The song's lead vocals are performed by Roy Harper. Waters and David Gilmour had each attempted to sing the song on separate takes, as well as on a duet version (available on the 2011 Experience and Immersion editions of "Wish You Were Here"), but they were unhappy with the results. Harper was recording his album "HQ" in Studio 2 of Abbey Road at the same time as Pink Floyd were working in Studio 3, and Roy Harper offered to sing the part as Gilmour had already provided some guitar licks for Roy ("...for a price").