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Film: It's a Wonderful Life
Album: Wish You Were Here
Format: NTSC/Blu-ray PAL
Discovered By: Jeff Stillman and Andrew C. Wendland
Set Up: Begin the album 7 seconds into the film as the Liberty Films logo finishes forming. (Put album on repeat to cover film length)
Length of Sync: 2 Hours and 12 Minutes

Connections

  • The front cover shows two men shaking hands while one is one fire. According to Andrew this could be Pink Floyd shaking hands with the films main character, George Bailey. But it could also be a representation of George and his guardian angel Clarence.

     
Vinyl Cover

 
CD Cover

 
  • On the CD release, one of the pages show a man diving into a lake with only his legs showing. This could represent the scene where George dives off the bridge to save Clarence.
  • The back cover shows a man in a business suit with a blank face. This could be symbolic of Georges wish "I Wish I was never born!", making him an invisible man to his loved ones. The cover also shows items that George had throughout the film: A Bowler Hat, a Record and a Suit case.
  • At the end of Welcome to the Machine a party scene can be heard, at one point a man shouts out a name, from what we hear it sounds like "George!" He possibly says Bailey afterwards but it is unsure. You can listen to the moment the name is said here:

Lyrical/Musical Connections

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I - V)

  • The Synthesizer complimenting the first scene after the opening credits. 
     

  • Part I finishes as it fades to the next scene, beginning part II.
     

  • "Remember when you were young?" - Showing a young George Bailey.
     

  • Now there's a look in your eyes" - as a lady tells Uncle Billy whose on the phone.
     

  • "You crazy diamond" - Mr. Gower chasing George in anger. 
     

  • "You seer of visions" - George gives Mr. Gower the telegram. 
     

  • The image of George Bailey freezes after a saxophone note.

Welcome to the Machine

  • We hear a motor sound in the song as George is at a car.
     

  • "Welcome my son" - as the bailey siblings come into the room holding their mum. 
     

  • "You dreamed of a big star" - as George says "I've been hoarding pennies like a mise here in order too..." Maybe to fulfill a huge dream?
     

  • The chatter at the end of the song of course playing at the party scene.

Have Cigar

  • The songs synthesizer starts as the people begin The Charleston Dance contest.
     

  • "Oh and by the way..." - as Othello holds up the key. 
     

  • "You owe it to the people" - as George and Mary fell in the pool they continue dancing.
     

  • "Everybody else is just green" - as everyone else jumps in the pool with the couple.

Wish You Were Here

  • The man and woman hearing talking on the radio as George talks to Mary. 
     

  • "So you think you can tell?" - a man suggesting he kiss her and walks off saying "Youth is wasted on the wrong people".
     

  •  "The same old ground" - as it fades to Baileys company as seen earlier in the film.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI - IX)

  • "and ill be joining you there" - as George goes to Ruth.
     

  • "come on you miner for truth and delusion and shine" - as Potter is being interviewed outside his house. 
     

  • Part IX starts George starts to wonder around town.

Second Play-through

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I - V)

  • "You were caught in the crossfire" - George now involved with the banks problem. 
     

  •  "Threatened by shadows at night" - as Potter says to George "If you close your doord before 6:00pm you will never reopen".

Welcome to the Machine

  • "Pipeline" - As George and his friends walk in a line.
     

  • "You played a mean guitar" - showing a vinyl record playing.
     

  • "The Machine" - showing again the record player. 
     

  • The engine/motor sound could be heard as Georges family enters their car.

Have Cigar

  • "Riding the gravy train" - as Sam and Jane drive away. 
     

  • The scene transitions to George with Potter, Potter lighting George's Cigar.

Wish You Were Here

  • "Do you think you can tell?" - George telling Potter no on his decision. 
     

  • "Cold comfort for change" - as the scene transitions to George returning to his bedroom.
     

  • "We're just two lost souls" - George and Mary. 

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI - IX)

  • "How near or how far" - Potter being moved away from door. 
     

  • Part IX starts as George is home with his family as he feels downhearted. 

Third Play-through

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I - V)

  • As Part I plays, it perfectly compliments Georges frustrations with his family during and after his break down. He leaves as Part I ends. 
     

  • Part II begins the next scene of George at Potter's. 
     

  • "You crazy diamond" - George wildly driving his car bumps it into a tree.
     

  • "You stranger" - George walking away as the man calls out to him. 
     

  • "Rode on the steel breeze" - George diving off the bridge into the water to save Clarence. 
     

  • You seer of visions" - the bridge guard seeing them both in the water. 
     

  • "and shine!" - as he uses his flashlight/torch to find them.

Welcome to the Machine

  • "Where have you been? It's alright we know where you've been" - as George says to Clarence he would have been more better off if he wasn't around. 
     

  • "Welcome to the Machine" - Clarence thinks of making Georges wish come true.
     

  • The crowd sound at the end plays as George and Clarence are still in the bar.

Have Cigar

  • "You're gonna fly high" - as George and Mr. Gower get kicked out of the bar. 
     

  • "That is really what I think" - George pointing to the bar and saying "Why, this ought to be Martini's place!".
     

  • "And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?" - the dialogue in that scene is:

    George: Who are you?

    Clarence: I told you, George. I'm your guardian angel.

    George: Yeah Yeah I know, you told me that.
     

  • "It's a helluva start it could be made into a monster" - Clarence telling George whats happened, his wish came true. 

Wish You Were Here

  • "So you think you can tell..." - Bert telling George to be good.
     

  • "...from pain" - Clarence bites Bert's arm to let George run. 
     

  • ​Georges mum closes the door on him right on beat.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI - IX)

  • Part VI starts as George confronts Mary and his friends. 
     

  • George enters his house right on beat. 
     

  • "Pile on many more layers" - Uncle Billy pours out money from a basket.
     

  • Part VIII starts as more and more people enter in the house to see George. 
     

  • Part IX begins right after the famous "An Angel Gets Its Wings" line, as it begins George winks right on drum beat to say "Atta boy Clarence".

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