“Wish You Were Here” Pink Floyd Guitar CHORDS

“Wish You Were Here” is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd. It’s the title track from their ninth studio album, released in 1975.

The song was written by the band members Roger Waters and David Gilmour, and it’s one of Pink Floyd’s most iconic and beloved tracks.

Guitar Tutorial Video

Song Facts/History

Here are some interesting facts about the song “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd:

1. Syd Barrett Tribute: The song was written as a tribute to Syd Barrett, one of the original founding members of Pink Floyd. Barrett’s departure from the band in the late 1960s due to mental health issues deeply affected the remaining members.
2. Album Concept: The entire “Wish You Were Here” album is built around the theme of absence, with “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” (Parts I-V and VI-IX) bookending the album and serving as an extended tribute to Barrett.
3. Recording Challenges: The recording of the album was quite challenging, especially for “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” Syd Barrett made an unexpected visit to the studio during one of the recording sessions, and his appearance was reportedly emotionally distressing for the band members.
4. Slide Guitar Mastery: The distinctive and emotive slide guitar solo in the song is one of David Gilmour’s most iconic performances. The solo was recorded in just a few takes and is often hailed as one of the greatest guitar solos in rock history.
5. Sound Effects: The song features various sound effects, including the sounds of a radio being tuned, which create an atmospheric and immersive experience.
6. Album Cover Symbolism: The album cover, designed by Storm Thorgerson, features two businessmen shaking hands, one of whom is on fire. This image is meant to symbolize the band’s feelings of alienation and the price of fame.
7. Missing Teeth: The album cover’s concept was inspired by an incident during the recording sessions when Roy Harper, a friend of the band, came to visit the studio. His teeth were in such poor condition that the band couldn’t help but associate his dental issues with the decay caused by the music industry.
8. First Performance: Pink Floyd performed “Wish You Were Here” for the first time live during a tour in 1975, prior to the album’s official release. The song was well-received by audiences from the start.
9. Commercial Success: The song and the album became commercial successes. “Wish You Were Here” reached high chart positions in various countries and has since become one of Pink Floyd’s most recognizable and enduring tracks.
10. Live Performances: “Wish You Were Here” has remained a staple in Pink Floyd’s live performances, even after Roger Waters’ departure from the band. It has been performed by various members of the band and by David Gilmour in his solo concerts.

Official Music Video

Text Version of the Chords

[Intro]
Em7 G Em7 G
Em7 A7sus4 Em7 A7sus4
G Em7 G Em7
G Em7 A7sus4 Em7
A7sus4
G
 
 
[Verse 1]
C                             D/F#
 So, so you think you can tell
                Am
Heaven from hell
                    G
Blue skies from pain
                     D/F#
Can you tell a green field
                  C
From a cold steel rail?
               Am
A smile from a veil?
                          G
Do you think you can tell?
                         C
Did they get you to trade
                D/F#
Your heroes for ghosts?
                    Am
Hot ashes for trees?
                  G
Hot air for a cool breeze?
                        D/F#
Cold comfort for change?
           C
Did you exchange
                         Am
A walk on part in the war
                          G
For a lead role in a cage?
 
 
[Solo]
Em7 G Em7 G
Em7 A7sus4 Em7 A7sus4
G
 
 
[Verse 2]
C                                    D/F#
 How I wish, how I wish you were here
           Am
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
G
 Year after year
D/F#
    Running over the same old ground
C
 What have we found
             Am
The same old fears
                  G
Wish you were here
 
 
[Outro]
Em7 G Em7 G
Em7 A7sus4 Em7 A7sus4
G Em7 G Em7
G Em7 A7sus4 Em7
A7sus4 G Em7 G
Em7 G Em7 A7sus4
Em7 A7sus4 G

In a room bathed in amber light,
I strum my guitar, the chords take flight.
Fingers dance upon the strings so fine,
As I begin to play, a tale intertwine.

“Wish You Were Here,” the song’s refrain,
A melody that knows both joy and pain.
The strings beneath my touch do weep,
As memories through the frets do seep.

Gentle notes like whispered sighs,
Through the fretboard, my emotions rise.
Each pluck, each strum, a heartfelt call,
To those who’ve gone, yet still enthrall.

The intro’s like a warm embrace,
A journey back in time and space.
The notes, like stars, twinkle in the night,
Guiding my fingers as they take flight.

And then the chords, they shift and change,
In harmonies that rearrange.
The verses tell a tale so true,
Of longing and remembrance, through and through.

As the chorus blooms, I sing with care,
Words of love, of loss, they share.
My voice joins in, a companion true,
To the guitar’s lament, so honest and blue.

The bridge arrives, a bridge between,
The past and present, a bittersweet scene.
The strings respond to every touch,
Conveying emotions that mean so much.

And as the song draws to its close,
I let the final notes repose.
The guitar hums, its echoes clear,
A tribute to those no longer here.

In this room, where memories blend,
The song’s journey finds its end.
Guitar in hand, heart intertwined,
“Wish You Were Here,” a song enshrined.