Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
Lyrics and Guitar Lessons
Watch These Videos
Original and live versions
Wish You Were Here Lyrics
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from hell
Blue skies from pain
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail
A smile from a veil
Do you think you can tell
Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts
Hot ashes for trees
Hot air for a cool breeze
And cold comfort for change
Did you exchange
A walk-on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage
How I wish, how I wish you were here
We’re just two lost souls
Swimming in a fishbowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What have we found
The same old fears
Wish you were here
Guitar Lessons
Wish You Were Here – Step 1 (Free Preview)
In this first step we look at how to strum the verse/chorus as well as the more complex intro.
To make it sound nice, focus on how you change the dynamics of your strumming hand, maintaining the rhythm.
Go to Wish You Were Here step 1.
Wish You Were Here – Step 2
Let’s take a look at those four licks played during the intro in detail.
There is lots to learn from here, the unexpected b9 bends, the call and response between chord VI and I. Let’s learn this note for note.
Go to Wish You Were Here step 2.
Wish You Were Here – Step 3
Let’s play the complete song. Simply play along with me and the singer in the video.
Whenever I play the intro chords, play the licks and focus on getting them perfect.
Go to Wish You Were Here step 3.
Wish You Were Here – Step 4
This step is a Minor and Major Pentatonic check-up extravaganza.
The first five exercises move each shape between chord VI – II – III. The last five loop chord I – IV – V.
Go to Wish You Were Here step 4.
Wish You Were Here – Step 5
Let’s move those perfect intro licks to all areas of the neck.
This will be a great way to check how well you know those Minor and Major Pentatonic shapes.
Go to Wish You Were Here step 5.
Wish You Were Here – Step 6
In this step, we work on playing the vocal melodies of the chorus and verses.
We do this in the open position and focus on what intervals are used as well as playing the syncopated rhythm just as written.
Go to Wish You Were Here step 6.
Wish You Were Here – Step 7
Let’s play the chorus melody in all shapes as this will help us identify intervals in relation to chord shapes.
The ultimate goal is that you can play through all shapes in one go, just like the last TAB loop does, without looking at the TAB.
Go to Wish You Were Here step 7.
Wish You Were Here – Step 8
Today we do what we did in the last step but with verse 2’s vocal melody.
Focus on what interval each phrase start and end with and you will be on to great things.
Go to Wish You Were Here step 8.
Related Pages
Chords and Guitar Lessons
The Stadium meets campfire trick that Wish You Were Here pull off have been attempted by so many bands since. It’s actually difficult to think of one that doesn’t sound a bit like “the original”.
This is not a song to jam and improvise over, so legendary are the licks you simply must learn each and every one of them, note for note.
Go to Wish You Were Here chords and guitar lessons.
David Gilmour
David Gilmour is an English musician, best known as the lead guitarist, primary singer, and one of the main songwriters in the band Pink Floyd.
Known for his melodic ability and fantastic tone, David Gilmour has always been considered one of the truly great British guitar players.
Go to David Gilmour biography.
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band that sold an estimated seventy-five million albums in the United States alone.
With their laid-back blues-influenced psychedelic rock, they have had hits like Another Brick In The Wall, Comfortably Numb, Money, and Wish You Were Here.
Go to Pink Floyd biography.
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