“Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd
Here’s my cover of “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd.
How to Play “Wish You Were Here”
The Chords
Here are the basic chords you will use to play this song. I’m not sure what exactly you’d call two of these chords, but here are the figures:
EADGBE
320033 = G5
022033 = Em7/11 (?)
002033 = A7sus4 (?)
332010 = C/G
2×0232 = D/F#
x02210 = Am
Main Riff
The opening section uses the G5, Em, and A7 chord shapes. You need to alternate between picking individual notes and strumming. Here’s a rough tab:
Figure 1
E-------------------3--------------------3--
B---------------3---3----------------3---3--
G---------------0---0-----0----------0---0--
D---------0--2--2---2--2-----2h0-----0---0--
A-----0h2-------2--------------------2------
E--3------------0-----------------3--3------
Figure 2
E-------------------3------------------3----
B---------------3---3--------------3---3----
G---------------0---0--------------0---0----
D---------0--2--2---2--2--0--------2---2----
A-----0h2-------2------------2--0--0--------
E--3------------0---------------------------
Figure 3
E-------------------3------------------3----
B---------------3---3--------------3---3----
G---------------0---0--------------0---0----
D---------0--2--2---2--2--0--------2---2----
A-----0h2-------2------------2--0--0--------
E---------------0---------------------------
Figure 4
E-------------------3--3-----3--3-----3--------3--
B---------------3---3--3--3--3--3--3--3-----3--3--
G---------------0---0--0--0--0--0--0--0-----0--0--
D---------------2---2--2--2--2--2--2--2-----2--2--
A-----0h2h0-----2---------2--------2--------2-----
E------------3------------3--------3-----3--------
Play through figure 1 two times, then figures 2, 3, and 4. That’s the whole first section, what I’ll call the main riff. That whole section repeats twice, and then it goes into the verse.
The Verse
Here are the chords for the verse. I’m using simplified chords here, so when I say “C”, I mean “C/G”, and when I say “G” I mean “G5″, and so on:
C D Am G D C Am G
You could play the verse just using the basic chords, but using the chords listed above gives the song a bit more oomph. Also, as you strum this section at certain points you might lift off notes to embellish the chords and spice up the chord progression a bit.
For example, playing the D/F# chord, lift off your 1st and 2nd fingers from the 1st and 3rd strings (respectively, A and F# notes become open G and E), and then back on.
With the Am, lift off your first finger from the 2nd string (C becomes open B).
With C/G, lift off your 2nd finger from the 4th string (E becomes D).
Listen for this little embellishments on the CD and try to work them in as you play the chords. Watch the video lesson above for more on this.
Chords and Lyrics
[Intro: Main Riff (x2) - 1st guitar solo comes in on second time through the main riff]
C D
So, so you think you can tell
Am
Heaven from Hell
G
Blue skies from pain
D
Can you tell a green field
C
From a cold steel rail
Am
A smile from a veil
G
Do you think you can tell
C
Did they get you to trade
D
Your heroes for ghosts
Am
Hot ashes for trees
G
Hot air for a cool breeze
D
Cold Comfort for change
C
Did you exchange
Am
A walk on part in the war
G
For a lead role in a cage
[2nd guitar solo: Main Riff]
C
How I wish
D
How I wish you were here
Am
We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl
G
Year after year
D
Running over the same old ground
C
What have we found
Am
The same old fears
G
Wish you were here
[Outro guitar solo: Main riff (x2)]