Pink Floyd is one of the most legendary rock bands in the world, known for their dreamy sound, deep lyrics, and emotional performances. But behind all the success, the band was often full of disagreements, tension, and creative clashes. In many ways, these cracks were also what allowed them to make such powerful music. One famous example of this happened during the recording of their 1975 album Wish You Were Here — especially with the song “Have a Cigar.”
David Gilmour vs. Roger Waters: Two Artists, Two Visions
David Gilmour always cared deeply about singing. He once said he worked just as hard on his vocals as he did on guitar. Gilmour wanted his singing to feel honest and emotional, like some of his heroes — Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, and Lead Belly.
But Roger Waters, the main lyric writer, didn’t see things the same way. According to drummer Nick Mason, Waters believed writing was the most important part of music. He thought that singing and playing were less central than the message of the lyrics. This caused a natural clash, because Gilmour took great pride in how he delivered a song.
These differences didn’t start later — they appeared even when the band was still at their peak. During the writing of Wish You Were Here, Waters’ lyrics became longer and more complex. Gilmour struggled to sing them the way he wanted. He liked clear, direct vocals, but the lines were sometimes too wordy or out of his natural range.
The “Have a Cigar” Problem
The real trouble showed up when it was time to record “Have a Cigar.”
On the day of recording, Roger Waters had already pushed his voice to the limit while singing “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” His voice was tired and worn out. So naturally, the band asked Gilmour to sing “Have a Cigar.” But he refused.
It wasn’t because he didn’t like the song — he just felt it didn’t suit his voice. He believed he wouldn’t be able to deliver it well, especially with the range and intensity the song needed. Gilmour cared too much about vocal quality to force something he didn’t believe would sound good.
This left the band in an awkward situation — neither of the main singers could (or wanted to) sing the song. And they were already under pressure. At the time, Pink Floyd were dealing with financial stress from failed business ventures like a car hire company, a computer game idea, and even a children’s shoe factory. Studio time was expensive, and the band had to work quickly.
Enter Roy Harper
Luckily, folk-rock singer Roy Harper happened to be in the same studio building that day. He was a friend of Gilmour’s and overheard the trouble the band was having. After joking and pestering them to let him try, the band finally allowed him to give it a shot.
He nailed it.
Even though Roger Waters reportedly didn’t love Harper’s version, the rest of the band agreed it worked. And because Gilmour refused to redo his takes, Harper’s performance became the final vocal on the song. To this day, “Have a Cigar” is one of the rare Pink Floyd tracks sung by a guest singer.
A Sign of What Was Coming
The whole situation around “Have a Cigar” revealed something important — the band was beginning to drift apart. Creative differences, personal pride, business stress, and emotional exhaustion were all building up. Wish You Were Here became a classic album, but behind it was a band slowly breaking.
Sometimes, the very cracks inside a group are what create beautiful art — and Pink Floyd’s story is one of the best examples of that.