Shine on You Crazy Diamond
Syd Barrett
1946-2006
As I happily walked out of a local record shop first thing in the morning with the long awaited Pink Floyd PULSE DVD (A DVD version of their 1994 concert at Earls Court), I returned to my desk to find out that Syd Barrett, co-founder of Pink Floyd, had passed away due to complications with diabetes. I was stunned and suddenly saddened. **
If you are at all familiar with the band, you know that Syd was a brilliant and talented genius...but also led a rather tragic life. Syd and Pink Floyd were one of the original pioneers and shepherds of the British Underground music scene. After the band was discovered in 1966 and started it's great road to success, he started having a mental breakdown and became one of the generation's first "acid casualty." By 1968, Syd could no longer handle being the front man of Pink Floyd, and David Gilmour had to step into that role.
One of the most infamous Pink Floyd songs is "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". This song was written for Syd and showed the remorse that the band felt for the loss of not having him continue on their journey. (There are many other songs acknowledging Syd to this day, but this one is the most famous tribute to him.) Syd slipped into a reclusive life, never to recover again. The band has never forgotten him and continue to sing SoYcD at every concert and acknowledge his tremendous influence on them and their music style that they carried on. Syd was a true rock legend.
On another sad note, today marks another loss of another legend that rocked. Two years ago today I lost one of my best friends, Darryl (AKA D-Man). He was unexpectedly ripped from mine and my fellow amigos lives. D-Man, you are missed so much, but I know you are up there with Syd shining on and laughing like madcaps!
"Shine On You Crazy Diamond (I-V)"
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 on 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!
** In a very weird moment of blog zen, it seems Wendy and I both thought of each other at the same time when we heard the news about Syd--Wendy, if you didn't know, is also a Floydian. We evidently heard the news at the same time and while I was on her blog typing a comment about Syd, she was on mine doing the same thing. Psychedelic.
Great info and fitting tribute! Pink Floyd has always been and always will be my all time favorite group!! I'm sorry for the loss of your friend as well!!
Posted by: Crazy For Yarn In Alabama | July 12, 2006 at 11:13 AM
Maybe now, Syd's troubled mind is at rest and he's playing his guitar for the angels. Shine On.
Posted by: Joanne | July 12, 2006 at 12:46 PM
Sorry that the comments weren't working on this post guys. Darned Typepad was down on the this day and screwed it all up.
Posted by: Shelley | July 14, 2006 at 08:58 AM