The Backwards Message in Pink Floyd's 'Empty Spaces' – Bob Ezrin's Hidden Easter Egg

Bob Ezrin, who co-produced The Wall, had a mischievous streak. During the recording of “Empty Spaces,” he decided to plant a backwards-masked message that would only reveal itself when the song was played in reverse. The message translates to: “Congratulations. You have just discovered the secret message. Please send your answer to Old Pink, care of the Funny Farm, Chalfont.” It’s a playful nod to the album’s themes of isolation and mental breakdown—Chalfont refers to the mental hospital where Pink’s father was treated in the film.

Why “Old Pink”? That’s what the band used to call the character in early drafts of the story. The whole thing was an inside joke, but it became one of the most famous audio Easter eggs in rock history. You can hear it clearly if you flip the tape: a creepy, whispered voice that sounds like it’s emerging from the other side of the wall.