Flashback Friday: “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd
A Melancholic Masterpiece Reborn.
Pink Floyd’s 1975 masterpiece, Wish You Were Here, is an album defined by themes of absence, disillusionment with the music industry, and a heartbreaking tribute to former bandmate Syd Barrett. The new 50th Anniversary Edition reinvigorates this classic, offering both long-time fans (and, hopefully, new listeners) a deeper, more immersive journey into the band’s post-Dark Side of the Moon worldview.
Fifty years ago, Pink Floyd wrestled with the ghost of Syd Barrett and the grinding gears of the music industry to create Wish You Were Here—an album about absence, alienation, and the soul-crushing business of being Pink Floyd. Now, the 50th Anniversary Edition arrives, and the central question for fans is familiar: Does this new, elaborate package fill the empty spaces, or is it merely another attempt to squeeze water from the most successful stone in rock history?
The answer, happily, is that for the dedicated enthusiast, this set delivers a treasure trove of insight.
The original album, anchored on both ends by the poignant tribute “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” and including the biting industry critique of “Welcome to the Machine” and “Have a Cigar,” has never sounded bad. However, James Guthrie’s new stereo mix, particularly his decision to present “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” as a continuous 25-minute piece, feels less like revisionism and more like the band’s initial, sprawling vision finally realized without the limitations of trying to evenly fill 2 sides of a vinyl record.
If you’ve bought this album three times already (and let’s be honest, you probably have), the true value here lies in the vault material. I don’t usually go gaga over demos or half-baked ideas on boxsets, however, for an album of this caliber, the inclusion of six previously unreleased studio tracks provides a fascinating look into “how the sausage was made,” and the band’s creative process. Highlights include:
“The Machine Song (Roger’s Demo)”: Hearing Roger Waters’ home demo of “Welcome to the Machine” is a treat, showcasing how much of the track’s eerie, sinister foundation was there from the start.
“Wish You Were Here (Pedal Steel Instrumental Mix)”: This version emphasizes the track’s unexpected country-rock leaning, foregrounding Gilmour’s melancholy, blues-tinged pedal steel work.
“Wish You Were Here (featuring Stéphane Grappelli)”: The mythical inclusion of the jazz violinist is finally here in its glory, though it’s understandable why it was left off the final LP. It’s a delightful, slightly eccentric footnote to rock history.
The centerpiece for many will be the first official release of the Live at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, April 1975 concert. The audio, which has circulated in murky bootleg circles for decades, has been meticulously restored and remastered by Steven Wilson. It presents the band at a pivotal, transitional moment—performing material that would become Wish You Were Here alongside a complete performance of Dark Side of the Moon and the epic encore “Echoes.” It’s raw, powerful, and captures the group’s improvisational genius before the perfectionism (and the accompanying infighting) of The Wall, eventually took hold.
As is tradition with Pink Floyd box sets, the packaging is a work of art. The aesthetic, curated by Hipgnosis’s art, beautifully reinforces the album’s themes of presence and loss. Perhaps, you would view this as a cynical cash-grab, and it might well be… But, for the serious fan this 50th Anniversary Edition doesn’t just re-present a classic; it opens the door to its creation and its live execution, enriching a masterpiece that remains startlingly relevant 50 years later.
The Song
Spotify:
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/song/shine-on-you-crazy-diamond-pts-1-9-new-stereo-mix/1838027194
The Album
Spotify:
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/wish-you-were-here-50/1838026780