seems to describe the kind of frittered away life that the old maid /witch, Mrs Gulch has if getting rid of poor little Toto is what it takes to make her day.

18) "Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town", This is said just a little before Toto jumps out of the basket and onto the ground where he kicks off to go back to Dorothy in his hometown. So it's not exact but worth the mention.

19) "... Waiting for someone or something to show you the way ..." Toto pops up in the window (perhaps to show Dorothy the way?).

20) (*#) "... Tired of lying in the sunshine ..." as Toto is lying on the bed with the sun shining in on him wittle fuzzy body.

21) "... You are young and life is long ..." a reference to Dorothy's youth?

22) "... and there is time to kill today ..." There certainly is time to kill and Dorothy will be present at the death of not one but two people (witches).

23) "... Ten years have got behind you ..." You see Dorothy's back. (Hence, you are behind Dorothy).

24) "... No one told you when to run ..." Dorothy is running away from home.

25) Guitar solo in "Time" begins as scene changes (It's so cool when that happens).

26) During the guitar solo of "Time" the words "Past, Present and Future" are seen on the sign of Professor Marvel.

27) (%) "And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking; Racing around to come up behind you again!" First think about this: "Time is a predator which stalks us all our lives." --Star Trek: Generations . . . Now take a look above the door mantle as Dorothy enters Professor Marvel's wagon. What do we see but a skull . . . a reminder of time and the shortness thereof indeed. Kinda funky eh?

28) (¿)+(*¶)"... to come up behind you again ..." as Professor Marvel is coming up behind Dorothy.

29) "... But you're older ..." referring to Professor Marvel's old age?

30) "... Or half a page of scribbled lines ..." referring to perhaps the photo that Professor Marvel sneaks out of Dorothy's basket? Ok so it's not scribbled lines, but it's a page.

31) "... Hanging on in quiet desperation ..." as Dorothy quietly and desperately listens to the words of Professor Marvel.

32) "... Home, home again ..." as Professor Marvel tells Dorothy that she needs to go back home.

33) (§) "... Hear the softly spoken magic spell ..." as Dorothy is leaving the "magic" wagon of Professor Marvel.

34) Song changes to "The Great Gig In the Sky" the moment Dorothy reaches down and grabs her bag. This is probably my favourite scene in the whole synch. (To view a clip of this part, Click Here...you must Real Player or another media player to play this). Thanks to: Rayman's Pink Floyd Page.

35) (voice says) "... And I am not frightened of dying ..." as the tornado heads towards a house.

Note: (@) At the scene of the tornado there is a sound (slide guitar) strangely reminiscient of the old air raid sirens during wartime -- perhaps warning of impending doom via twister (and we ain't talking about a Milton-Bradley® game either)?

36) The drums kick in as a tree is uprooted by the winds of the tornado. Note : Right after the tree is uprooted, the singer begins her operatic style wailing which keeps time with the mood and intensity of the tornado scene. Nifty rhythm synchs are seen during this piece such as the door flying off its hinges and the piece of furniture or appliance falling over on the porch as Dorothy enters the house, etc.

37) After Dorothy gets bonked on the head with the window the singer calms down and Dorothy begins dreaming. Note: The song playing during the entire tornado scene and especially while the house is up in the air via the tornado is "The Great Gig in the Sky". Get it?

38) The "cha-ching !" of "Money" is heard as Dorothy steps out into colourful, and wealthy looking Muchkin Land. Note : "Money" would be associated with colour and better living as is apparent to Dorothy. (*£) Note : The Wizard of Oz was the first full length colour film released in the U.S. and maybe in the world for that matter. Of course this movie did make a lot of Money.

39) (&)"New car, caviar, four star daydream; I think I'll buy me a football team" Now granted that what an Englishman like Roger would call "football" is what we in the States call "soccer" but bear with me a second and notice that the yellow brick road bears a striking resemblamce to the spiraling helmet symbol of the Ram's (Los Angeles, Anaheim or St Louis depending on what time you are in).

40) ( * ) "Don't give me that do-goody-good bull§#·." as Glinda the (do-goody) good witch (?!) comes a-floating like an angel in her big bubble. Roger always has to throw in a worty dird on each album now doesn't he?

