Seton Hall
Album Review: Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
Date: September 21, 2015By Prateek
Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” is the ninth studio album and is truly a masterpiece. In my opinion, this is the best work they have put out and is definitely one of the most influential albums ever made. Released in September 12th, “Wish You Were Here” was really successful in following their previous masterpiece “Dark Side of the Moon.” While this album did not sell nearly as much, it remains a great classic rock album and in my opinion, better than “Dark Side of the Moon” and “The Wall.” This is because this album really hits hard to tough topics such as becoming famous rock icon and with it, the burden of dealing with record companies and the whole “Machine” they run. (What ‘Welcome to the Machine’ is really about). Tunes such as “Have a Cigar” and “Welcome to the Machine” really symbolize what the record companies are and what they expect of the artist. Along with that, the album also references their former bandmate, Syd Barrett. “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” captured, what I believe to be, what Syd’s life had become with the fame and how the “machine” just kept expecting from him. Another thing that is really extraordinary about this album is that it set a groundwork for “The Wall”. We see the character “Pink” back in their rock-opera and can almost get a feel of how the situation is going to be for him because of the themes we learn about in “Wish You Were Here”.
I was just a senior in high school when I first heard this album (along with the other classics) but this one hit a lot close to home. For a band as big as Pink Floyd talking about the music industry and their take on it was very bold. Not to mention that the music industry has not really improved and all it does is take in money without paying back their talent. This is why this album will always beat out the rest of their works. It is very real and deals with the representativeness of what it is like to be in the music business and how people are treated. Not to mention their dedication to the late Syd Barratt who was a band member that was very fundamental. One of the greatest mysteries is about how Syd Barratt himself walked into the studio while the album was being recorded and just stood in the studio and watched the band record the record. The power that this record presents and shows cannot be matched with anything else that they released. “Wish You Were Here” will always be the album that stands very real to me and it will continue to inspire me and other musicians to go against the “Machine”.
Posted in: Album Review, WSOU Exclusive
