A smile from a veil? Do you think you can tell?

"...Either the music comes first and the lyrics are added, or music and lyrics come together. Only once have the lyrics been written down first- 'Wish You Were Here'. But this is unusual; it hasn't happened before." - Roger Waters

This is another song that I heard whilst flipping through radio stations on the drive to Charleston with Jimmy. It's sometimes difficult to write about bands that have been around forever, because what is there to be said that hasn't been said before? Or better? Or by someone who is actually qualified to form some sort of educated opinion all them? All I have, I guess all most of us have, is our own experiences to project. Pink Floyd invariably reminds me of my Dad. The very first concert I can remember watching (via pay-per-view) was a Pink Floyd concert when I was in third or fourth grade. My Dad had all the windows in the house open and the TV on at some ridiculously loud volume. It made quite the impression on me. I had the vinyl liner for Dark Side of the Moon up on my wall from the age of 11 until I was 17? I can also remember my Mom telling me about the first time she can remember listening to them. JLM loves Pink Floyd as well and freshman year of college, yes, we even did the whole "Wizard of Oz" thing. (Oddly disconcerting.)

All of that being said, I'm not always entirely sure how to feel about them. On the one hand, they sound vastly different from anything else. David Gilmour (and Syd Barrett, too) has such a distinctive voice, but the music is really unique as well. Subject matter varies wildly and leaves a lot of room for your own interpretation. Yet, there is something about them, something I can't place, that makes you feel such a part of it. It's like being able to see some glimpse of the big picture, the universe as a whole. That's how Pink Floyd often sounds to me. That's probably part of the reason why I don't listen to them very often. It can be overwhelming. Not to mention the mind-trip quality of it all.

So. "Wish You Were Here". Just the first few bars will bring tears to my eyes. I love that the verses sound so different from the chorus. Almost like two different songs entirely. You have to actually know the song to recognize it when you first hear it. And when the shift into the familiar comes, you aren't entirely ready for it. I love that this song is so sad. It's epically sad without being dramatic or contrived- you really believe every word that comes out of Gilmour's mouth. Which is a bit funny, since Roger Waters is the one that wrote it. It's  aimed towards Syd Barrett (and indeed, it segues into "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" which is the song about him) but, more broadly, it's about feeling alienated. The guitar doesn't wail or rage. It's very simple and it perfectly complements Gilmour's vocals. He sounds weary and bit despondent. Every syllable sounds forced. Like he's struggling with himself just to get the words out. The chorus is briefly uplifting and a bit more upbeat until the end, which sounds like a sigh.

Running over the same old ground, what have we found?

The same old fears.

Wish you were here.

I wasn't initially fond of the wind effects at the end of the song; I thought they were sort of distracting. They've grown on me. The image of swirling sand or dust comes to mind. Which is probably part of the point- ashes to ashes and all that. The greatest thing about this song to me is just that. It's ability to conjure up images so distinctly while saying so little. I don't think there's anyone that can't identify with this feeling, this feeling that the song just hits you right in the gut with. Feeling like you're the only person that sees things a certain way, or being disappointed in someone else- or their point of view. Missing someone. Feeling like you're constantly searching for something in vain. Growing older and realizing that you're not growing any braver.