Each artist entering the studio must be prepared with their best work. After all, time is money. The studio hours impact musicians’ patience in understanding your vision. Pink Floyd was the kind of technician who took great pride in every aspect of their work. But once they were well into the process, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” actually had to be completely removed.
Of course, the band wasn’t just going to coast on their success with Dark Side of the Moon. They aimed to create something extraordinary for the follow-up. Even though Pink Floyd was one of the most successful bands in the world at the time, they still felt hollow on the inside. A significant other was not present to share in the success.
Even though Syd Barrett had long since left the group, Dark Side of the Moon already had a trace of his music returning to its sound. There was no doubt that Barrett served as the inspiration for “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” The entire idea of what drives people to madness may have been a stand-in for Barrett or other lost souls.
Though “Wish You Were Here” served as a tribute to the band’s departed friend. The two epics that close the album give the impression. The musicians were attempting to channel Barrett’s soul through the music. David Gilmour claimed that after they were well into the process, they realized they could only use half of what they had produced.
The amount of reverb on the last track was so great that Gilmour had to erase most of the song during a conversation with the guitarist. He stated, “We didn’t notice it for a while.” We continued to work on it because we kept telling ourselves that it was only the reverb. However, one day we attempted to kill the reverb and were unsuccessful. I believe that for “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” we ultimately had to completely redo the drums, bass, and guitar parts of the basic track.
When you listen to the song, you would hardly notice the band’s exhaustion, even though that kind of mistake would take the wind out of anyone’s sails. Beginning with Richard Wright’s masterful keyboard swell, the song’s two sections feel like an emotional exorcism on everyone’s part. It’s as though they’re attempting to convey Barrett’s whole story. You can hear glimpses of his playful, psychedelic side, his mental breakdown, and the band’s loss of him at different points in the song.
The song still has a good amount of reverb, but it’s not as overwhelming as the band had suggested. When Gilmour enters the song with four ethereal notes, it evokes memories of the band’s time with Barrett. It almost feels as though you’re emerging from a state of mental confusion. Each member of Pink Floyd had discussed the difficult times they had trying to put the song together. But this is how you come right if you’re going to honor your former bandmate.
