Chords + Lyrics | Wish You Were Here
Intro
| Em7 | G5 G | Em7 | G5 G |
| Em7 | A7sus4 | Em7 | A7sus4 |
| G5 | G5 G |
| Em7 | G5 G | Em7 | G5 G |
| Em7 | A7sus4 | Em7 | A7sus4 |
| G5 |
Verse 1
| C/G | D/F# |
So, so you think you can tell,
| Am | G |
heaven from hell, blue skies from pain.
| D/F# | C |
Can you tell a green field, from a cold steel rail,
| Am | G |
a smile from a veil, do you think you can tell.
Verse 2
Did they get you to trade, your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees, hot air for a cool breeze.
Cold comfort for change, did you exchange,
a walk-on part in the war, for a lead role in a cage.
Instrumental (half intro)
| Em7 | G5 G | Em7 | G5 G |
| Em7 | A7sus4 | Em7 | A7sus4 |
| G5 | G5 G |
Chorus
| C/G | D/F# |
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
| Am | G |
We’re just two lost souls, swimming in a fishbowl, year after year.
| D/F# | C |
Running over the same old ground, what have we found,
| Am | G |
the same old fears, wish you were here.
Outro (as intro)
||: Em7 | G5 G | Em7 | G5 G | Em7 |
| A7sus4 | Em7 | A7sus4 | G5 | G5 G :||
Wish You Were Here Chords: Unveiling the Simplicity Behind the Song’s Complex Melody
Verse + Chorus
The chords in Wish You Were Here are straightforward. The verse and chorus progressions are based on the following structure: IV/5 – V/3 – II – I. When repeated, the first two chords are swapped, like this:
| C/G (IV/5) | D/F# (V/3) | Am (II) | G (I) |
| D/F# (V/3) | C (IV) | Am (II) | G (I) |
Intro
For the intro, we start on chord VI, then pivot to chord I. By altering the bass note, we move to IIsus4 – I, like this:
||: Em7 (VI) | G5 (I) G | Em7 | G5 G | Em7 |
| A7sus4 (II) | Em7 | A7sus4 | G5 | G5 G :||
The simplicity of the diatonic chords allows for the vocal melody and intro licks to be rhythmically sophisticated, standing out against the basic harmony and strumming.
Here’s a chord chart I created for you.
Wish You Were Here Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
I decided not to separate the verse and chorus sections as the chords are the same throughout.
The structure follows this order: intro – verse 1 – verse 2 – instrumental – chorus – instrumental to end.
The goal of this chart is for you to quickly glance at it and see how the verses are laid out, while also understanding how the chord extensions in the instrumental section connect to the iconic riff.
If you’d like to download the chart, here’s a PDF: Wish You Were Here chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iRealPro. You can access that file here: Wish You Were Here iReal Pro.
Below, you’ll find a preview of how we approach learning to play Wish You Were Here’s chords in the course.
Wish You Were Here TAB | Course Preview
It’s hard to imagine a more iconic acoustic guitar song than Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd.
The hammer-on licks are unforgettable, having been copied in countless famous songs since. Learning to play Wish You Were Here note-for-note is essential for any guitarist.
In this course, we’ll dive into those legendary licks in great detail, using TAB and play-along loops. We’ll even cover the vocal melody, analysing the intervals it uses over each chord.
Here’s the first lick of the intro in TAB:
We’ll explore all the licks from the intro in the same way, and later in the course, we’ll expand these across the neck.
What’s most fascinating, though, is how surprisingly simple and repetitive the strumming pattern is. It doesn’t change throughout the song, yet it’s incredibly effective.
The vocal melody is syncopated, making the minimalistic strumming even more crucial as it creates a relaxed, soothing atmosphere for the listener.
All of this is explored in depth in the course.
In addition to covering all of Wish You Were Here‘s sections, we’ll make sure you’re comfortable with your minor pentatonic shapes. You’ll need to move them around the fretboard to master this piece.
Here’s a link to the 8 step-by-step guitar lessons: Wish You Were Here – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Pink Floyd’s Masterful Follow-up
Wish You Were Here is the title track from Pink Floyd’s 1975 studio album.
Following up 1973’s The Dark Side of the Moon is no easy task, but Pink Floyd certainly rose to the challenge with Wish You Were Here.
This album reflects on the mental state of the band’s original singer, Syd Barrett. Both Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Wish You Were Here were written directly about him.
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios (the same studio used by The Beatles), Wish You Were Here took six months to complete, with the band working long hours on a set schedule of four days a week.
The material largely stemmed from ideas the band had developed while touring The Dark Side of the Moon.
If you’d like to dive deeper into the world of Pink Floyd, many books have been written about them. Perhaps the best is Inside Out by the band’s drummer, Nick Mason.
Wish You Were Here Chords: Continue Learning
In this first series of lessons from the advanced acoustic course, we break down Wish You Were Here step by step.
Since the song isn’t too challenging, we also focus on minor and major pentatonic scales, learning the intro licks and vocal melody across all shapes.
Start learning with the full lesson series: Wish You Were Here – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: