10 Mistakes That Made It Onto Famous Rock Songs
3. Cough Up - Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here
Of all the great songs Pink Floyd have put out in their time, few match up to the majesty of Wish You Were Here from the 1975 album of the same name.
A soft and sombre ballad, Wish You Were Here has many different interpretations, but the most popular theory is that it's a tribute to former Floyd member Syd Barrett, who left the group in 1968 due to mounting mental health problems.
Guitarist and one of the song's writers, Dave Gilmour has said that he never plays the song without thinking about Barrett, who died in 2006. He probably also can't play the song without thinking about coughing, as that's precisely what he does all over it.
In the introduction to the song, Gilmour, a ferocious smoker, can be heard spluttering away in the background. He can also be heard drinking something (probably not apple juice) and breathing heavily before the main guitar comes in.
The rumour is that Gilmour was so appalled by his inability to control his own lungs that he quit smoking altogether the next day.
So there you have it; a great song that also might have saved a man's life.