Wish You Were Here ( Pink Floyd song ) - wikipedia Wish You Were Here ( Pink Floyd song ) For other uses, see Wish You Were Here ( disambiguation ). `` Wish You Were Here '' Song by Pink Floyd from the album Wish You Were Here Released 12 September 1975 ( album ) Recorded January -- July 1975 Length 5 : 41 ( `` Wish You Were Here '' version ) 5 : 21 ( Echoes : The Best of Pink Floyd version ) Label Harvest ( UK ) Columbia / CBS ( US ) Songwriter ( s ) David Gilmour Roger Waters Producer ( s ) Pink Floyd `` Wish You Were Here '' is the title track on Pink Floyd 's 1975 album Wish You Were Here. Like most of the album, it refers to former Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett and his breakdown. David Gilmour and Roger Waters collaborated to write the music, and Gilmour sang the lead vocal. In 2011, the song was ranked No. 324 on Rolling Stone 's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Contents 1 Composition 2 Recording 3 Live performances 4 Other recorded versions by Pink Floyd 5 Personnel 6 Charts 7 Wish You Were Here ( Live ) 7.1 Track listing 7.2 Charts 7.3 Release history 8 Covers 8.1 Wyclef Jean version 8.2 Other covers 9 References 10 External links Composition In the original album version, the song segues from `` Have a Cigar '' as if a radio had been tuned away from one station, through several others ( including a radio play and one playing the opening of the finale movement of Tchaikovsky 's Fourth Symphony ), and finally to a new station where `` Wish You Were Here '' is beginning. The radio was recorded from Gilmour 's car radio. He performed the intro on a twelve - string guitar, processed to sound like it was playing through an AM radio, and then overdubbed a fuller - sounding acoustic guitar solo. This passage was mixed to sound as though a guitarist were listening to the radio and playing along. As the acoustic part becomes more complex, the ' radio broadcast ' fades away and Gilmour 's voice enters, becoming joined by the full band. The intro riff is repeated several times, before Gilmour plays further solos with scat singing accompaniment. A third verse follows, featuring an increasingly expressive vocal from Gilmour and audible backing vocals. At the end of the recorded song, the final solo crossfades with wind sound effects, and finally segues into the second section of the multi-part suite `` Shine On You Crazy Diamond ''. Recording ' Wish You Were Here ' was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, as part of the sessions for the entire album. A noted part of the song was a planned contribution by Stéphane Grappelli. A jazz violinist popular at the time and well known for his collaborations with Yehudi Menuhin, both violinists were recording in a downstairs studio at Abbey Road at the time. Gilmour had suggested that there be a little `` country fiddle '' at the end of the song and invited them to participate. Grappelli duly obliged ( Menuhin declined ) on arranging a session fee of £ 300, equivalent to £ 2,300 in 2017. Ultimately during mixing it was decided to almost remove his contribution, although it can just be heard around 5 : 21. According to Waters it was decided that it would be insulting to credit Grappelli in the sleeve notes for something so inaudible, although he did receive the agreed - upon fee. As part of the Why Pink Floyd... ? campaign, the Experience and Immersion versions of the Wish You Were Here album include an alternative version of the song where Grappelli 's part is heard in the instrumental break after the second verse and throughout the third verse before a considerably extended outro. Other less obvious differences are audible, for example at the section leading into the second verse. The master tape of the original recording includes an entire performance of pedal steel guitar and electric guitar solos, played by David Gilmour, that were not used in the final mix. Live performances `` Wish You Were Here '' made its stage debut on the band 's 1977 tour, which featured a performance of the entire album at every show. It was not played live by the band for nearly ten years after this, yet became a concert staple after its reappearance in 1987, and was performed at nearly all subsequent Pink Floyd concerts. In the original 1977 concert performances, Gilmour would play his Fender Stratocaster instead of acoustic guitar, while