41) "... I think I need a Lear Jet ..." as Glinda appears from the bubble. Maybe she'd prefer a jet over traveling in a bubble? "Big Bubbles . . . No Troubles." (Hubba-Bubba® Bubblegum) Note : (¥) The way Glinda is holding her wand it looks like she's playing electric air guitar during Dave's solo. (Just for a second ... sort of)

Note: During the guitar solo of "Money" the Munchkins appear to move somewhat to the music. When the solo is sort of "plucky" they move a bit more intrepidly and then after the Munchkin with the tall, green hat jumps out the solo goes wild again and all the Munchkins start dancing away. The soldiers also appear to march in time with the music.

42) () "... Share it, fare it ..." As one of the Munchkins shares some flowers with Dorothy.

43) During the beginning of "Us and Them" it sounds like funeral parlour music and the Munchkin Coroner shows the Certificate of Death. Note : (‡) A little before the Munchkin Coroner comes up some officials come out of one of the buildings and are talking back and forth about their new arrival and in the background you can hear a man say "... I was really drunk at the time ..." which could be a reference to the drunken and carousing little people who played the Munhkins. Then you can hear a woman say "... He was cruisin' for a bruisin'..." which according to rumor Judy Garland said the little actors got drunk and at leat one tried to hit on her. So the latter voice could be considered as Dorothy sayng that particular Munchkin was "Cruisin' for a bruisin' ".

Check info on this @ http://www.autographics.com/oz.html on legends and myths of the movie ... & http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/9151/oztrivia.html

44) During "Us and Them" the ballerinas from the Lullabye League enter to "Us ... Us .... Us ...". Note: (*¥) Just think about this for a sec ; "Us, and them . . . And after all we're only ordinary men. Me, and you . . . God only knows it's not what we would choose to do." Perhaps the little people actors playing the roles of the Munchkins prefer NOT being exploited for their stature by the folks at MGM i.e. it's not the kind of thing they would prefer to do. After all they are only ordinary men. Well, they're not really ordinary now are they? Realistically speaking though they could be glad since there aren't that many movie roles for little people -- so the money's nice when it's rollin' eh?

45) (±)"Forward he cried ..." It looks like the Munchkins all shout forward to Dorothy to urge her onward!

46) (*‡) "... and the lines on the map moved from side to side ..." as the munchkins move to two separate sides at the appearance of the Wicked Witch.

47) "Black and blue ..." as it shows the witch who is wearing black , and "blue" when it shows Dorothy who is wearing blue.

48) "... And who knows which is which ..." (Witch is Witch ... or ... Which is Witch)?

49) "... Up and Down ..." as the dead wicked witch's feet go down under Dorothy's house.

50) (%) "Haven't you heard? It's a battle of words ..." as Glinda is whispering in Dorothy's ear and then returns to her battle of words with the wicked witch.

51) "... And in the end it's only 'round and 'round..." As Glinda points to Dorothy's feet which are now turning 'round.

52) (ß) Then it says "... and 'round ..." as there is yet another shot of the ruby slippers.

53) (¿) "... said the man with the gun ..." as the Wicked Witch points her long finger at Dorothy in the shape of a gun!

54) "Down and out ... " as Glinda leaves in her bubble (she's out of here).

55) ($) "... But there's a lot of it about ..." Oyvey! There certainly seems to be a lot of coming and going in the Land of Oz with the house and the wicked witch going under the house and the other wicked witch coming and going and the good witch coming and gong .

56) (*§)"... Get out of the way, it's a busy day, I've got things on my mind ..." as Dorothy passes through the Munhkins and leaves Munckin Land.

57) Scene changes at the same time that "Us and Them" changes to "Any Colour You Like"

58) "... The lunatic is on the grass ..." The Scarecrow isn't on the grass but he is made of grass and he is certainly dancing around like a lunatic. ( * ) Note: The song Brain Damage is playing as the Scarecrow is singing If I Only Had a Brain. Note: Check out these lyrics from "The Scarecrow" by Syd Barrett with The Pink Floyd on their album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, " The black and green scarecrow as everyone knows, Stood with a bird on his hat and straw everywhere. He didn't care. He stood in a field where barley grows. His head did no thinking, His arms didn't move except when the wind cut up rough and mice ran around on the ground. He stood in a field where barley grows." Notice what colour Scarecrow is in the movie?

59) (ç) "... Got to keep the loonies on the path ..." Dorothy and Scarecrow are the "loonies" on the Yellow Brick Road (path).

