Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 in the crossfire
Of childhood and stardom
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 percision
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 years
And I'll be joining you there
Shine on you crazy diamond
And we'll bask in the shadow
Of yesterday's triumph
Sail on the steel breeze
Come on you boy child
You winner and loser
Come on you miner for truth and delusion
And shine
Christy Moore's rendition of Shine On You Crazy Diamond is a beautiful tribute to the original song by Pink Floyd. The lyrics are full of deep meaning and are open to interpretation. The song is an ode to a person who had it all but lost themselves in the journey of life, and to those who have been lost amid the struggle of living.
The opening lines are a direct reference to the diamond-shaped sunburst that Pink Floyd used as their backdrop during the Wish You Were Here tour. The lyrics are a reminder of the time when that diamond shone like the sun, and how that light still shines in the memory.
The following lines reflect on the changes that age has brought, the coldness that creeps into the eyes like black holes. The fading glory and the pain of holding on to what was once great. Throughout the song, the theme of being caught between childhood and stardom is revisited, with lines such as "threatened by shadows at night and exposed in the light."
The chorus implores the person to shine on, to be the legend, the martyr, and to not give up. The final verse leaves the listener pondering the mystery of where the person is now, and how they might find them again. The song ends with an open invitation to anyone who wants to join, to "pile on many more years," and to sail on the steel breeze.
Line by Line Meaning
Remember when you were young
Think back to the days of your youth
You shone like the sun
You radiated warmth and light
Shine on you crazy diamond
Continue to be extraordinary, unforgettable, and amazing
Now there's a look in your eyes
There is an expression of sadness and pain in your eyes
Like black holes in the sky
Similar to the darkness of space that consumes everything
You were caught in the crossfire
Trapped in the middle of two difficult and competing situations
Of childhood and stardom
Your upbringing was overshadowed by your rise to fame
Blown on the steel breeze
Your life is as if you were carried on the wind, unpredictable and uncontrollable
Come on you target for faraway laughter
You're an object of ridicule for those who are far away from your experiences
Come on you stranger
I don't know you anymore, your identity is now questionable
You legend
You're recognized for something remarkable, a myth because of it
You martyr
You're a victim of circumstance, you suffer for what you have done
And shine
Despite everything, continue to emit light
You reached for the secret too soon
You revealed something that was meant to be hidden or undiscovered
You cried for the moon
You aspired for something that is impossible or not meant for you
Threatened by shadows at night
You are vulnerable and at risk when darkness falls
And exposed in the light
You reveal your own shortcomings and secrets in the glare of the spotlight
Well, you wore out your welcome
You were no longer welcome or had reached the limit of what you could do
With random percision
With precise but unpredictable actions
Rode on the steel breeze
Moved forward quickly and effortlessly, with a sense of freedom
Come on you raver
You're restless, reckless, and inclined to wild behavior
You seer of visions
You have profound insights and can see beyond the present
Come on you painter
You're an artist, someone who paints portraits, landscapes, and pictures
You piper
You're a musician who plays the flute or another musical instrument
You prisoner
You're trapped and unable to break free from your current situation
And shine
Despite everything, continue to emit light
Nobody knows where you are
No one knows your location, your well-being, or your emotional state
How near or how far
Whether you're nearby or far away from my physical proximity
Shine on you crazy diamond
Continue to be exceptional, amazing, and unforgettable
Pile on many more years
Continue adding more years to your life
And I'll be joining you there
We'll be reunited at some point in the future
Shine on you crazy diamond
Keep being amazing and unforgettable
And we'll bask in the shadow
We will enjoy the benefits and memories of past successes, even though they are now in the shadows
Of yesterday's triumph
Together, we will look back on yesterday's achievements
Sail on the steel breeze
Move forward with a sense of freedom and adventure
Come on you boy child
Addressing a young, innocent boy
You winner and loser
You've experienced both victory and defeat
Come on you miner for truth and delusion
You're a seeker of truth who's been blinded by false beliefs or illusions
And shine
Despite everything, continue to emit light
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: David Jon Gilmour, George Roger Waters, Richard William Wright
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Di Smith
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 in the crossfire
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.
Paul Martin
Always been a big Christy fan but Declan is absolutely nailing this not just on guitar but vocally too. A gift
Dick C. Normous
As a massive Pink Floyd fan and an Irish man i can only say i love this cover. Fantastic stuff.
Jan
Dick C. Normous Thanks for Your words!! They say Enóugh!!
Gubbinsville
This is really special! The feeling in their performance of this great song is heartfelt & magical. Total intuition between Declan & Christy. Declan's accompaniment is absolutely superb!
Russ Banton
never heard of this chap before,stumbled upon him by a happy accident.simply stunning!
Sarah Ferrigan
He is an Irish institution. Part of of the precious furniture.
FloydTribute
this performance captures the very soul of this song.
brez9091
That's beyond singing a song.
That's building an everlasting momument, with the bricks, of every word.
Markus Mund
This song doesn't need anything or anybody more to be played with all the intensity it deserves to be played with. SO INTENSIVE!
Adam Iskender
Ahhhhhh. Christy - you've taken one of my favorite songs ever, and made it more bittersweet. Excuse me - I think I have something in my eyes...