RIP Syd Barrett
So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell,
blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found? The same old fears.
Wish you were here.
— Wish You Were Here, 1975
Thank You. I love that song. Nice to see all the words for a change.
Now we all know….”Which one is Pink?”
Comment by Jan Junod — July 12, 2006 @ 4:24 pm
It’s little known that “Wish You Were Here” was also written by Roger Waters at least partly for Syd. Now what happened when Syd visited Abbey Road in ’75 during the WYWH album recording sessions, is still hotly debated. Apparently the band played both songs (WYWH and Shine On You Crazy Diamon) for Syd, while he sat motionless and basically expressionless. In reply to one of the songs, Syd assessed that it sounded “a bit old”, and when asked if he wanted to here the other song again, he replied “Why, we’ve all just now heard it?” Which comment was attributed to which song is still a matter of debate, but both are appropriate given the death of the passing of the first leader of Pink Floyd.
Comment by MHD — July 12, 2006 @ 5:06 pm