Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an ea… Read Full Bio ↴Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics and elaborate live shows. They became a leading band of the progressive rock genre, cited by some as the greatest progressive rock band of all time.

Pink Floyd were founded in 1965 by Syd Barrett (guitar, lead vocals), Nick Mason (drums), Roger Waters (bass guitar, vocals), and Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals). Under Barrett's leadership, they released two charting singles and the successful debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967). Guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour joined in December 1967; Barrett left in April 1968 due to deteriorating mental health. Waters became the primary lyricist and thematic leader, devising the concepts behind the band's peak success with the albums The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979). The musical film based on The Wall, Pink Floyd – The Wall (1982), won two BAFTA Awards. Pink Floyd also composed several film scores.

Following personal tensions, Wright left Pink Floyd in 1979, followed by Waters in 1985. Gilmour and Mason continued as Pink Floyd, rejoined later by Wright. They produced two more albums—A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and The Division Bell (1994)—and toured in support of both before entering a long hiatus. In 2005, all but Barrett reunited for a one-off performance at the global awareness event Live 8. Barrett died in 2006, and Wright in 2008. The last Pink Floyd studio album, The Endless River (2014), was based on unreleased material from the Division Bell recording sessions. In 2022, Gilmour and Mason reformed Pink Floyd to release the song "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!" in protest of the Russo-Ukrainian War.

By 2013, Pink Floyd had sold more than 250 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and these albums and Wish You Were Here are among the best-selling albums of all time. Four Pink Floyd albums topped the US Billboard 200, and five topped the UK Album Chart. Pink Floyd's hit singles include "See Emily Play" (1967), "Money" (1973), "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2" (1979), "Not Now John" (1983), "On the Turning Away" (1987) and "High Hopes" (1994). They were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2008, Pink Floyd were awarded the Polar Music Prize in Sweden for their contribution to modern music.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Floyd

Studio albums
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)
More (1969)
Ummagumma (1969)
Atom Heart Mother (1970)
Meddle (1971)
Obscured by Clouds (1972)
The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Wish You Were Here (1975)
Animals (1977)
The Wall (1979)
The Final Cut (1983)
A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987)
The Division Bell (1994)
The Endless River (2014)

Shine On You Crazy Diamond Pts. 6-9
Pink Floyd Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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, for delusion, and shine!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Pink Floyd's song "Shine on you Crazy Diamond" represent a tribute to the band's former member, Syd Barrett, who was seen as the creative genius of the early days of Pink Floyd. Syd was forced to leave the band due to his escalating mental health issues, and the song serves as a way for the band to reach out to him and show their love and appreciation for all that he had contributed to the band's success. The opening line, "Nobody knows where you are," refers to the fact that Syd had become somewhat of a recluse and had disappeared from the music scene. The following line, "How near or how far," reflects the fact that even though he was not around physically, his influence could still be felt.

Line by Line Meaning

Nobody knows where you are
Your whereabouts are unknown and uncertain

How near or how far
Your proximity cannot be determined

Shine on you crazy diamond
Keep being your unique, brilliant self

Pile on many more layers
Continue to add complexity and depth to your character

And I'll be joining you there
I will be there to support and accompany you in your journey

Shine on you crazy diamond
Keep being your unique, brilliant self

And we'll bask in the shadow
We will relish in the remnants of your past success and glory

Of yesterday's triumph
The accomplishments of the past will always be remembered and appreciated

And sail on the steel breeze
We will continue on our journey, propelled by the winds of fate

Come on you boy child
Let your youthful, innocent spirit shine

You winner and loser
Experience the highs and lows of life and continue to grow