Brace yourself for the influx of Pink Floyd remasters and anniversaries. Already, there are too many versions of The Dark Side of the Moon, and with a lucrative sale to Sony Music, other albums will inevitably receive the same treatment. At least Wish You Were Here has some exceptional extras featured on its fiftieth anniversary package. Though it may not be released until December, there are a few cuts of interest to tide fans over as they wait to hear live versions and alternate takes. Have a Cigar, the exceptional riff on the record industry and the greedy powers that be, is a remarkable song. Roger Waters’ venom-tipped pen burns through the business as Money did on The Dark Side of the Moon. But this alternate version is extended, essential, and a fantastic reworking of a classic. Roy Harper is absent here; that’s the big change. Dedicated fans will know this version from the 2011 remaster, but there is always reason to return to Pink Floyd’s deep discography.
Songwriter Roger Waters and guitarist David Gilmour take turns on this version. It’s much superior to the original. But a dislike for the harshness of the song means Gilmour dropped out, replaced by Harper, who did a phenomenal job. Hearing the band as a four-piece though, that’s where the magic happens, and Have a Cigar (Alternate Version) is no exception. Those who recall the 2011 version will be well-versed in those little flickers of brilliance. A sinister-sounding synth is the core of an emotionally charged jam session. It’s as much a reaction to the purpose of the song preceding this instrumental overlap as it is a showcase of just how great the band gelled. Brutal jabs made at the record industry sound stronger when the artists being ripped through by those suits are singing against it. Gilmour dropped out, Harper took his place, so what? Waters and Gilmour are at their best when showcasing artistic unity.
Have a Cigar (Alternate Version) is stronger because it shows that. Pink Floyd were rarely on the same page, but were at least on agreeable terms around the release of Wish You Were Here. Having that at the core of a song like this, arguably one of the strongest, thinly-veiled strikes at the wheels of change in the music industry, Waters would write, is crucial. The final version is not worse off without it, but it’s hard to hear this Gilmour and Waters version and not think it’s much stronger. A thinner vocal for that “gravy train” elongation but backed by a stylish instrumental section, the progressive rock sound the band found on The Dark Side of the Moon is in full swing here. Casualties across this transition, particularly in the context of the writing, were inevitable.
But what a major change it would be for Gilmour. He would be a reliable frontman when Waters left but it’s rather telling that even now, he has no interest in Have a Cigar. Has he, too, found himself a comfortable seat on the gravy train? If he has, good on him. Little in life is guaranteed, and cashing out should not be frowned upon. Another anniversary edition to tide fans over, new material which sounds very strong and will no doubt be of interest to record enthusiasts and hardened Pink Floyd fans. A smart, sharp song which benefits from the unity heard between Gilmour and Waters, even if the former is not wholly behind the message. The very best of them can present their resentment in new forms, and the biting, vicious guitar line through this song is a clear example of that camaraderie which would be lost in Pink Floyd soon after Wish You Were Here.
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