Ironic it may be to hear Roger Waters mouth off to keep himself relevant, but he was criticising that very action long before it was cool. Have a Cigar is more than just a kick at the feverish desire to stay in the spotlight. The Wish You Were Here classic is a gut punch to the greedy, the masses who fuel the economic aid of those who need help least of all. Any band or artist speaking out on financial injustice is painting a target on their back. One slip-up and the narrow-minded listener will suggest the song is not ironic. But there was a time when the critique was fiery and felt like an impassioned plea. Whatever has changed for Pink Floyd, or Pulp with Common People as another example, does not change the fundamentals of the song. Eradicate the link with the band, and Have a Cigar still serves as an unflinching comment, a disgust at what many now know to be true.
David Gilmour may have passed on singing Have a Cigar because he did not believe, at the time, these greedy troubles ran too deep. His step away from the song opens a door for vocalist Ray Harper, who gives a commanding performance worthy of the song’s deeper rage. Harper allegedly owed Gilmour a favour for some guitar riffs, and it all works out in the end. Have a Cigar may be overshadowed by the strengths found elsewhere on the album, but in isolation, it’s a rare beast of a song. Criticism of cultural decline is frequent now, but listeners must read between the lines. Waters has said in the past that he found much to love in John Lennon’s writing. The Beatles member was blunt and to the point with his solo works, and that’s a courage Waters brings about here. That cigar is as clear an invitation into the insider circle, the club which decides what will and won’t succeed, as any.
Its grip is lesser now because how we engage with art has changed massively from when Wish You Were Here released. But it’s still a musing worth hearing. There are still dangers at play, from generative artificial intelligence to the so-called gravy train which sees producers and studios target the lowest common denominator of entertainment as a means of success. Never forget Netflix didn’t bankroll David Lynch in his final years because they were focusing on cake game shows and influencer slop. Waters is not directly commenting on that here, of course not, but the howling vocal work Harper brings here captures the outrage we should feel for the world around us rapidly crumbling. Music criticism hasn’t lost its edge, a plastic, advertiser-friendly cap has been placed over the top of a tip which occasionally strikes through.
Waters did not predict this happening but whenever it feels like the modern times of music, film, and art are in a downturn, it’s worth returning to a song like Have a Cigar. All these messy creations come from the top, after all. An instrumentally brilliant piece of work from the band with a guitar piece which screams classic Gilmour. Have a Cigar is not just a defining piece from the band but a capable jab at the trendsetters. Now, more than ever, there needs to be an active participation in what you consume, where you get it from, and why you are interacting. Just look at the time sinks on apps like TikTok. Compare that with a lived-in, truly rewarding experience like Wish You Were Here, and the better choice is clear. Warning of cultural decline is one thing, understanding why is a whole different beast, one which is yet to feature in a capable song.
