Five Classic Moments From Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here

Gilmour’s guitar: Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Part II (3:54) Gilmour’s defining four-note phrase, which has colloquially become known as ‘Syd’s Theme’, is arguably the most recognisable motif of the entire Pink Floyd catalogue.

Roger Waters’ vocal: Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Part IV (8:42)

As if to underline the theme of absence on Wish You Were Here, in the time it takes Waters’ vocals eventually appear, you could have listened to the opening two-and-a-half tracks from The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.

Electronic discordance: Welcome To The Machine (0.24)

As the second buzzer sound really disturbs the calm surface of previous track, combined with Waters’ menacing VCS3 throb, it is clear that Wish You Were Here is not simply going to be a straightforward chill-out pleasure.

Gilmour’s vocal, Waters’ lyric: Wish You Were Here (1:18)

Arguably the greatest combination of the salt’n’sweet of Waters and Gilmour, it demonstrates, despite whatever animosity there may have been between them, just how mutually beneficial their partnership was.

Wright’s synthesizer: Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Part IX (12.08)

The sheer poignancy today of one departed Floyd member (Wright), paying tribute to the other (Barrett) in the album’s mournful sign-off, playing a melody line from their Syd-penned Top 10 1967 hit, See Emily Play. As the sound drifts away, it marks the last time all four members contributed so evenly to a Pink Floyd album.

Daryl Easlea

Daryl Easlea has contributed to Prog since its first edition, and has written cover features on Pink Floyd, Genesis, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel and Gentle Giant. After 20 years in music retail, when Daryl worked full-time at Record Collector, his broad tastes and knowledge led to him being deemed a ‘generalist.’ DJ, compere, and consultant to record companies, his books explore prog, populist African-American music and pop eccentrics. Currently writing Whatever Happened To Slade?, Daryl broadcasts Easlea Like A Sunday Morning on Ship Full Of Bombs, can be seen on Channel 5 talking about pop and hosts the M Means Music podcast.