Snowy White played a twelve - string Ovation acoustic guitar. At these shows, Nick Mason tuned an actual transistor radio on stage to a local radio station, seguing into the pre-recorded part from the album to start the song and Richard Wright would perform an extended piano coda as the wind effects played. A live version is included on Pulse. When Pink Floyd were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Gilmour and Wright ( Mason was in the audience ) performed the song with the assistance of their presenter Billy Corgan on rhythm guitar. Gilmour has made the song a part of most of his tours, and included a live version on his Live in Gdansk album. `` Wish You Were Here '' was performed by Ed Sheeran with Mason on drums, Mike Rutherford of Genesis on guitar and Richard Jones of The Feeling on bass at the Closing Ceremony of 2012 Summer Olympics in London. A performer, dressed in a suit, tightrope - walked across the stadium and shook hands with a mannequin at the end, which then burst into flames, referencing the album 's cover. On 13 December 2014 David Gilmour was a guest performer at a concert by the Bombay Bicycle Club at Earls Court Arena, their concert being the final event ever to take place there before its demolition. Band member Jamie MacColl introduced Gilmour, saying ; `` This man gave me my first guitar and was one of the first people to play this venue and by my count has played here more than 27 times. '' Gilmour then played with the band on their song `` Rinse Me Down '' before a performance of `` Wish You Were Here ''. Other recorded versions by Pink Floyd `` Wish You Were Here '' later appeared as the fifth track on A Collection of Great Dance Songs ( with the radio intro following the end of a heavily edited `` Shine On You Crazy Diamond '' ) and as the 23rd track on the Echoes compilation ( with the radio intro following `` Arnold Layne '', and at the end crossfading with `` Jugband Blues '' ). A live recording included on the 1995 live album P U L S E was issued as a single / EP. Its intro replicates the sound of the original, semi-ambient intro. The cover of the EP features two men whose faces are distorted by fish bowls, referring to the line `` We 're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year ''. In 2005, Waters and Eric Clapton performed the song at the Tsunami Aid concert, and in 2005 's Live 8, Waters rejoined his former bandmates in London to perform it, along with four other classic Pink Floyd songs. Waters sung half the verses during Live 8, while in the original version Gilmour did all the vocals. Personnel David Gilmour -- six and twelve - string acoustic guitars, pedal steel guitar, tape effects, lead and backing vocals, scat singing Nick Mason -- drums, tape effects Roger Waters -- bass guitar, tape effects Richard Wright -- Steinway piano, Minimoog Charts Chart ( 2007 ) Peak position Norway ( VG - lista ) 18 Chart ( 2012 ) Peak position Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 48 France ( SNEP ) 192 Germany ( Media Control AG ) 67 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 68 Wish You Were Here ( Live ) `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) '' Single by Pink Floyd from the album Pulse B - side `` Coming Back to Life ( Live ) '' `` Keep Talking ( Live ) '' Released 20 July 1995 Format CD CD ( maxi ) CD - R Recorded 20 September ( Cinecittà, Rome ), 1994 Genre Progressive rock acoustic rock Label Capitol ( US ) EMI ( UK ) Songwriter ( s ) Roger Waters David Gilmour Producer ( s ) James Guthrie David Gilmour Pink Floyd singles chronology `` High Hopes '' / `` Keep Talking '' ( 1994 ) `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) '' ( 1995 ) `` Louder than Words '' ( 2014 ) `` High Hopes '' / `` Keep Talking '' ( 1994 ) `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) '' ( 1995 ) `` Louder than Words '' ( 2014 ) `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) '' is a live recording of Pink Floyd 's title track off their ninth studio album Wish You Were Here, recorded by the band for their third live album, Pulse. `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) '' was released as a single on 20 July 1995 in the United Kingdom and Europe, notably the very last single released by the band until October 2014. Track listing CD No. Title Length 1. `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) '' 