Can you tell a green field From a cold steel rail? “They” in this case refers to Syd’s inner voices that keep him straying… so, everything he believed earlier doesn’t stand anymore? Living the same life, making the same mistakes, just going around in circles aimlessly “year after year”. Year after year, Wow, I just got an e-mail letting me know that someone had commented on my post. Now they were famous and they were looking back, wishing that the one who had gotten them off-the-ground was there to share it with them. The song built from there, with the pair writing the music for the chorus and verses together, and Waters adding the lyrics. sort form. "Wish You Were Here" is a statement directed to the person the song writer USED to be. I am replying to myself......hence the name "ADDGirl." Figuratively a lost soul swimming in a fish bowl. All Rights Reserved. It’s like asking again : are you sure you want to be doing this? Dude.... fuckin' aye, you just nailed the song. So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell, Blue sky’s from pain. The progressive side of a great band like Pink Floyd can be sometime hard to understand and can scare a lot of people. Wish you were here. Maybe is this simple and really accessible combination of melody and lyrics that often introduce to the work of one of the most complex music band. And that change is not necessarily better than what he’s used to. Because Syd visit the Abbey Road Studios while the Pink Floyd records Shine on you crazy diamond. A walk on part in the war This is a reference to Syd Barrett’s solo song, “If It’s In You”, from The Madcap Laughs album (“Hold you tighter so close/Yes you are/Please hold on to the steel rail”). Let me know it in the comments. The song is dedicated to Syd Barret, and was based on a poem that Roger Waters wrote about Syd Barrett’s fall from reality. The radio was recorded from David Gilmour’s car radio. Can you tell a green field But the easiness of Wish you were here, and the way in which almost everybody can relate with this softly wording, is a great way to start a big journey inside the world of a big piece of history like the music of the Pink Floyd. Cold comfort for change? a song, that you can just say about "yeah, i wish you were here. Syd have chosen to forgot his chance to be a small part of something hugely important, instead selfishly insisting on being the main event (by using drugs, not cooperating etc). it would be better." I thought it was Roger Waters' biography. He missed an opportunity to do anything great because what he’s doing and will do alone is severely bounded and will be soon forgotten. This was a rare case of the Pink Floyd primary songwriters Roger Waters and David Gilmour mutually collaborating on a song — they rarely wrote together. Swimming in a fish bowl, without a doubt, Wish You Were Here the song and the whole album is a tribute to syd barrett. And how important he was in your life? Waters and Gilmour are trying to make Syd understand that what he’s doing is wrong. At least it's way more about him than Syd. Syd). The heroes here can be all the great musicians and poets that make the inspiration for his art, and the ghosts are all the hallucinations that make his life an empty place. View by: Highest Rated; Most Recent; Oldest First +1. This passage was mixed to sound as though the guitarist were sitting in a car, listening to the radio; it also contains a whine that slowly changes pitch—emulating the electro-magnetic interference from the engine of a car as it accelerates and decelerates. Song Meanings and Facts © 2020. Having idealistic and maybe self centered ideals that tend to keep you in turmoil. I knew, of course, that the song was about Roger's missing Syd, and I really liked the instrumental introduction. Non-lyrical content copyright 1999-2020 SongMeanings, Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display. At the end, when the wind is blowing, you can hear the sound of a violin that was played by Stephane Grappelli, a Jazz musician who was recording in nearby studios. Writer/s: WATERS, ROGER/GILMOUR, DAVID JON How I wish, how i Wish you were here. He was already a ghost. That could have been the question taunting Pink Floyd after the completion and release of their most wildly successful album, The Dark Side of the Moon. Don’t have an account? The first to suggest this as the album title, was Storm Thorgerson, the man who did their cover art. The master tape of the original recording includes an entire performance of pedal steel guitar, played by David Gilmour, that was not used in the final mix. Hope things turn out better for you man. So, so you think you can tell From a cold steel rail? The cover image shows 2 men shaking hands, with one of them on fire. I watch her try to contort reality into what she thinks is good, or what she wants at that time and inevitably sets herself back to a state of lesser understanding. Lyrics submitted by The album contains images relating to the theme of absence. And how we found General Commentfinally, there is a pretty good song about missing somebody you love. My InterpretationI have always thought the song Wish You Were Here was about how people in relationships (whatever kind: marriages, friendships, bandmates, partnerships,etc.) It's an interesting interpretation and of course if that's the meaning it has for you then no one can argue with that. Waters felt they were not putting a full effort into the recording sessions and the song reflected the feeling of the band while they were recording the album. Nobody recognize him at first. And did you exchange A walk on part in the war For a lead role in a cage? Where do you go once you’ve reached madness? Publisher: Warner Music Group/Chappell Music, Inc., IMAGEM U.S. LLC. I never even thought of it that way but it makes perfect sense. It was said that Syd’s friends would lace his coffee with LSD, which eventually lead to his mental breakdown. he also showed up for the recording of this album but was bold and did not remember any of the pink floyd members which made them very sad and inspired them to do this song. This is one of the few songs Roger Waters continued to play at his shows after leaving Pink Floyd that David Gilmour helped him write. A smile from a veil? The most commonly-accepted understanding is that it is intended to serve as a shoutout to Syd Barrett (1946-2006). Hot ashes for trees? Maybe It’s a final chance. Thank you. Jarak, I joined this site so I could tell you how profound your interpretation is. Personally I didn't care for early Floyd as much as the latter, and I prefer David Gilmour to Syd Barrett. A post that I had no recollection of making on a site that if you had asked me yesterday I would have said I have never heard of. He didn't leave the band due to excessive drug use, they kicked him out because he lost his mind (exacerbated by drug use). Definatly not a biography, but inspired in some part by him or in some part about him? Demau Senae, edited by kehlankr, galaxiaad, bwheeler78, sharkycharming, JohnEightThirtyTwo, GrimTone, robodok, dimaqq, afloyd674, nasses321, "Wish You Were Here" as written by Roger Waters David Gilmour, Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC. This song, along Video of the “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” highlight the child-heroes they had been and how Syd couldn’t handle it. Do you think you can tell? In all of the images, there is something missing, like the diver who does not make a splash. Pink Floyd asked him to guest on this when they found out he was there. I truly enjoyed your comment on this...I was myself have love loved Floyd all my life and only 36yrs old....but did do a high school essay on Syd, I would give you two thumbs up if possible. One that struggled with with going through life and now see my own daughter fall into the same cycle. What’s gone is gone. We’re just two lost souls Log in now to tell us what you think this song means. View by: Highest Rated; Most Recent; Oldest First +5. Hot air for a cool breeze? And did they get you to trade Your heroes for ghosts? Your heroes for ghosts? Hot ashes for trees? Wish you were here is one the most important songs in the history. The authors collaborated to give a whole set of choices to their audience, challenging them to push themselves to go beyond their comfort zones, saying that what may look like Hell now could turn out to be heaven. Dave was amazing playing it at Live8. A band or songwriter spends so much time honing their skills and striving for fame and fortune, and then all of a sudden when they achieve it, they're surprised to find …