Why Roy Harper Sang 'Have a Cigar' Instead of Pink Floyd

Roger Waters wrote the lyrics as a jab at the music industry’s hollow flattery. He felt his own voice was too harsh for the sarcastic tone, and David Gilmour tried a take but didn’t like how it sat in his range. So they brought in folk singer Roy Harper, who happened to be recording next door at Abbey Road.

Harper’s weary, almost bored delivery sold the song’s cynicism perfectly. The line “Which one’s Pink?” was based on a real question a record executive asked the band. It cut straight to the heart of how the industry treats artists like interchangeable brands.