‘Wish You Were Here’: How Pink Floyd evolved beyond Syd Barrett
Music, along with all forms of art, shares a unique bond with tragedy that permeates the very cornerstones of its existence. It is such a powerful medium for expressing complex emotions that it’s become a necessary conduit for pain and a natural form of catharsis for both artist and audience alike. For Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here was a deeply personal and emotional work that reflects the band’s feelings of disillusionment and loss during a period of significant change in their lives and the music industry.
Stepping into the tragic world of Wish You Were Here begins with the album cover art. Having become an iconic image in its own right, the cover art conveys deep symbolism that reflects the project’s themes. Created by graphic designer Storm Thorgerson, who was part of the design team Hipgnosis, the art was a collaborative effort that incorporated input from the band members.
Depicting two businessmen in suits shaking hands, with one of the men on fire, the image represents the sense of alienation, insincerity, and superficiality that the band felt in the music industry and in society at large. It also features a subtle commentary on the music industry’s commercialisation: the two men are positioned in a way that they cover each other, suggesting the masking or hiding of your true self in the pursuit of success or conformity.
While depicting the transactional aspects of the music industry, it also appears to mirror the challenges faced by the band’s tragic frontman, Syd Barrett, whose mental health struggles and departure from the band had profound effects on the remaining members. The absence of Barrett and his influence on the band’s early years are a significant part of the album’s narrative, and the dedication is subtle but poignant, encapsulating the band’s longing for their former bandmate.
The songs featured on Wish You Were Here took shape during Pink Floyd’s European tour for Dark Side Of The Moon. This period was far from easy: while Dark Side Of The Moon had solidified their global fame, the exhaustive touring had drained Pink Floyd both creatively and physically. The idea of creating another album at the level they had set for themselves felt nearly impossible.
The band’s initial efforts to compose new material were marked by indifference and exhaustion. Still, within a few weeks, the situation began to change, and Roger Waters developed a concept that would serve as the driving force behind the album. By 1974, the band had the initial ideas for three new compositions. One of these, contributed by David Gilmour, consisted of little more than a four-note melodic motif. However, within those four notes, Gilmour discovered something that seemed to capture the “indefinable, inevitable melancholy” associated with Barrett.
The group then collaboratively developed the snippet, shaping it into the album’s opening track, ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, which sparked a burst of creativity, leading Waters, Gilmour, and Nick Mason to explore new musical directions.
Therefore, Wish You Were Here marked a new level of maturity in the band’s work. While some praised its innovative use of synthesisers and sound design, others saw it as a bitter lament, suggesting a lack of creative inspiration. Unlike Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here was viewed by some as the product of a band whose artistic passion had waned over time. However, with the passage of time, the album has earned its place as one of the most iconic and influential in all of music history.
Naturally, it lacks the comprehensibility of Dark Side Of The Moon, but where it misses certain aspects of earlier material, it makes up for it with intelligence and refinery. It also includes the addition of a level of poignancy that never really appears on Dark Side Of The Moon. This is something that extended beyond subject matter, finding its way into the production spaces, too. Once, when Barrett turned up at Abbey Road, the band was finalising a mix of ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, and Gilmour initially thought he was an EMI staff member due to his dishevelled appearance. The band engaged in a seemingly ordinary conversation with Barrett, but it became evident that the former frontman was disconnected from reality.
Although its legacy remains closely linked with its tragic backstory, Wish You Were Here has become one of the band’s most beautifully melancholic works in their discography. Almost five decades after its release, it’s still as explosive and powerful as ever, with an artistic and thematic significance that continues to resonate.