5 : 40 2. `` Coming Back to Life ( Live ) '' 6 : 40 CD Maxi No. Title Length 1. `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) '' 5 : 40 2. `` Coming Back to Life ( Live ) '' 6 : 40 3. `` Keep Talking ( Live ) '' 6 : 54 Netherlands promotional single No. Title Length 1. `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) '' 5 : 40 Charts Chart ( 1995 ) Peak position US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks 13 Release history Region Date Format Label Catalog no. Netherlands 20 July 1995 CD - R ( Contemporary hit radio ) CD CD ( maxi ) EMI PFSING1 ( CD - R ) 724388220828 ( CD ) 7243 8 82207 2 9 ( CD maxi ) United Kingdom CD CD maxi 724388220828 ( CD ) 7243 8 82207 2 9 ( CD maxi ) Covers Wyclef Jean version `` Wish You Were Here '' Single by Wyclef Jean from the album The Ecleftic : 2 Sides II a Book B - side `` No Woman, No Cry '' Released 3 December 2001 Format CD single cassette Recorded 2000 Genre Progressive rock rap rock acoustic Length 4 : 06 Label Columbia Songwriter ( s ) David Gilmour Roger Waters Jerry ' Wonder ' Duplessis Wyclef Jean Producer ( s ) Jerry ' Wonder ' Duplessis Wyclef Jean Wyclef Jean singles chronology `` Perfect Gentleman '' ( 2001 ) `` Wish You Were Here '' ( 2001 ) `` Two Wrongs '' ( 2002 ) `` Perfect Gentleman '' ( 2001 ) `` Wish You Were Here '' ( 2001 ) `` Two Wrongs '' ( 2002 ) `` Wish You Were Here '' served as the fourth and final single from Wyclef Jean 's second studio album, The Ecleftic : 2 Sides II a Book. It was released in December 2001, peaking at # 28 on the UK Singles Chart. UK CD single ( 672156 2 ) `` Wish You Were Here '' ( Radio edit ) -- 4 : 04 `` No Woman, No Cry '' ( Live version ) -- 4 : 33 `` 911 '' ( Live version ) -- 4 : 23 `` Wish You Were Here '' ( Video ) -- 4 : 25 UK cassette ( 672156 5 ) `` Wish You Were Here '' ( LP version ) -- 4 : 25 `` Perfect Gentleman '' ( Remix radio edit ) -- 3 : 59 Other Covers Electronic group Tangerine Dream recorded a cover on their CD Under Cover -- Chapter One. British singer - songwriter Ed Sheeran performed a cover of this song at the Closing Ceremonies of the London Olympic Games in 2012 with Mike Rutherford, Richard Jones, David Arnold and Nick Mason on drums. American comedy band Ninja Sex Party recorded a version of Wish You Were Here for their 2016 album Under the Covers. A music video was released for the song on the 25th December 2016. Catherine Wheel included the song on their Like Cats and Dogs compilation album, whose cover was designed by Storm Thorgerson The American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold released a cover of the song on October 5, 2017. American country singer - songwriter Cody Jinks released a cover of the song on January 20, 2017. References Jump up ^ Strong, Martin C. ( 2004 ). The Great Rock Discography ( 7th ed. ). Edinburgh : Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1 - 84195 - 551 - 5. Jump up ^ Mabbett, Andy ( 1995 ). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London : Omnibus Press. ISBN 0 - 7119 - 4301 - X. Jump up ^ `` 500 Greatest Songs of All Time : Pink Floyd, ' Wish You Were Here ' ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2013 - 03 - 22. Jump up ^ The Absolute sound, Volume 18, Issues 87 - 90 p. 113. Retrieved 9 September 2011 Jump up ^ Pink Floyd : Wish You Were Here ( Songbook. 1975 Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd., London, England. ISBN 0 - 7119 - 1029 - 4 ( USA ISBN 0 - 8256 - 1079 - 6 ). Jump up ^ UK Consumer Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory ( 2017 ). `` The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present ( New Series ) ''. MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 6, 2017. Jump up ^ Richard, Metzger ( 26 April 2013 ), `` Wish You Were Here : Pink Floyd Jam with Stéphane Grappelli, 1975 '', Dangerous Minds, retrieved 27 April 2013 Jump up ^ Shea, Stuart ; Floyd, Pink ( 2009 - 07 - 01 ). Pink Floyd FAQ : Everything Left to Know... and More !. Backbeat Books. ISBN 9781617133947. Jump up ^ Blake, Mark ( 2008 ). `` Riding the Gravy Train ''. Comfortably Numb : The Inside Story of Pink Floyd. Cambridge, Massachusetts : Thunder 's Mouth Press. p. 230. ISBN 978 - 1 - 56858 - 383 - 9. Roy Harper was n't the only special guest, or old friend to drop by the sessions. When it was discovered that classical violinists Yehudi Menuhin and Stéphane Grappelli were recording a duet at Abbey Road, ( David ) Gilmour suggested Grappelli come in and play a final violin coda to the song ' Wish You Were Here '. Grappelli haggled over his fee but finally settled at £ 300. In the end, his playing is virtually inaudible on the final mix. Jump up ^ Pink Floyd, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1996. Jump up ^ `` Echoes : the album credits ''. Pink Floyd. