David Gilmour picked his favourite songs from ‘Wish You Were Here’
A key force in Pink Floyd branching out of psychedelia and moving into a more cerebral, refined realm, David Gilmour has had a hand in bringing some of the most influential moments in rock to life. Not only did he help alleviate the mire of the Syd Barrett situation, but he also steered the group to safety after the departure of creative leader Roger Waters.
Gilmour’s effect on the group and his momentous effect on them cannot be overstated. His presence was a vital component of the quartet establishing such a significant run of albums, commencing with 1971’s Echoes and culminating in 1979’s The Wall. From the sprawling narcotic twists of ‘Echoes’ to the stoned bliss of ‘Breathe’, there is simply no way they could have achieved all they did without his nouse as a songwriter, guitarist and studio whizz.
From the moment he joined with 1968’s A Saucerful of Secrets to the group’s final outing, 2014’s The Endless River, Gilmour and Pink Floyd established a varied and extensive oeuvre. Retrospectively, for the guitarist, this immense scope and oscillating personal relationships can make it challenging for him to lucidly meditate on what has always counted most: the music.
There can be no doubt, though, that Gilmour is fully aware of his band’s highlights and pitfalls. Describing 1970’s experimental Atom Heart Mother as nothing more than “shit” and the creative nadir of the group’s long career, he’s realistic about their output and unafraid of saying it how it is. On the other hand, he’s also confident about their highlights and has dubbed ‘Echoes’ the highlight of Meddle, and a significant moment as it saw the group realise what Pink Floyd was to be in the post-Barrett era.
Given his force as the guitarist and vocalist of Pink Floyd, Gilmour has regularly been asked to name his favourite songs by the group. While he has mentioned several classics and deeper cuts among the group’s ultimate works, when it comes to 1975’s Wish You Were Here, he is clear about the best tracks.
When speaking to Billboard in 2006 for a wide-reaching interview, Gilmour was asked the question that everyone given the opportunity to sit opposite him would do: What are his favourite Pink Floyd tracks? In true form, he said, “There’s lots of them”, but his answer did include two highlights from the 1975 opus.
Selecting two from Wish You Were Here, he declared: “‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ and ‘Wish You Were Here’ are standout tracks”.
There’s no real surprise he picked these two, either. Despite the extensive run time of the album, it’s comprised of only five tracks, including the nine-part ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, which bookends it. Not only is the song undoubtedly one of the most artistically refined of the group’s career, but it’s also immensely profound, as they penned it in tribute to the ailing Barrett, who had left due to severe mental health struggles. Although there is a dark tone to much of the song, it eventually bursts into sheer glory, a fitting way to honour the brilliance of their friend.
As for ‘Wish You Were Here’, it’s a much more direct piece, but nonetheless arresting. Featuring Gilmour’s shimmering, bluesy acoustic and eternal lyrics such as “We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl/year after year”, it was long thought of as another means of paying respect to Barrett. Lyricist Waters would later deny this, claiming it was directed at himself, a message to be present and take life each day at a time.
As for co-author Gilmour, though, he says he never plays it without remembering Barrett, adding an extra dose of importance alongside the musical triumphs comprising it. There’s no wonder these two songs stand out from the 1975 masterpiece.
David Gilmour’s favourite songs from Wish You Were Here
- ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’
- ‘Wish You Were Here’
