On Friday September 12, 1975 Pink Floyd released “Wish You Were Here”. I cannot say it was on my radar as I was finishing up my first full week of 1st grade in Ms. Wilson’s class at Audubon Elementary. However the song has now been in rotation for 50+ years on every classic rock radio station on earth.
Although I’m not a Pink Floyd fan, I believe there is a time and a place for this song:
HVC 1989
Hidden Valley Camp Granite Falls, WA
Session break late night camp fire. Scrappy counselor on guitar, others singing along with not all the lyrics in their proper place but it feels real, here & now, spot on authentic authenticity. The summer of 1989 at HVC was a great time and place for this song.
HRC 2026
Hans Rosling Center for Population Health
UW Seattle
Sitting in the great big great room at 8am with a coffee and a book when “wish you were here” comes on the Starbucks soundtrack downstairs. It’s the actual song but it feels fake-as-fuck, flat matte muted moot, like a false front, hollow insincerity, forced smile face. Last rainy Thursday morning in the HRC was not the time or the place for this song.
Wish you were here?
You are here
Here you are
Do you think you can tell?
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