60) "... You raise the blade ..." as the Toucan in the tree raises his bill which resembles the blade of a knife.

61) (¤) "... There's someone in my head but it's not me ..." The Appletrees have someone inside who makes them move around and look alive.

62) "... Thunder in your ear ..." as the Appletrees are thundering in Dorothy's ear for snatching an apple.

63) "... And everyone you meet..." As Dorothy meets yet another interesting character in this Land of Oz, the Tin Woodsman.

64) (*±) "... all that you touch and all that you see ..." Once again Dorothy is holding a man's arm at the word "touch" as it was at the beginning of the movie (see #5) but then she and Scarecrow look up to "see" the oil can which is something that Tinman would like a "taste" of in order to "feel" better.

65) Dorothy listens for a heartbeat (or lack of one) in the Tin Woodsman's chest as the heartbeat goes on to the end of the album. Note : When the CD starts back with the heartbeat, the Tin Woodsman is singing "If I Only Had a Heart"

Second Play-Through of CD

66) "... and high you fly ..." referring to the wicked witch standing on top of the house with her flying broom.

67) "... Run, rabbit , run ..." as the witch throws a fireball at Scarecrow.

During this second playthrough of "On the Run" it works out pretty well with the Cowardly Lion scene in several instances which lose something in the translation so you will have to see them for yourself.

Side Note: If you have a slower return response on your CD player (which I don't but have seen it on friend's CD players that do), during the scene where Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman and Cowardly Lion are walk/skipping to the Wizard, they do so to the drum score at the beginning of "Time" . . . really cool!

68) "... And there is time to kill today ..." as the Wicked Witch seeks to kill Dorothy with the deadly Poppies.

69)"... Shorter of breath and one day closer to death..." as Dorothy and Cowardly Lion appear to be dead.

70) (§) "... Home, home again ..." As Tin Woodsman is once at home in being frozen in his rusted state from the snow just as he was when Dorothy found him in the first place.

71) (*$) "Far away across the field ..." As The Fearless Foursome are in a poppy field and can see the Emerald City across it.

72) "...Calls the faithful to their knees ..." as Scarecrow falls to his knee upon exiting the poppy field.

73) "Cha - ching !" when the message SURRENDER DOROTHY is seen in the sky written in the Wicked Witch's smoke.

Note: During the scene where the Fearless Four (and Toto too) are entering the Temple of the Wizard of Oz there is "religious" sounding music playing. I nfact this portion of the album was called the "religious track" by the members of the band while recording DSOTM.

74) (§) "Black and blue ..." The Wizard is seen in the midst of the smoke and in this instance the smoke appears blue.

75) "... round and round ..." as we read the sign pointing to the home of the Wicked Witch that says "If I were you I'd turn back". Maybe they should turn 'round (?).

76) ( ** ) "Listen son, said the man with the gun ..." Scarecrow is carrying a gun.

77) "... Down and out ..." the flying monkeys swoop down to capture Dorothy, and then fly out of the woods with her in their hands.

78) "... With ... without ..." Dorothy is with the flying monkeys, but Tin Woodsman, Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow are without Dorothy. . . And who'll deny she's what the fighting's all about?

79) "... You raise the blade ... You make the change..." as the blade of the Lance is raised by Scarecrow, Lion and Tin Woodsman after they have changed into the uniforms of the three unlucky witch's guardsmen.

80) "... All that you hate and all you mistrust ..." during which the face of the wicked witch is seen. Certainly a mistrustful face if ever there was one.

81) (*§) "... And everyone you fight ..." as Tin Woodsman drops the chandelier on the Guardsmen.

Third Play-Through of CD

82) (voice says) ..."Live for today, gone tomorrow ..." as the Wizard hands Tin Woodsman his clockwork heart, and then we hear a strange noise that sounds like a rusted metal hinge. Perhaps a prophetic utterance of Tin Woodsman's ultimate demise? Note:(£) During this "rewards" scene when Cowardly Lion receives his badge of courage, it sounds like military helicopters and war planes flying about. (sort of)

83) "... Home, home again ..." after Dorothy has awakened back in her home in Kansas.

84) (~) "... Calls the faithful to their knees ..." as Auntie Em comes to Dorothy with water and is on bent knee.

85) (ä) "... To hear the softly spoken magic spell." and then Dorothy speaks the magic spell that brought her back home which is "There's no place like home".