Wishful Thinking
All Else Failed Lyrics
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Wipe that slate clean. Why not kill that too
Kill it
I've suffered your silence. I've hit a brick wall
I've taken my chances. I've taken the fall
Will you answer ? Wishful thinking
And when the answer comes I wish you would
Until you choke on blood
It's over, all but the crying
I promised you roses
I choked you with vines
We traveled the galaxies
We tripped all the mines
We let the days wither
We let every day pass
We fit like a puzzle
We shattered like glass. Silence.
The lyrics of All Else Failed's song Wishful Thinking seem to be about a relationship that has come to a breaking point, with both parties having suffered in some way. The first verse describes broken promises and broken glass, and the desire to wipe the slate clean and start anew. The singer seems to be urging the other person to take action, to "kill" the silence and move forward. They've taken their chances, and now they want an answer. But when the answer comes, they want the other person to keep quiet and not speak out, even if it means choking on their own blood. The chorus speaks of wishful thinking, perhaps a longing for a different outcome, but also acknowledging that the situation is over and all that's left is to cry.
The second verse is more introspective, with the singer reflecting on the relationship they had. Despite having promised roses, the relationship turned out to be suffocating and damaging, like being choked with vines. They traveled and experienced things together, but ultimately let each day pass without truly connecting. They fit like a puzzle at first, but ultimately shattered like glass. The repetition of "silence" at the end of the song leaves a haunting impression, a recognition that sometimes there's nothing left to say.
Overall, the song seems to be a meditation on the pain of failed relationships and the desire for closure, even if that closure is painful. The imagery of broken glass and choking vines adds to the sense of suffocation and claustrophobia that can come with being trapped in a relationship that's no longer working.
Line by Line Meaning
Broken glass and broken promise
The things we broke between us were not just physical items, but also a breach of our commitments
Wipe that slate clean. Why not kill that too
Start afresh and forget the past mistakes. Erase everything that reminds us of our painful history between us
Kill it
Remove any lingering traces of the past that might remind us of the broken relationship
I've suffered your silence. I've hit a brick wall
I have been dealing with your lack of communication and it has put up an insurmountable barrier between us
I've taken my chances. I've taken the fall
I have tried to fix things between us and I have been hurt in the process
Will you answer ? Wishful thinking
I am hoping for a response from you, but I know it's unlikely
And when the answer comes I wish you would
If you do respond to me, I hope you will choose your words carefully
Bite your tongue
Think before you speak and don't say something hurtful that you can't take back
Until you choke on blood
Don't speak if you can't say something nice. Keep silent instead of causing more harm
It's over, all but the crying
Our relationship has ended, but the emotional pain still remains
I promised you roses
I offered you love and affection
I choked you with vines
But my love and my way of expressing it ended up smothering and suffocating you
We traveled the galaxies
We went through so much together and had so many experiences
We tripped all the mines
We navigated through many difficult situations and obstacles in our relationship
We let the days wither
We allowed time to slip through our fingers, to waste away without making any progress or fixing what was broken
We let every day pass
We didn't take advantage of the time we had together to strengthen our relationship
We fit like a puzzle
We were perfect for each other, or so I thought
We shattered like glass. Silence.
But in reality, we were fragile and prone to breaking, and now there is no more communication between us
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
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