- Audio CD (1 Aug 1994)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Original recording remastered
- Label: EMI
- ASIN: B000024D4S
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (94 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 7,247 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Wish You Were Here is a song cycle dedicated to Pink Floyd's original frontman, Syd Barrett, who'd flamed out years before: two grimly funny songs about the evils of the music business ("By the way, which one's Pink?"), and two long, touching ones about the band's vanished friend. The real star of the show, though, is the production: sparkling, convoluted, designed to sound deeply oh-wow under the influence--and pretty great sober too, with David Gilmour getting lots of space for his most lyrical guitar playing ever. And, though the album is big and ambitious, even bombastic, it somehow dodges being pretentious--the Barrett tributes are honest and heartfelt, beneath all the grand gestures and stereophonic trickery. --Douglas Wolk
Review
As the follow-up to the Floyd's iconic, record-breaking 1973 concept album The Dark Side Of The Moon, this album is often unfairly overlooked. With the benefit of hindsight, Wish You Were Here has the same faultless pacing and sequencing of its predecessor, but a more coherent musical narrative, structure and tone, as well as greater lyrical sophistication. Here, the 'concept' is more down-to-earth, since much of the record is an extended tribute to the late Syd Barrett the genius behind their early works, who flew too high and burned too bright, becoming one of rock's most infamous drug casualties before Pink Floyd emerged from London's psychedelic underground scene to become one of the biggest success stories of the 1970s. It's also the last great album by a band that would produce something as adolescently puerile as The Wall by the end of that decade.
Barrett is the subject of the epic 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond, parts One and Two' of which take up more than half the playing time and bookend just three other shorter tracks. Despite some questionable keyboard tones from Richard Wright, the majestically unhurried instrumental intro is a triumph of suspense. It's nearly nine minutes before Roger Waters starts singing and the effect is startling, as are the words: 'Remember when you were young?/ You shone like the sun / Shine On You Crazy Diamond!/ Now there's a look in your eye / Like black holes in the sky'. It's debatable whether the 'iPod generation' will get all of the eerie, almost visual sound detail in the more melodramatic 'Welcome To The Machine', which presages some of the pomp of their later work. Guest vocalist Roy Harper is a gritty presence on the music industry-bating 'Have A Cigar' and the breathless title track finds Waters' lyrics at their most soul searching. Some may baulk at Dave Gilmour's long, bluesy guitar workouts, which form the backbone of 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' and crop up throughout the album. Hey, these were the dying days of prog. rock. Punk was just around the corner and it's easy to see why, but mid-seventies post-psychedelic angst seldom sounded so chilled. --Jon Lusk
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just add this to your collection...,
By
This review is from: Wish You Were Here (Audio CD)
After moaning about the sound quality of the "Thirtieth Anniversary" issue of "Dark Side Of The Moon", I must say I have nothing but praise for this release version.
There's a sense of life, perspective and clarity not there on the original, eighties, CD issue (wasn't really there on the original LP either...) and I'd urge anyone to buy this, so that they can rediscover this excellent album all over again. In many respects, it could be argued that the music here was better than "Dark Side". It's certainly more personal and writing this shortly after Syd Barrett's death, the first track could now perhaps be seen as a sort of epitaph.... The whole thing deems to reflect the "gravy train" created by the previous album and their reactions to it. The title track is now legendary - truly beautiful and moving. Whatever waffle I come out with cannot even begin to describe the excellence of the music here. If all you have is a worn out old LP, or a very early CD release, I suggest you buy this version and enjoy it all over again (with feeling...). An unreserved five stars!
60 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most beautiful rock albums ever.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Wish You Were Here (Audio CD)
Wish You Were Here really has to be listened to all the way through from start to finish in one sitting. Any other way just doesn't do it justice. David Gilmour's opening guitar notes on Shine On You Crazy Diamond ring out like cathedral bells and this was the inspiration for Roger Waters' haunting lyrical tribute to lost band member Syd Barrett. Welcome to the Machine is a gutsy attack on the recording industry and has to be heard just for the clarity of the stereo acoustic guitars ringing out over the swooshing synthesizers and rolling tympanies. Have A Cigar features Roy Harper on vocals and funky guitars and continues the disillusioned rock star theme. The absolute classic Wish You Were Here follows, with one of the best openings of any rock song ever produced. Shine On You Crazy Diamond returns to conclude the album. If there is a better album from this era, I'd like to know what it is. The packaging of this album (designed by long-time Pink Floyd cohort, Storm Thorgerson) is as equally as impressive as the music itself and likewise deserves to be studied at length. Although released in 1975, this album has not aged or become dated with the passing of time at all. Buy it.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
We call it riding the gravy train,
This review is from: Wish You Were Here (Audio CD)
My second Pink Floyd album and I just don't know what to say. It begins with the Syd Barett tribute " Shine On You Crazy Diamond", a brilliant track that takes a bit of getting used to but you will come to love it.Next is "Welcome To The Machine", a dark and gloomy song with acoustic guitar and good keyboard lines,complete with machine noises. 'Have A Cigar' is a really cool song with guest vocalist Roy Harper singing. In fact, the Foo Fighters covered this song. Undoubtedly the best song is the title track. It is extremely poignant and is about the most busker-friendly song ever. To finish off the album is Shine On You Crazy Diamond p2. Much like p1 but with a less flashy intro. Listen to this album and it is 45 minutes of bliss.
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