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369 of 393 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Follow-Up to Greatest Album Ever, May 27, 2000
Considering the ridiculous expectations Pink Floyd had to reach after Dark Side of the Moon, it's hard to imagine that they could have done better than Wish You Were Here. Although far more personal than any other Floyd work to date, this album bristles with anger, self-loss, confusion, and hope. Finally confident in their own ability as artists, the group sought to tackle the demons of its troubled past. "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" is probably the best song Floyd ever produced, as it attempts to pay tribute to the group's original front man Syd Barrett, who was at one point the most important member of the band. This song also aims to make a public statement about Barrett's tragic decline into madness. The use of the word "piper" in reference to the subject of the song is a clear allusion to Barrett in that it conjures up memories of Floyd's debut album, "Piper at the Gates of Dawn," of which Barrett deserves most of the credit. The music perfectly suits the feeling of the song which, all at once, expresses its gratitude and appreciation for what Barrett did for the group, while also explaining why they couldn't have possibly continued making music with him as their leader. "Welcome to the Machine" can also be applied to Barrett, in that it tells the story of a child prodigy who was seemedly groomed from childhood to become a rock star (this isn't Barrett's exact story, but the common theme of a person not ready for fame and pressure is relevant). While "Machine" is certainly not one of Floyd's better pieces of music, it works well with the rest of the album. "Have a Cigar," on the other hand, is a superb song in which lyricist Roger Waters unleashes some of his most venemous sarcasm seen as of yet. The song is a speech by a fast-talking record executive out to make a quick buck on a hot new musical act. Waters was unable to lend his vocals to this one due to the fact that he had ruptured his voice while singing the demanding "Shine on." Guitarist David Gilmour wouldn't sing it either because he felt the lyrics were too complaining. So, the band brought outsider Roy Harper in to give a voice to Water's angst in an episode that foreshadowed the horrible tension that would exist between Waters and Gilmour during the making of subsequent albums. With "Wish You Were Here," though, the band experienced no such problems. The perfect contrast to "Cigar," "Wish You Were Here" was originally conceived as a poem by Waters. Gilmour then wrote a great piece of music to compliment Water's words, and an instant Pink Floyd classic was born. This song also marks the first time Waters would use the group's music to make a personal inventory of his own character. Though the words are relatable to Barrett, this is more about the absence of one's better nature. What Waters is saying here is that he has become too controlling and too meglomaniacal and wishes to make a quick return to his older, better self. Most Floyd fans (and even non-fans) would agree that the result of the lyricist's soul-searching is one of Floyd's most beautiful ballads. The album is rounded out well by the second version of "Shine on." This album is clearly not as strong as Dark Side of the Moon, but then again, what is? Wish You Were Here is a great album, however, and should be considered among the best 20 or 25 in rock history. The album flows remarkably well and, though most of the songs stand out well all by themselves, their effect when put together is a truly rewarding product, much like the songs on Dark Side.
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234 of 248 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The same old fears, wish you were here..., February 5, 2001
The biggest problem with Pink Floyd is that they aren't radio friendly (and, in Waters's solo albums, downright hostile). Besides Dark Side of the Moon and maybe some of The Wall, most of the songs are either too long, too deep or just not "catchy" enough for modern radio. The sad thing about this is that, although both great abums, these are by no means Floyd's best. "So, what is?" I hear you asking. Well, this is it. "Wish You Were Here" is the magnum opus, the absolute epitome of that which is Pink Floyd. And here's why: Pink Floyd started out under the direction of a man named Syd Barrett. Unfortunately, soon after the band's first album ("Piper at the Gates of Dawn") came out, Syd started heavily experimenting with drugs. As he became more and more unstable, the rest of the group was forced to let him go so that he could seek the mental help that he desperately needed. Soon afterward the band's bassist, Roger Waters, took over. Roger followed in the similiar vein of long, meaningful songs; but inserted a bit more energy and occasionally a few extremely cynical commentaries. After the commercial success of Dark Side, Pink Floyd as a group became wary of moulding into the shape of the 5 minute singles band that Dark Side seemed to suggest. So, for their next outing Roger decided that he would take Floyd back to their roots, and subsequentely wrote "Wish You Were Here", an ode to the band's original frontman Syd. While by no means the commercial success that Dark Side was, WYWH was pure Pink Floyd. Featuring a single 25 minute long song (Shine on You Crazy Diamond pts 1&2) and a few 5-8 minute long ones, this album was far closer to what longtime Pink Floyd fans were used to. The first song besides Shine On is "Welcome to the Machine", a song about the music industry and how focused it seems on simply pumping out premade hits, whether they be the all-too familiar boy bands or the other side of the spectrum, the more varied appearing but still preformatted heavy metal and punk bands (from the song: "You bought a guitar to punish your Ma; you didn't like school, and you know you're nobody's fool"). The next one is "Have a Cigar", a song from the point of view of a music company executive trying to buddy up to the band that he thinks will make him millions, while showing that he has no actual deep interest in them beyond their monetary income (from the song: "And by the way, which one's Pink?"). The last of the shorter songs, and by far the best, is the title song "Wish You Were Here". This song features a rare tear-bringing solos by Gilmour on an acoustic guitar. This song is by far one of the most heartfelt songs ever written by Pink Floyd, an honest, heartfelt message to Syd (from the song: "How I wish, how I wish you were here. We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year. Rinning over the same old ground. What have found? The same old fears, wish you were here."). Then, of course, there is "Shine On", a song about perserverence throughout the hardships of life. Musically, the album is just as incredible as the lyrics. It contains stunning synth compositions in "Shine On", incredible bass riffs (far superior to "Money") in "Have a Cigar", and heartstring pulling acoustics in "Wish You Were Here". Floyd is in better than top form here, and show just why they're one of the greatest bands ever. Well, to wrap things up, I can say nothing better than to take me on faith and get this album. .... Rock has it's own unsung heroes, and none greater than "Wish You Were Here". "Come on you raver, you seer of visions, come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner and shine!"
