Pink Floyd – Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I - V)

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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!

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Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae

"Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Pt. 1" as written by Roger Waters, David Jon Gilmour, Rick Wright

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

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Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I - V) song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:I dont't know much about PF and Barrett, and maybe it's just a coincidence, but regarding the last line "Come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!"
    I remembered there is not just a character Pied Piper and the Peter the Piper from the English language tongue twister, but also an anarchist Peter the Painter from early 20th century involved in a famous bank robbing in London, who was never cought.
    Flag jedritvaion April 04, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:R.I.P SYD
    Flag Yazardshiron February 19, 2013   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation:Author may have thought it was about Syd, but it's about ego dissolution.

    In youth we chase approval, then fear the laughter of others rather than delight in it (we learn shame and guilt).

    "You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon."

    Let maya unravel at its own pace, don't rush it or you'll get paranoid and fearful. Ego is dissolved by the light. If you get too precise, carried by

    Blown on the steel breeze.
    becomes
    Rode on the steel breeze.

    We're blown and tossed by life when we try to explain precisely, be clever, or avoid madness, or try to see and interpret visions, express yourself, put your self in prison of conditional love, approval, satisfaction, or peace

    ego exposed by the light, when we let ego die, we shine.
    Flag machineboron January 11, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It seems to me it could be about having to grow up to soon and then experiencing hardships because o that because it is not a proper way to grow up.
    >You worn out your welcome.

    caught in the crossfire.

    but probbly only my interpretation
    Flag BrILjanTjeon December 13, 2012   Link
  • +4
    General Comment:It is a biographical song about Roger *Syd* Barrett, written love, respect and honesty.
    Flagged thecrossboneon June 19, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:as lots of people said, this song is written for Syd Barrett. I know a lot about Syd, this is my interpretation:
    Remember when you were young - Waters, Gilmour and Syd were close childhood friends
    you shone like the sun - Syd was a very bright and smart child
    Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky - he turned into a psycho because of drug abuse
    You reached for the secret too soon - Barrett started doing drugs at quite a young age
    you cried for the moon - i got insane (crying for the moon like a wolf)
    Threatened by shadows at night - he also had signs of schitzophrenia, which was well fed by all of the drugs
    and exposed in the light - everyone saw him being high all the time
    come on you painter - i used to go to an artist collage because he was a well painter
    you piper - there was a Pink Floyd's album called "the piper at the gates of dawn" while syd was still in the band
    You prisoner - poor Barrett was a slave to his drug habbit.
    Flagged jGustainison April 17, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:I always thought 'on the steel breeze' referred to the vibrations coming off the steel strings on the bass because that's how he expressed himself...it's poetic ...now that my husband of 30 years has passed it is hard for me to even listen to some music...our lives were all about rock and roll of all types always blasting the tunes no matter what we were doing or where we were. Floyd I listened to in high school before I met him and sometimes listening to it makes me feel like my whole life was just a dream and none if it really happened at all. He was tall and lanky with long white blond hair and it was often said he looked like Duane Allman. Life will never be the same...the songs have more meaning, different meaning and the music just breaks my heart wide open. He actually died at an Allman Brothers with Bob Weir and Ratdog concert...quite fitting, I suppose, but still impossible for me.
    Flag deltaparis1701on February 03, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song is a lament for a lost friend, like Wish You Were Here, and remembering his glory days. I also think it's the perfect starting off point for the album.
    Flagged EnduringChillon January 29, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This world is unfair, how can the Rolling Stones be more successfull than Pink Floyd??
    Flag heavyrules669on January 03, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Shine On
    You Crazy
    Diamond

    Or...
    Shine
    You
    Diamond

    SYD
    Syd Barret?
    Flag Tig45on August 07, 2011   Link
    • 1 Reply

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