Since the 1960’s, there has been a theory that recording artists project subliminal messages through back masking and reverse speech in their songs. Back masking is a recording technique where a sound or message is recorded backwards onto a track that’s meant to be played forward. A similar technique, known as reverse speech, is a theory of a complete complimentary reverse language. Back masking and reverse speech are both commonly found in music. A subliminal message is a visual or audible message shown in any way that prevents the conscious mind from recognizing them. These messages are usually heard once the song is played backward; there have been many suspicions of this in musicians such as The Beatles, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Queen, etc. Although, some people believe that these cases were just accidental, whereas other’s think otherwise. Despite that, an obvious example of back masking would be “Empty Spaces” by Pink Floyd, and an example of reverse speech would be “Revolution 9” by The Beatles.
The idea of back masking is spine-chilling all in itself, never mind the fact that it is deliberate. Pink Floyd made their point that back masking is a deliberate recording technique in their song “Empty Spaces.” Pink Floyd’s song played normally is indistinguishable, but once put through an audio device and the song is played in reverse, they sing “congratulations, you have just discovered the secret message.” There isn’t a way that they did this accidentally, and it would be completely irrational for Pink Floyd to not have deliberately done this to their song. “I’m So Tired” by The Beatles is a great example of this, they use indistinguishable gibberish in their song, and once the song is played in reverse, it says “Paul is a dead man, miss him, miss him…” When the song is played on the radio or on CD, most listeners just believe its unknown background music, not that once it is played backward it displays a subliminal message. A second example of back masking is “Fire on High” by ELO. ELO also uses indistinguishable gibberish in their song, and when the song is played backward, they sing “the music is reversible, but time is not, turn back, turn back…” This is also a spine-chilling example, and was definitely not accidental.
Although, back masking is not the only technique musicians use; reverse speech is a theory of a complimentary reverse language. An easier way of explaining reverse speech would be to say that some people believe there is a complete reverse language; for example, if someone were to speak backwards, it would be another phrase as opposed to the sentence they wanted to say without being reversed. An example of this would be “Revolution 9” by The Beatles. In this song, The Beatles added audio that says, “number nine” repeatedly, when this was played backwards, instead of saying “number nine,” it says “turn me on, dead man,” repeatedly. Another example would be Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi.” Gaga sings “there’s no other superstar you know that I’ll be your papa… paparazzi. Promise I’ll be kind,” and once this was played in reverse, she somehow manages to sing “evil save us! These stars above, above… we model it on the arts of Lucifer.” Many people theorize that celebrities sell their soul to the devil to get famous, and in return have to use subliminal messages about the devil throughout their music, which is why this is a suspicious song all in itself. Lastly, “Hotel California” by the Eagles is another great example of reverse speech. The song says, “in the middle of the night, just to hear them say” and when this is played backward it says, “Satan he hears this, he made me believe in him,” which also ties into the theory behind Lady Gaga’s, Paparazzi.
Reverse speech may be a very similar idea and technique as back masking, but not quite as deliberate. It is debatable that the Eagles, the Beatles, and Lady Gaga accidentally displayed this in their music once it was played backward; although, there isn’t a chance that the Beatles, along with ELO and Pink Floyd did this accidentally. Back masking is too deliberate to accidentally include into a song, especially like the examples given in Empty Spaces, Fire on High, and I’m So Tired. All of these songs are examples of back masking and reverse speech, although groups of people may choose to disagree.
