Shine On You Crazy Diamond – Pink Floyd Song Meaning

The sad story of Syd Barrett, one of the founders and members of the first line-up of Pink Floyd, is well known to fans of the band. There is still debate about whether it was moral to expel the person who stood at its origins from the group, even if he behaved so unprofessionally and even ugly.

Surely you also know about the case when, after parting with Pink Floyd, he entered the studio during the recording of the album “Wish You Were Here”, and his pitiful appearance brought tears to Roger Waters. Ironically, Syd appeared just at the moment when work was underway on the vocal part of the song dedicated to him, Shine On You Crazy Diamond (“Shine on, you crazy diamond”).

We will talk about her.

The history of creation and the meaning of the song Shine On You Crazy Diamond

The composition was written by Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Richard Wright. When composing the music, they started from the first guitar part, which can be heard in Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Then each of them added something to the song.

The basic phrase that became the name was Gilmour’s, and it had nothing to do with Barrett. But thoughts of a former comrade constantly tormented Waters. He himself no longer remembers how it happened that he began to write a dedication to Sid, in which he tried to express his attitude towards him. Moreover, it seems that Roger is justified in the song, because it was he who insisted on Barrett’s expulsion.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond was originally intended for the band’s upcoming concert tour in France, where it was first played. After that, they decided to include it in the Wish You Were Here album, as it fit perfectly into the overall idea of the record.

Release and achievements

The song Shine On You Crazy Diamond consists of nine parts, and its total length exceeds twenty-six minutes. The first five movements open the album, while the last four complete it. It was Roger Waters who suggested breaking up the composition, and the rest of Pink Floyd, with the exception of Gilmour, liked the idea.

Critics and the public in general received the song kindly, although some considered the lyrics almost an insult to Syd Barrett. What do you think of Shine On You Crazy Diamond?

Interesting Facts

The final part of Shine On You Crazy Diamond features a very quiet excerpt from See Emily Play, written by Syd Barrett.
While working on the song, the musicians nicknamed the sad guitar notes “Sid’s theme”.
There are three versions of the song Shine On You Crazy Diamond on the Pink Floyd track compilations, composed of different parts of it.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond Lyrics Pink Floyd

Remember when you were young
You shone like the sun
Shine on, you crazy diamond!
Now there’s a look in your eyes
Like black holes in the sky
Shine on, you crazy diamond!
You were caught on the cross fire
Of childhood and stardom
Blown on the steel breeze
Come on, you target for faraway laughter
Come on, you stranger, you legend, you martyr
And shine!

You reached for the secret too soon
You cried for the Moon
Shine on, you crazy diamond!
Threatened by shadows at night
And exposed in the light
Shine on you crazy diamond!
Well you wore out your welcome
With random precision
Rode on the steel breeze
Come on, you raver, you seer of visions
Come on, you painter, you piper, you prisoner
And shine!

Nobody knows where you are, how near or how far
Shine on you crazy diamond
Pile on many more layers and I’ll be joining you there
Shine on you crazy diamond
And we’ll bask in the shadow of yesterday’s triumph,
and sail on the steel breeze
Come on you boy child, you winner and loser,
come on you miner for truth and delusion,
and shine!

Shine On You Crazy Diamond Lyrics Pink Floyd

Remember when you were young
You shone like the sun
Shine on, you crazy diamond!
But now the look in your eyes
Like black holes in the sky
Shine on, you crazy diamond!
We’ve been caught in the crossfire
Childhood and the positions of the stars
And we were blown away by a steel breeze
Come on, you target of ridicule from afar
Come on, you stranger, you legend, you martyr
And sit!

You learned the secret too soon
You wished for the impossible
Shine on, you crazy diamond!
Frightened by the shadows of the night
And vulnerable in the light
Shine on, you crazy diamond!
Well you’ve been here too long
With random precision
Depended on the steel breeze
Come on, you rake, you seer
Come on, you artist, you piper, you prisoner
And sit!

No one knows where you are, how close and how far
Shine on, you crazy diamond
Stack more layers and I’ll join you there
Shine on, you crazy diamond
And we’ll rest in the shadow of yesterday’s triumph
And sail under the sails that blow the steel breeze
Come on, you boy, you are the winner and the loser
Come on, you seeker of truth and error
And sit!