My life, through no forward planning, seems to have followed several Floyd songs. I wonder how many out there have similarly found that life is a retrospective experiment, where one only finds meaning when retreating along one's pathway, picking-up discarded thoughts and memories of old, wondering why they were forgotten or mislaid, and perhaps then understanding better their place in your life.
Brain Damage is, perhaps, a metaphor for the Waters' look back and understanding life's absurdity, likely through Syd's messages (once completely misunderstood by Waters). This might explain his return to that common theme of Syd and loss, and better interpretations of his life. Perhaps then, in this song and even the Wall, he understands finally what Syd knew yet could not convey with clarity. That is, that Life exists simultaneously on two planes: a physical journey, and a spiritual enlightenment one. Perhaps he understood too that these worlds are often in societal conflict. In other words, in the view of most unelightened humans,one interpretation must be right and the other misguided. And, one is real, while the other is mad.
I accept Waters' metaphorical observation of a park with man-controlled paths that direct us like lemmings...life's rules and our expected compliance. Enlightenment came to him one day in his observations of such society's "rules", perhaps as a park (as often ideas come to us all from the strangest sources, eh?) Equally, I think he observed that anyone outside of said rules must then also be outside of society, in other words, a "luner". (Funny, the relationship between 'luner/lunar' and 'moon'...but perhaps that observation is for another day's pondering.)
So, when we (any of us) begin to question bits of the Earth's and human's physical side and, with that, the rules of the our existence; we are branded as 'odd'. When we question everything we are certifiably insane .... according to the unenlightened masses. Yet are we...and was Syd...mad? Perhaps, with the correct glasses on, we see a more spiritual and colourful and truthful existentialism.
The song's reference to the brain surgery, and the forced implantation of thoughts ("you throw away the key")....leads to the phrase..."there'is someone in my head, but it's not me...". Those thoughts that were forced into us and which we chant with ritualistic repetitiveness, where implanted and incorrect interpretations. (Like many religious and doctinal efforts....queue Lennon here.)
So, if you reader/listener also notice certain events happening....like a "band playing signing different tunes", or "you shout and no one hears".... these too are signs of your transformation to the other existence.... and, therefore, you are certifiably "insane" like Syd ..... See you on the dark side of the moon. It is a mystical place where such people's spirits fly.
Just one last thought for another day.....when that mystical Moon does in fact eclipse the sun (that ball of light by which Earth's physical beings draw life)....is the dark side then illuminated as the true meaning of life? Was Syd right, and (Shine on you crazy Diamond) did he simply reach for the truth too soon?
See you on the Dark Side of the Moon....
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