The 1971 Pink Floyd song that wasn’t credited to the right person: “Roger obviously wrote the lyrics”
An article for Far Out Magazine revisits Pink Floyd's 1971 track "Echoes," arguing that keyboardist Richard Wright never received proper credit for his role in shaping the 23-minute epic from the album Meddle. Although the song is officially credited to Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Wright collectively, the piece contends that Wright's contribution, particularly the piano introduction and chord structure, was central to the composition, with Waters responsible chiefly for the lyrics.
The article traces Wright's often-overlooked influence throughout Pink Floyd's history, noting he appeared in the songwriting credits of only ten of the band's 217 released songs despite being instrumental in acclaimed works such as "The Dark Side of the Moon." It cites Wright himself telling Mojo magazine that the "whole piano thing" and chord structure on "Echoes" were his, and recalls Gilmour retiring the song from live setlists after Wright's death in 2008, telling Rolling Stone in 2016 that Wright's playing style was too individual to replicate.
- Far Out Magazine says Richard Wright was under-credited for Pink Floyd's "Echoes"
- Wright wrote the piano intro and chords; Waters wrote the lyrics
- Gilmour retired the song from setlists after Wright's 2008 death