Roger Waters offered a touching rendition of Pink Floyd‘s “Wish You Were Here” at a benefit concert in London. Listen to his appearance at the Stand Up For Palestine concert below, beginning at the 1:43 mark.
“People sometimes think ‘Wish You Were Here’ is a lament for a dead childhood friend of mine, Syd Barrett,” Waters said while introducing the song. “Well, guess what? Sometimes it is, but not tonight. Tonight is for Palestine. We are also engaged here tonight in part of a larger existential battle for the very soul of the human race.”
The concert, held Friday at the St. Pancreas Church, also featured Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) and rapper Lowkey. Waters’ two-song performance concluded with “The Bar,” an unreleased solo song he’s been performing on tour since 2022.
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“I’m sure many of you, like me, live on the brink of tears,” Waters told the crowd. “We live on the uncomfortable edge, on the brink of tears – because we feel empathy for our brothers and sisters in Gaza and the other occupied territories in Palestine.”
Yusuf Islam’s set at the Stand Up For Palestine concert included “Wild World,” released as Cat Stevens on the 1970 album Tea for the Tillerman. He also played “All Nights, All Days” and “The Boy Who Knew How to Climb Walls,” dedicating his appearance to the children of Palestine.
“Wish You Were Here” served as the title track from Pink Floyd’s ninth album, issued in 1975. Waters has been very vocal in opposition to Israeli government policies for years. That’s occasionally led to charges of anti-Semitism, including from a former bandmate. Waters forcefully denies the allegations.
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