Simplistic but beyond poignant is perhaps the correct description of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here”. The beautiful song was written by band members David Gilmour and Roger Waters and easily ranks as one of Pink Floyd’s most popular compositions. In this article, we will dive into the story, meaning, and legacy behind “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd
The Story Behind the Song
The story behind “Wish You Were Here” started with David Gilmour. He wrote the song’s iconic introduction and was playing around with it in the studio. The acoustic folk-sounding introduction of “Wish You Were Here” may not be typical of Gilmour – who is known for his distinctive electric guitar sound – but the song’s folk-like introduction is closer to Gilmour’s heart than many would initially think.
“I actually learned the guitar with the help of a Pete Seeger (folk legend) instructional record when I was 13 or 14. And I did listen to a lot of folk and folk blues,” Gilmour told Guitar World. “Leadbelly (folk blues legend) and Pete Seeger were both big influences on me.”
Upon hearing Gilmour’s introduction, Roger Waters asked Gilmour if he could work on the song. “I went “I like it,” and I said, “Do you mind if I see what happens next?” Waters reflected to AXS TV. “And so I played a few chords and wrote the song very, very quickly, as I recall. Probably in an hour. So, It was one of those happy times when stream of consciousness works, and words come out that have meaning.”
“Wish You Were Here” is a rare example where David Gilmour and Roger Waters collaborated on the songwriting process of a song. The two are known for having a troubled relationship – especially in the later years of Pink Floyd – and often worked out compositions on their own.
The Meaning of the Song
“Wish You Were Here” is a song about the absence of a loved one. The lyrics convey a sense of emptiness, loss, and the yearning for a loved one who is no longer present.
It is widely believed the song addresses former Pink Floyd bandmate Syd Barrett, which Roger Waters confirmed as partially true. Barrett was the frontman of Pink Floyd in their early years but was removed from the band in 1968 because of his declining mental state. The song – and the entire album Wish You Were Here – are often seen as a tribute to Barrett.
When a fan asked Roger Waters whether “Wish You Were Here” was directed at someone, he replied: “I suppose you could say within the context of that record it… maybe… it was more about Syd Barrett than about anyone else. Though I would have to try and remember all the lyrics. No, I think it was, it was more a general song about feeling a sense of loss when you’re not with somebody that you love, or have loved.”
The Arrangement of the Song
“Wish You Were Here” starts with a transistor radio that is switching channels. The transistor radio travels from the album’s previous track, “Have a Cigar”, to a conversation between a man and a woman, to a short section of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, to the start of “Wish You Were Here”. The radio section was recorded from David Gilmour’s car.
Read more: The 10 Best Pink Floyd Songs of All Time
“It’s all meant to sound like the first track getting sucked into the radio, with one person sitting in the room playing guitar along to the radio,” Gilmour said about the idea behind the introduction.
The deliberately poor-sounding introduction by Gilmour is accompanied by his clear opening solo. After the opening solo, the song jumps into the only verse of the song, with lead vocals by Gilmour and the rest of the band joining in. The chorus of the song only appears once, in between two instrumental bits where Gilmour scat sings along to his guitar solos. At the end of the song, “Wish You Were Here” fades into the whistling wind.
The Legacy of Wish You Were Here
The song was released as part of the album Wish You Were Here on 12 September 1975. Despite the appeal of the song, Pink Floyd never released the original “Wish You Were Here” as a single. The band did release a live version of the song as a single for Pink Floyd’s live album Pulse.
Over the years, “Wish You Were Here” grew out to be one of Pink Floyd’s most popular songs. The song is generally perceived as one of the greatest songs ever written. Both Roger Waters and David Gilmour have expressed their liking of the song, and never shied away from playing the song during live performances.
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