Album-a-Day #98: "Wish You Were Here"

[KingLouieLouie]

Band: Pink Floyd
Website:http://www.pinkfloyd.com
Album: "Wish You Were Here"
Year Released: 1975
No. of Discs:
No. of Tracks: 5
Track Listing:

01: "Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Pts. 1-5"
02: "Welcome To The Machine"
03: "Have a Cigar"
04: "Wish You Were Here"
05: "Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Pts. 6-9"

You must be registered for see images attach

Well.. it took me awhile to figure out which album I would do for my last turn for another cpl months or so (contingent on if more people volunteer than what we already have) at Album-a-Day and there was some I was going to do, but decided to eventually dedicate entire threads to them.... Therefore, I decided for my all-time favorite Pink Floyd album.....

It's overwhelming that this year is the 30th anniversary of its initial release and today it sounds fresh due to the cutting-edge performance by the entire band, especially Gilmour's stellar guitar-work on all the parts of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" and the wonderful texture of his acoustic playing on the title track...

True, the entire album consisted of 5 songs, but just the variance of emotions that they displayed on each and every track... From the progressive-rock/jazz stylings on both "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" to the outer-space feel on "Welcome To The Machine" that made everyone recall "Dark Side of the Moon", and "Have a Cigar" was an flat-out classic rocker with some blues elements tossed in with the futuristic keyboards..... The title track has to be one of the most compelling songs that exhibits a sense of loss... of longing/wanting for that person who once was very critical in your life to be resurrected... Gilmour's glossy acoustic solo intro just brought the song to just a somber (yet rousing) start and just helped propelled the song as it went on further.....

Just what really always has hit me paritcularly about this album is just it all pertained to Syd Barrett....They were all (especially Roger Waters) trying to reach him from his seclusion..trying to unlock all the emotional barriers that Barrett had shielded himself with... like if as though he's in some catatonic state.... Of course.. he's still even a recluse today, but I bet all the emotions that Pink Floyd probably did impact him ever so slightly since the wide depth of emotions on this album could even impact the dead.....

True... "Dark Side of The Moon" was their first concept album and people revere/hail "the Wall" as their true masterpiece, but just the overall essence of "Wish You Were Here" on how each moment is so captivating/gripping which really makes this album stand-out.....

 

[Divide Et Impera]

Greatest album in the history of music, period. It transcends time and space and exists on an alternate plane of logic and reality. A truly magestic masterpiece. It's not only an "album-a-day", it's THE album of EVERY day....

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Greatest album in the history of music, period. It transcends time and space and exists on an alternate plane of logic and reality. A truly magestic masterpiece. It's not only an "album-a-day", it's THE album of EVERY day....

Absolutely... it still blows me away after every listen..... It's just amazing to me how many styles they ventured into over a span of just 5 songs and only using 6 instruments in the process... The saxophone to me just added so much lusture that it is unreal....

I would love for at Live 8 if Pink Floyd just performed the entire album for their set since to honor the 30th anniversary of its release, but of course they'd naturally have to do some "Dark Side of the Moon" and "the Wall" songs in the process, but then I must also take into account that it's all contigent the length of their set, so if it's more than an 1 hour long..then all of that could be fully executed without any problems.... I cannot wait for Live 8 and especially the return of Roger Waters.....Probably the music event of '05....

 

[Griffin]

This is my favorite Pink Floyd album as well. And this is the first I hear about Live 8 and the Floyd reunion show (which begs the question where the heck was I when this was originally announced.) Definitely looking forward to it now.

 

[Dback Jon]

Love this album - never gets old.

Wish you Were Here is one of my all-time favorite songs.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

This is my favorite Pink Floyd album as well. And this is the first I hear about Live 8 and the Floyd reunion show (which begs the question where the heck was I when this was originally announced.) Definitely looking forward to it now.

Here is the thread where it was initially posted that they were reuniting with Roger Waters.... I'm just stoked with anticipation to the extent that it is unreal and hope that it isnt just a short-lived reunion...that they manage to record a new studio album worth of material and go on tour to support it.....

Love this album - never gets old.

Wish you Were Here is one of my all-time favorite songs.

That song just impacts me on many levels... It reminds me of my mom who died nearly 5-years ago and all the friends that I left in MI when I moved out there.... From the first acoustic strum to how the songs mounts throughout just rivets me with those compelling lyrics....It's a masterpiece....

 

[AZ Shocker]

Great album! All-time classic.
I love playng "Wish You Here" on my ole' gee-tar...