Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here' Celebrated with Epic Poem by Simon Armitage as Band Prepares for 50th Anniversary.
The album's initial critical response was mixed, but it has since been hailed as a "new kind of creative breakthrough" for the band. The record, which features five tracks including an epic multipart song in honour of departed member Syd Barrett, marked a new era in Pink Floyd's music and has become one of their most beloved works.
Poet laureate Simon Armitage has written a sprawling poem about the album, titled Dear Pink Floyd, which reads like a fan letter and devotional. The poet, who was 12 when the record was released, describes it as a "time capsule treasure chest message in a bottle tied to a life buoy thrown on a life raft from a ghost ship". Armitage's poem is a testament to his enduring love for the band and their music.
Growing up in West Yorkshire during the punk era, Pink Floyd had to be a private indulgence for Armitage. The album's reputation as a "headphone record" made it easier for him to enjoy it in secret. He recalls listening to the album while wearing Doc Martens and a Buzzcocks T-shirt, feeling like he was part of an exclusive club.
Armitage's poem is not just a tribute to Pink Floyd but also a reflection on his own experiences and observations. He shares stories of seeing people wearing Pink Floyd merchandise in unexpected places, including an Arctic rescue hut and the deepest reaches of the Amazon. While some parts of the poem are fantastical, Armitage insists that these moments are rooted in reality.
As Pink Floyd prepares to celebrate 50 years since Wish You Were Here was released, they will undoubtedly be thrust back into the spotlight. The album has already been re-released and reached number one on the charts earlier this year. With Simon Armitage's epic poem as a testament to their enduring influence, it's clear that Pink Floyd's music continues to captivate audiences around the world.
The album's initial critical response was mixed, but it has since been hailed as a "new kind of creative breakthrough" for the band. The record, which features five tracks including an epic multipart song in honour of departed member Syd Barrett, marked a new era in Pink Floyd's music and has become one of their most beloved works.
Poet laureate Simon Armitage has written a sprawling poem about the album, titled Dear Pink Floyd, which reads like a fan letter and devotional. The poet, who was 12 when the record was released, describes it as a "time capsule treasure chest message in a bottle tied to a life buoy thrown on a life raft from a ghost ship". Armitage's poem is a testament to his enduring love for the band and their music.
Growing up in West Yorkshire during the punk era, Pink Floyd had to be a private indulgence for Armitage. The album's reputation as a "headphone record" made it easier for him to enjoy it in secret. He recalls listening to the album while wearing Doc Martens and a Buzzcocks T-shirt, feeling like he was part of an exclusive club.
Armitage's poem is not just a tribute to Pink Floyd but also a reflection on his own experiences and observations. He shares stories of seeing people wearing Pink Floyd merchandise in unexpected places, including an Arctic rescue hut and the deepest reaches of the Amazon. While some parts of the poem are fantastical, Armitage insists that these moments are rooted in reality.
As Pink Floyd prepares to celebrate 50 years since Wish You Were Here was released, they will undoubtedly be thrust back into the spotlight. The album has already been re-released and reached number one on the charts earlier this year. With Simon Armitage's epic poem as a testament to their enduring influence, it's clear that Pink Floyd's music continues to captivate audiences around the world.
and I'm still trying to process all the new foods I tried 
like wasabi peas and ramen noodles with octopus... anyway, Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here is literally my favorite album 
I mean, who needs lyrics when you have those guitars and a drum machine that just makes me wanna move my body to the beat 
but what's really interesting to me is how Simon Armitage says he was part of an "exclusive club" for listening to it back in the day - like, I can totally relate... I was always the last one to join in on a group conversation because I'm just too excited about whatever random thing is going through my brain 
It's like he's speaking directly from his heart, you know? As someone who grew up during the punk era, I can totally relate to how much it meant for him to enjoy their music in secret. The way he describes wearing Doc Martens and a Buzzcocks T-shirt while listening to the album makes me smile 
️.
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! i mean, who wouldn't be inspired by their iconic album? it's like, the ultimate nostalgic trip for me too 
. and can we talk about how cool it is that he was 12 when the record came out? 
i feel like i'm reading a fan letter written by my 13-year-old self 
. armitage's poem is more than just a tribute, it's like a love letter to the band's music and its impact on his life. and that line about seeing people wearing pink floyd merch in unexpected places... omg, i'm dying over here 
. anyway, with this epic poem and the album's re-release, it's clear that pink floyd's music is still alive and kicking 
. can't wait to see what else they have planned for their 50th anniversary 
!
The fact that he's drawing on his own experiences, too - like growing up during the punk era and sneaking around to listen to Pink Floyd in secret 
... it just adds to the emotional depth of the poem. And I love how he's not afraid to get a little weird and fantastical with his storytelling 
. Can't wait to read more of his work! 
. I mean, I know some people might think the album is a bit mellow, but to me, it's like a warm hug on a rainy day 
. It's so cool that he was listening to the album when he was 12 and still feeling all those emotions now 
. I'm definitely gonna have to read his poem again, it's got me feeling all nostalgic for the 80s 
. i mean, who wouldn't wanna celebrate 50 yrs of one of the most iconic albums ever? 
. like, have u ever felt like u r part of an exclusive club wen u r listening to ur fave band in secret lol 
. The way he describes growing up in West Yorkshire during the punk era, listening to the album in secret while wearing Doc Martens and a Buzzcocks T-shirt, is so vividly relatable 
. What I love most about this poem is its ability to transcend time and place, speaking to the timeless power of Pink Floyd's music and its capacity to evoke strong emotions across cultures 
. I'm not even a huge fan of their other work, but Wish You Were Here just speaks to me on a different level 
.
this simon armitage poem is like reading a letter from your old mate who's still obsessed with pink floyd after all these years 
he's got some wild stories about seeing people rocking up in pink floyd gear in weird places like an arctic rescue hut lol that's just the kind of thing that makes you wanna listen to wish you were here again 
For me, it's all about the nostalgia, but also the way it brings people together. Like, have you ever seen someone wearing Pink Floyd merch in a random place? It's like they're saying, 'Hey, I'm part of this secret club too!' 
