Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd album)

Lore & Background

The album was conceived during a difficult period for the band, following the massive success of The Dark Side of the Moon. Engineer Brian Humphries replaced Alan Parsons, who declined to continue working with Pink Floyd. The sessions were marked by inactivity and frustration, with drummer Nick Mason's failing marriage affecting his drumming.

Reader's Guide

Wish You Were Here is the second Pink Floyd album with a conceptual theme, largely directed by bassist Roger Waters. The album reflects Waters' feeling that the band's communal structure had disappeared in favor of more professional musicianship. The lyrics criticize the rock music industry and the mainstream perception of the band, with songs like 'Welcome to the Machine' and 'Have a Cigar' attacking greed and clichés in the business. Upon release, it received mixed reviews, with some critics finding it 'uninspiring' and 'inferior' to previous work, but it has since been acclaimed as one of the greatest albums of the 1970s and of all time. Keyboardist Richard Wright, drummer Nick Mason, and guitarist David Gilmour have cited it as their favorite Pink Floyd album, while Waters called it their 'most complete' album.

Did You Know?

• Guest singer Roy Harper sang lead vocals on 'Have a Cigar'.
• The album was certified gold in the UK and US in its year of release.
• The opening four-note guitar phrase of 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' was composed by David Gilmour while improvising.