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"Wish You Were Here" exceeds the 5 star point system, it is such a classic that if you don't own, then you simply must buy it if you like rock music at all. If asked I revolve between WYWH, Dark Side, Meddle & Animals as my top 4 favorites of all the Floyd studio releases (the order of rank changes from year to year but these have been my consistent fav's for 25+ yrs.). I've seen the band perform live both in 1988 and then again in 1994 and during both shows every second of Wish was played live, now most bands won't ever play and entire album of theirs during a live show but Floyd doing it demonstrates that not only is this absolutely one of their best releases of all time, but obviously one of the bands most favorite set of songs to play live too. If you delve into what the earlier reviewers above me have said about how Wish was meant as a psuedo-scathing remark on the music industry as a whole you'll find out just why the band wrote this music (for us and them) and also why they absolutely find it amongst their favorite set of songs to perform live too. Musically perfect, lyrically profound and technically flawless this release is a work of art. This is classic rock at its finest and if you don't own this you simply must get it!Read full review
little by little i have been replacing cd's that i have either lost over the years or what got taken when my vehicle was broken into and my pink floyd collection was the stuff that i was the most upset about. i was introduced to pink floyd at the young age of 8 years old while my family and i were at a neighbors house for a bbq. i was standing in front of the neighbors 9 billion watt stereo system as my very first taste of pink floyd filled the room...ticking...tocking...and then bam!! my mother said i had the most wicked of smiles on my face and i have listened to pink floyd ever since. ive not limited myself to the dark side of the moon as i have ran into so called "fans" that dont know anything before or after that album. the music has stood the test of time and i can listen to it anytime over and over. i as many fans could only wonder...what would pink floyd be doing today if they were still together...like full line up together...the progression of their music from the mid 60's till the ultimate breakup was just awesome.im glad i was raised on the good stuff...not like the crap that is crapped out and jammed into the youth of today.Read full review
The expectations for this album after the runaway success of 1973s 'Dark Side of the Moon' must have been huge. It doesn't disappoint. The opening track - 'Shine on you Crazy Diamond' - is acclaimed as being Pink Floyd's finest. Beginning with a lone synthesizer drifting in from the ether, it is joined by David Gilmour's guitar after two minutes, the pair providing one of the most blissfully soporific pieces of music I've ever heard. It is a full four and a half minutes before the main theme and beat of this song introduce themselves. There's no hurry to it, clocking in at a casual 45bpm or thereabouts, and it's not for a full eight and a half minutes that a note is sung. The lyrics are written about Syd Barrett (a co-founding member of Pink Floyd) who's whimsical songwriting, vocals and guitar graced 1967s 'Piper at the Gates of Dawn' and some of 1968s 'A Saucerful of Secrets'. Syd's increasingly erratic behaviour and subsequent disappearance is legendary, and the band had not seen him since. The lyrics have a 'wishing you all the best' feel to them. The story goes that when the band were rehearsing this song, who should walk in but Syd himself. A strange coincidence indeed, should it be true. As 'Shine on...' ends, 'Welcome to the Machine' segues in to provide an oppressive sounding counterpoint, with its opening sound of an elevator ride terminating in the doors opening to an industrial sounding thrum of synth. The lyrics on this (and the following track - 'Have a Cigar') are a critique of record companies and their executives, and the vitriol contained in them is something which was to continue on 1977s 'Animals' album (in line with Roger Waters' increasing disillusionment). There are points where the synth is intrusive and grating, but the mood of the song is perfect. 'Have a Cigar' features a guest vocal performance by Roy Harper which is not too dissimilar to Roger Waters. It's the most uptempo song on the album with an ecclectic rhythm, but isn't as strong as the rest of the album. David Gilmour takes centre stage for the title track, his excellent accoustic guitar playing and vocals being combined for the final fading solo, providing another definitive Pink Floyd song. And seguing in from that we have the finale to 'Shine on you Crazy Diamond', clocking in at a 'mere' 12 minutes this time. An initial instrumental which increases in intensity until falling off to take up where the first part left off. After that it's a long drift into the ether as the album fades to a close. I would rank this album and 'Dark Side of the Moon' as the greatest albums ever written and would thoroughly recommend them to anyone who enjoys cerebral music.Read full review
How do you follow-up a global masterpiece like Dark Side? You change the rules. If Dark Side is about the uncatharted madness caused as a result of living in an insane world, Wish You Were Here is about the added madness that ensues as a result of having the world embrace that uncatharted madness on such an absurd scale. If WYWH is a "tribute to Syd Barrett," it is so because Barrett saw that insanity first. But WYWH is also a scathing remonstration of the music industry - a deliberate, mocking attempt to "bite the hand that feeds." And the album succeeds on both levels, as well as, most importantly, on the compositional and musical levels. Not only did Shine On and Wish You Were Here become anthems on a global scale, but the sales of Ovation guitars went through the roof when everyone old enough to play a guitar began playing these songs at every acid-laced party in the world. Floyd was not interested in "topping" themselves after Dark Side; they were simply interested in expressing new thoughts and feelings - and in that they succeeded brilliantly.Read full review
Some of the best album art ever! Not computer generated, an actual stunt, and not to be tried at home. But the contents are the real treasure. Excellent and innovative music that continue and contribute to the Pink Floyd legacy of great rock.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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