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2013. Jump up ^ Povey, Glenn. ( 2007 ) Echoes : the complete history of Pink Floyd Mind Head Publishing, Retrieved 9 September 2011 Jump up ^ Pink Floyd Visionary Syd Barrett Dies At 60 Billboard 22 Jul 2006. p. 46. Retrieved 9 September 2011 Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Pink Floyd -- Wish You Were Here ''. VG - lista. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Pink Floyd -- Wish You Were Here '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Pink Floyd -- Wish You Were Here '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Jump up ^ `` Die ganze Musik im Internet ''. Jump up ^ `` Pink Floyd : Artist Chart History ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) ( CD, Single ) ''. Pink Floyd. Discogs. Retrieved 31 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) ( CD, Maxi - Single ) ''. Pink Floyd. Discogs. Retrieved 31 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) ( CD, Single, Promo ) ''. Pink Floyd. Discogs. Retrieved 31 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` Artist Chart History ( Singles ) -- Pink Floyd ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 26 July 2007. Jump up ^ `` Netherlands CD Singles ''. Pink Floyd Discography Archive. Retrieved 31 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` polyhex - UK singles chartruns ''. Jump up ^ `` Olympics Closing Ceremony : Ed Sheeran Performs With Pink Floyd And Genesis Musicians ''. Jump up ^ `` Ninja Sex Party performing Wish You Were Here ''. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : Wish You Were Here ( Pink Floyd album ) Pink Floyd 's version on Last.fm Wyclef Jean 's version on Last.fm Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Wish You Were Here Songs Side one `` Shine On You Crazy Diamond ( Parts I -- V ) '' `` Welcome to the Machine '' Side two `` Have a Cigar '' `` Wish You Were Here '' `` Shine On You Crazy Diamond ( Parts VI -- IX ) '' Related articles Wish You Were Here Tour The Story of Wish You Were Here The Piper at the Gates of Dawn A Saucerful of Secrets More Ummagumma Atom Heart Mother Meddle Obscured by Clouds The Dark Side of the Moon Wish You Were Here Animals The Wall The Final Cut A Momentary Lapse of Reason The Division Bell The Endless River Pink Floyd Nick Mason Roger Waters Richard Wright Syd Barrett David Gilmour Studio albums The Piper at the Gates of Dawn A Saucerful of Secrets More Ummagumma Atom Heart Mother Meddle Obscured by Clouds The Dark Side of the Moon Wish You Were Here Animals The Wall The Final Cut A Momentary Lapse of Reason The Division Bell The Endless River Live albums Ummagumma Delicate Sound of Thunder Pulse Is There Anybody Out There ? The Wall Live 1980 -- 81 Singles `` Arnold Layne '' / `` Candy and a Currant Bun '' `` See Emily Play '' / `` The Scarecrow '' `` Flaming '' / `` The Gnome '' ( US ) `` Apples and Oranges '' / `` Paint Box '' ( UK ) `` It Would Be So Nice '' / `` Julia Dream '' `` Let There Be More Light '' / `` Remember a Day '' ( US ) `` Point Me at the Sky '' / `` Careful with That Axe, Eugene '' ( UK ) `` One of These Days '' / `` Fearless '' ( US ) `` Free Four '' `` Money '' / `` Any Colour You Like '' ( US ) `` Time '' / `` Us and Them '' ( US ) `` Have a Cigar '' / `` Welcome to the Machine '' ( US ) or `` Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part I '' ( Europe ) `` Another Brick in the Wall ( Part II ) '' / `` One of My Turns '' `` Run Like Hell '' / `` Do n't Leave Me Now '' ( Europe / some US ) or `` Comfortably Numb '' ( later US ) `` Comfortably Numb '' / `` Hey You '' ( US ) `` Pink Floyd The Wall - Music From The Film '' ( `` When the Tigers Broke Free '' / `` Bring the Boys Back Home '' ) `` Not Now John '' / `` The Hero 's Return ( Parts 1 and 2 ) '' `` Learning to Fly '' / `` Terminal Frost '' and / or `` One Slip '' `` On the Turning Away '' / `` Run Like Hell ( live ) '' ( UK ) `` One Slip '' / `` Terminal Frost '' / `` The Dogs of War '' ( UK ) `` Take It Back '' / `` Astronomy Domine ( live ) '' ( US ) `` High Hopes '' / `` Keep Talking '' / `` Marooned '' `` Wish You Were Here ( Live ) '' / `` Coming Back to Life ( live ) / `` Keep Talking ( live ) '' ( UK ) `` Louder than Words '' Compilations The Best of the Pink Floyd / Masters of Rock Relics A Nice Pair A Collection of Great Dance Songs Works 1967 : The First Three Singles Echoes : The Best of Pink Floyd The Best of Pink Floyd : A Foot in the Door 1965 : Their First Recordings Box sets Shine On Oh, by the Way Discovery The Early Years 1965 -- 1972 Films Concerts London ' 66 -- ' 67 Live at Pompeii Delicate Sound of Thunder Pulse Narratives The Wall The Final Cut Documentaries The Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story London ' 66 -- ' 67 The Story of Wish You Were Here Soundtracks San Francisco The Committee Tonite Lets All Make Love in London More Zabriskie Point Obscured by Clouds Pink Floyd -- The Wall La Carrera Panamericana Tours World Tour 1968 The Man and The Journey Tour Atom Heart Mother World Tour Meddle Tour Dark Side of the Moon Tour Wish You Were Here Tour In the Flesh The Wall Tour A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour The Division Bell Tour Related media and tributes 19367 Pink Floyd The Amazing Pudding The Australian Pink Floyd Show Barn Jams Brit Floyd The Dark Side of the Moo `` Embryo '' Inside Out : A Personal History of Pink Floyd The Man and The Journey Music from The Body Pinkfloydia `` Proper Education '' Synalpheus pinkfloydi Umma gumma Their Mortal Remains Other topics Discography Videography Song list Unreleased material Members Bootleg recordings Pink Floyd live performances The 14 Hour Technicolor Dream Azimuth Co-ordinator Blackhill Enterprises Britannia Row Studios Dark Side of the Rainbow EMS Synthi A Games for May Midsummer High Weekend Pink Floyd pigs Publius Enigma Why Pink Floyd... ? Book Portal Wyclef Jean Discography Studio albums The Carnival The Ecleftic : 2 Sides II a Book Masquerade The Preacher 's Son Welcome to Haiti : Creole 101 Carnival Vol. II : Memoirs of an Immigrant From the Hut, To the Projects, To the Mansion Carnival III : The Fall and Rise of a Refugee Compilations Greatest Hits EPs If I Were President : My Haitian Experience J'ouvert Singles `` We Trying to Stay Alive '' `` Guantanamera '' `` Gone till November '' `` Cheated ( To All the Girls ) '' `` Gunpowder '' `` Another One Bites the Dust '' `` New Day '' `` It Does n't Matter '' `` 911 '' `` Perfect Gentleman '' `` Wish You Were Here '' `` Two Wrongs '' `` Pussycat '' `` Party to Damascus '' `` Sweetest Girl ( Dollar Bill ) '' `` Dar um Jeito ( We Will Find a Way ) '' `` Divine Sorrow '' Featured singles `` No, No, No '' `` In the Zone '' `` Maria Maria '' `` Loving You ( Ole Ole Ole ) '' `` One Nite Stand '' `` Shape of You ( Reshaped ) '' `` Learn Chinese '' `` Hips Do n't Lie '' `` Nuestro Himno '' `` Dangerous '' `` You Know What It Is '' `` Five - O '' `` Valentine '' See also Barikad Crew Jimmy O The Fugees Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wish_You_Were_Here_(Pink_Floyd_song)&oldid=808063993 '' Categories : 1975 songs 1995 singles 2001 singles Pink Floyd songs Wyclef Jean songs Songs written by David Gilmour Songs written by Roger Waters Song recordings produced by David Gilmour Song recordings produced by Roger Waters Song recordings produced by Richard Wright ( musician ) Song recordings produced by Nick Mason Song recordings produced by Jerry Duplessis Live singles Capitol Records singles EMI Records singles Columbia Records singles Songs in memory of Syd Barrett Hidden categories : Use British English from November 2010 Use dmy dates from November 2010 Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from October 2015 Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for UKchartarchive Talk More Contents About Wikipedia Català Čeština Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Euskara فارسی Français Հայերեն Hrvatski Italiano ქართული Nederlands Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Slovenčina Suomi Svenska Türkçe Tiếng Việt Edit links This page was last edited on 31 October 2017, at 17 : 30. 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Question: who wrote the lyrics for wish you were here
Answer: David Gilmour