One Of The Greatest Songs Of All Time
Pink Floyd’s wish you were here was ranked No. 324 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2011. The song was a collaboration of Gilmour and Waters.
It was recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios as part of the sessions for the entire album. The song was a planned contribution by Stéphane Grappelli, a well-known Jazz violinist at the time, who happened to be recording in a downstairs studio at Abbey Road at the time. Gilmour requested that there should be at least a “country fiddle” at the end of the song and invited Stéphane Grappelli to do the part.
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Grappelli, of course, obliged to do the part but for a fee of £300, equivalent to £2,500 today. During the mixing of the Grappelli’s part, the group decided to almost remove his contribution, although it can still be heard around.
According to Waters why they decided to remove almost the part of Grappelli because it would be insulting to credit Grappelli in the sleeve notes for something so inaudible – but then Grappelli still received the agreed fee.
In the video available below though, is the alternative version of Wish You Were Here where Grappelli’s contribution is included and can be heard in the instrumental break right after the second verse, and all throughout the third verse.
Many still wonder why they didn’t include this on the album, this alternative version appears to be stronger than the official album version.
Keep going for the track below that will definitely make you love the song even more. Not very often we hear an adjustment to a Pink Floyd music.