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59 of 61 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the Floyd's most honest, most personal albums, a fitting tribute to Syd Barrett, October 10, 2007
If DARK SIDE is about insanity, and ANIMALS and THE WALL is Waters working out his own neurosis brought on by fame, WISH YOU WERE HERE could be the most sentimental thing the band ever recorded.
After DARK SIDE broke in 1973, the band surely must have felt the pressure to record that monster's followup. So what did they do in light of all the success they recieved? Why, revisit their roots of course, and issue a concept album about the loss of their first lead singer. And while "concept album" has so many negative connotations, or at least pretension, self-important "art", WISH YOU WERE HERE is none of these things. While certainly self-styled as a tribute, it doesn't get as bogged down in its "concept" as THE WALL, and is truly one of Pink Floyd's most personal, most honest albums that the band ever cut.
WISH YOU WERE HERE returns to the longer song format dominant on the earlier PF records. At only five songs, two of them take up around 27 minutes of the album's 40 minute running time.
Lyrically, WISH YOU WERE HERE is primarily a tribute to the band's now long departed lead singer, Syd Barrett. His story is well known. He had a long history of mental illness, peaked with the Floyd's first album PIPER AT THE GATES OF DOWN, did some singles and two unreleased songs (Scream Thy Last Scream and Vegetable Man), and had some participation on SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS. After that, Barrett was out and Gilmour was in full time. Barrett then went on to release two solo albums (Madcap Laughs and Opal), and then, like Graham Parsons and Nick Drake, his career was cut tragically short. While the other two died, Syd Barrett became a recluse, and for the last thirty plus years of his life (he died summer 2006) lived as a recluse with his sister in England (my mother country).
Much of the remorse and sorrow on WISH YOU WERE HERE is regarding Barrett's fate. Here's a man who was in Pink Floyd, one of the biggest bands ever, and now he's gone. The Illness took over. Some of Waters' most poignant lines come from the title cut, especially the lines about trading a walkon part in the war for a lead role in the cage, meaning he left fame and rock life to become something much more reclusive.
As far as being a followup to DARK SIDE, though there aren't that actual many songs on WISH YOU WERE HERE, there is some great aural qualities. "Welcome to the Machine" really points the way to Waters' paranoia that would culminate in ANIMALS and THE WALL. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", both parts, is vintage Pink Floyd, and some of the best Floyd around. Great instrumentals, great lyrics, heart-felt tribute to Barrett. "Have a Cigar", sung by Roy Harper (you Led Zeppelin fans would now him by the song off LED ZEPPELIN III, "Hats Off To Roy Harper"), is all about the music business, and how clueless record executives can be in regards to the bands their companies represent. Of course, I'm referring to the classic question of which person in the band is named Pink Floyd, not realising that's the name of the band, not a person in the band. Deep respect indeed.
Ironically enough, Syd Barrett showed up for an afternoon in 1975 during the recording of this album. He listened to the band play "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". He was fat and bald, and the band didn't recognize him. His appearance really shook everyone up.
For me, Strom Thorenson's cover art truly captures the spirit of the album. The man, representative of the band, is shaking the truly incendary man's hand. The band must continue on, and though the other man is on fire and a brilliant star, he simply cannot continue on their world. And so they bid adieu.
Overall, this is one of Pink Floyd's better post DARK albums, and serves as a great followup to a fantastic album. It's a nice concept album, and a very fitting tribute to one of rock's great lost icons, Syd Barret. We all wish you were here Syd.
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