3) Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here

Lets all take time to thank Syd Barrett for this one. Although he had no contributions to the album let alone even a part of Pink Floyd at the time the album was dedicated to him. This is one of the most perfect albums anyone could ever listen to, just so melodic and surreal, this is the perfect album to strap on those big expensive studio headphones and lie down and relax. The album opens up with “Shine On You Crazy Diamond I-V” which lasts for a good fourteen minutes. What a perfect song to open up an album to, I think it would be perfect to open up anything to song. For about the first nine minutes of the song we have some nice jazzy sounds and some of the fantastic David Gilmour guitar work that is so distinctive. Gilmour’s style is completely different from anyone’s and it just proves it here, no matter what song your listening to you can easily pick out a Gilmour solo from any other guitarist. It’s really a shame that his guitar work goes overlooked but in my book he’s always one of the best. Before the vocals even kick in you’re already sent to a dream world and the vocals only keep you there. Fantastic lyrics and incredible vocals account for a perfect opening to the album. Next we fade into the sounds of a factory or machinery of some sort and get this fantastic feel. “Welcome to the Machine” is next and it’s a frightening song backed with haunting noises that really give the listener a feel of anxiety. Once again the lyrics of Waters never fail, this song being about the music industry and its affect. The acoustic guitar in the background can be quite infectious although barely noticeable; all in all this song keeps the album going strong. The lyrics about the music industry continue with “Have a Cigar.” The song doesn’t quite hold up to the two previous ones but that’s extremely difficult to do. It’s a fairly solid song with one unforgettable line “Oh by the way, which one’s pink?” The song opens up with some heavy usage of synthesizers and it leads into the vocals of Roy Harper due to the fact that Waters had his voice ruptured. Harper does a great job of capturing the angst of the song and this leads into easily the most famous Pink Floyd song. “Wish You Were Here” opens up with a recording of a radio and then into possibly the most recognizable acoustic guitar riff ever. The song is heart wrenching and really takes a different approach than most Floyd songs, it has a different feel to it but they couldn’t have nailed it any better. Very personal and emotional lyrics and Gilmour’s incredible voice gives it that melancholy tone that fits all too well with the lyrics. The album closes with “Shine On You Crazy Diamond VI – IX.” It completes the circle and has some fantastic guitar work by Gilmour and also his hypnotizing vocals just like the first track. This album shows Pink Floyd at their height and unfortunately for the band they broke down after this album because of the overwhelming ego of Roger Waters. This showcases Gilmour’s best work along with the band collaborating as a group and not as bickering individuals. If you have never listened to “Wish You Were Here” you never quite have listened to music, this album has changed my whole perspective on music. Wonderful guitar work, amazing lyrics, beautiful vocals, and masterful song writing account for one of the greatest albums of all time. “Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun.”

1. Shine on You Crazy Diamond I-V
2. Welcome to the Machine
3. Have a Cigar
4. Wish You Were Here
5. Shine on You Crazy Diamond VI-IX