Customer Reviews

Wish You Were Here

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Possibly the best Badfinger album released. Brillant music and songwriting emerging from the shadows of the Fab Four.

Wish you were here is one of the top 5-6 classic rock albums of the 1970's. And for my money the greatest Badfinger album EVER. It has the feeling of, "hey let's just let it all out, the hell with the record execs."

No pre-packaged ideas here. No let's try hard to write a top 40 single here (although there are a few gems). This is Straight Up on amphetamines. No Dice rolling lucky 7's!! This is classic rock at it's classic best. Breathtaking musicianship, some great orchestra arrangements and even the Average White Band horn section lending to the genius.

Wish you were here is a MUST buy for classic rock fans, or just fans of great music period. Obviously never straying too far from the nurturing tree, Wish You Were here, has that Beatles sound here and there, what do you expect " the Snoop Dog sound"?? But this is a powerful, passionate record that if you like the genre, you will like Badfinger's Wish you were here. Makes me wish the Band was still here. Sadly they are not, so don't miss this opportunity to purchase a piece of Rock history.

Horay for Collector's Choice for reissuing this almost-long-lost classic. The remastering is very similar (if not identical) to the German import released a few years back. The CD booklet is just a gatefold (four pages, including the back cover and front cover) with some liner notes. No photos, but I'd take a great-sounding CD with a crisp printing job on the front and back artwork over a muddy release with more detailed liner notes anyday. Definitely worth it. Badfinger fans won't be disappointed. The same for Collector's Choice's reissue of "Badfinger," which in parts is just as strong as "Wish You Were Here." Pick 'em both up if you can ... :)

I had this one on vinyl when it was first released, but misplaced it years ago so I hadn't listend to it in years. It's as good as I remembered it. "Just a Chance" should have been a hit, it rivals any of their earlier hits on Apple records. Highly recomennded

This is perfect. Buy it. It will make you understand why we never needed Oasis in the first place.

Nothing short of a pop/rock masterpiece. In my opinion, the band's best album. Unfortunately it was overlooked by just about everyone and received very little or no airplay in the US during a time when airplay was crucial to an album's sales and success.

Pete Ham was never content to simply step into the empty, spotlit stage remaining in the Beatles' wake. He shed any direct inclinations of being a Macca or Lennon clone years before - "Name of the Game" from Straight Up remains a defining statement of Pete's singular ability. While "Just a Chance" rocks like a mother and "Meanwhile Back at the Ranch" makes you want to put the top down and step on the gas, he takes another step forward in declaring his emerging songwriting genius with "Dennis". Simple, yet poetic in its lyric, the melody is as haunting and compelling as any in music. Sometimes when a song touches one so deeply, it is difficult to define what about the tune is so moving. Pick up this record and hear it for yourself. No rock fan should be without it. Incidentally, Joey Molland turns in one of his prettiest melodies in "Love Time" - silly title, beautiful tune.

It may take a listen or two to get used to the tracks, but once you do there is no looking back. Shades of the Beatles and ELO. This album is as good as Abbey Road. A tragic story about this talented band, but if you like their four hits heard all over 'oldies' radio then you will love all these new songs. 'Meanwhile Back at the Ranch- Should I smoke? will bring you back to that classic British sound. I can't put this CD away.

Great disc. I'd always enjoyed Badfinger, but really never took the time to research their music. I then saw Joey Molland with Badfinger at Half-way Jam in Royalton, MN and became a convert, I bought this CD and find it just fantastic. Great songs, great harmony, great riffs, all brought together just perfectly. Dennis, and Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch are my favorites. Great CD.

In 1987, the Goldmine publication polled its readers on "which CD's would you like to see released". Remembering at this point in time, CD's were slowly but surely replacing the LP and the members responded with their answer.....not The Beatles, not Beach Boys, not the Stones......but Badfingers "Straight Up" album. Interesting, considering that I would suspect most hardcore BF fans would disagree and say, "Wish You Were Here" for several reasons......one being that it only was around for less than 2 months, in record stores....but more importantly, its a great album, plain and simple. Thanks Dan!

Now the review I originally posted in 2004on the import version;

Well, I'm sure you all have heard the problems this band went through, so I won't even go into that. I will say this though, this recording seems to be focused on what was going on around the band at the time....tough pill to swallow..... Just over 30 minutes, this album broke new ground, a different approach then previous releases. I won't sit here and insult anyone's intelligence by stating this is their greatest work. Personally, its my favorite. From start to finish, no bad tracks, some medley's (including important contributions from Mike), some excellent choices of instruments never used before on a Badfinger record. This is by all means, the last record of the Classic Badfinger lineup. The comparisons to Abbey Road are prevalent.....but it stands to this day as a Classic Lost Album that will go down in history as just that.....Lost. No hit songs here, no trademark sounds, just pure brilliance.

If I could possibly improve this great release, I would have included "Timeless" (similar time signature to "I Want You, She's so Heavy") somewhere in between the original's release first side and second. Would have been a nice compliment to the Abbey Road theory?!?

This document should not be overlooked by any casual, hardcore or any Beatle fan!



c_bennett31@yahoo.com