Wish You Were Here

David Smith · Post by **David Smith** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 4:13 pm

Wish You were Here is a concept album right? So what's it's concept?

The most likely concept i can think off is how we react under preassure (as a whole it's assoociated with the music industry) but to me the song wish you were here slightly defies this unless you want to say the music industry put the narrator through scytsophrenia (or however it's spelt).

What does everybody else think?

NiceJangly · Post by **NiceJangly** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 4:45 pm

I think it's s-c-h-i-z-o-p-h-r-e-n-i-a, just to be flippant!

quicksilver · Post by **quicksilver** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 4:48 pm

I never thought of it as having only 1 concept. I mean at the time of it's recording they were dealing with a huge record contract with a new company I believe as well as trying to follow up DSOTM, hence the songs (WTTM & HAC). At the same time they were still dealing with the loss of Syd and his problems hence (SOYCD and WYWH).

Real Pink in the Inside · Mon Jan 13, 2003 7:27 pm

In a word: absence.

Post by **Keith Jordan** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 7:59 pm

Nice RPITI. All the songs are a variation on a theme of absense.

quicksilver · Post by **quicksilver** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 8:27 pm

Real Pink in the Inside wrote:In a word: absence.

Yes, that's it........Ironically this is also the time when they started becomming absent of each other as well.

Spinoza · Post by **Spinoza** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 9:26 pm

What does "Have a Cigar" have to do with "Absence" ?

Post by **Keith Jordan** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 9:33 pm

The world of business (particularly the recording industry) is a cold and ruthless place the closer to the t op you get. Have a cigar from the boss is what you get when you are on your way up the career ladder! No morals in business (stereotypically and fading now) and hence absence of morals that the song explores.

quicksilver · Post by **quicksilver** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 9:50 pm

Spinoza wrote:What does "Have a Cigar" have to do with "Absence" ?

On the surface, nothing. But if you put yourself into their shoes at the time, they felt that because they were now such a huge band with a huge record contract, that decisions were being made for them and not by them and they were being guided by someone other than themselves, thus becomming absent from their fans.

Furious · Post by **Furious** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 11:56 am

got it in one.

Post by **drafsack** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 12:26 pm

The theme of absence is also reflected in the art work - No splash by the diver, a faceless record company executive and a mechanical hand shake an absence of any feeling. Inside the cover were a couple of postcards - Wish you were here an absence of someone.

Post by **mosespa** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 5:38 pm

Perhaps it should be pointed out that a concept album doesn't necessarily have to have a sustained narrative on the lines of The Wall.

I've never thought of DSOTM or WYWH as having any sort of actual storyline as in "This is happening to a person in this song...and in the next song, this thing happens to the same person...etc, etc."

While I have seen attempts at giving these albums narratives that I must admit are imaginative, I also have to say that in the end, they fail (for me,) so I just take them as "concept albums" (in which each song on the album relates to a general theme, with no attempt at a storyline) as opposed to "rock operas" (in which there is a storyline to follow.)

Furious · Post by **Furious** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 2:37 pm

i remember reading a very good attack at the 'story' of Animals.

now where did I read that?