Alpha Blondy sings mainly in his native language of Dioula, in French and English, and sometimes in Arabic or Hebrew. His lyrics convey strong political attitudes and a sense of humor. He coined the French word "democrature" (an English equivalent might be "democratatorship") to identify some African governments.
http://www.alphablondy.info
Wish You Were Here
Alpha Blondy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heaven from Hell?
Blue skies from pain?
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What we found?
The same old fears
Oh, I wish you were here
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell?
Blue sky from pain?
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What have we found?
The same old fears
Oh, I wish you were here
How I wish, how I wish you were here
How I wish, how I wish you were here
We're just two lost souls (how I wish)
Swimming in a fish bowl (how I wish you were here)
Year after year
Running over the same old ground (how I wish, how I wish you were here)
What we found?
The same old fears
(How I wish, how I wish you were here)
The lyrics of Alpha Blondy's song "I Wish You Were Here" contemplate the loss of a loved one, possibly a friend, family member or even a political leader. The opening lines of the song challenge the listener's ability to distinguish between pleasant and unpleasant experiences, as he asks, "so you think you can tell heaven from hell? Blue skies from pain?" The following lines compare and contrast natural and industrial elements such as green fields and cold steel rails, implying a sense of longing for past experiences.
The second stanza of the song insinuates that the listener may have been deceived or coerced to sacrifice cherished values for something that may not be worth it, as the singer asks, "And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts? Hot ashes for trees? Hot air for a cool breeze? Cold comfort for change?" This stanza suggests that the listener may have given up something valuable for something much less valuable.
The chorus of the song is a melancholic wish that the person who has passed on could still be around to share the present, as the singer repeats "Oh, I wish you were here." The last stanza is a repetition of the opening stanza, serving as a reminder that the listener is still just as lost and without guidance as they were before. Overall, the song laments the loss of good things from the past and the longing for them to be present in the present and future.
Line by Line Meaning
So, so you think you can tell
Do you think you have enough discernment to differentiate
Heaven from Hell?
Can you distinguish joy from misery?
Blue skies from pain?
Are you able to identify happiness from suffering?
Can you tell a green field
Can you recognize a green terrain
From a cold steel rail?
From an emotionless steel structure?
A smile from a veil?
Can you differentiate a genuine smile from a pretentious one?
Do you think you can tell?
Do you believe you are capable of knowing?
And did they get you to trade
Did they convince you to exchange
Your heroes for ghosts?
Your admirable people for elusive images?
Hot ashes for trees?
Destroyed dreams for revitalized nature?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Hollow promises for comforting reality?
Cold comfort for change?
Empty comfort for transformation?
And did you exchange
And in turn did you trade
A walk on part in the war
A small role in the struggle for a greater engagement
For a lead role in a cage?
For a significant part in confinement?
How I wish, how I wish you were here
Expressing a longing for a non-present person
We're just two lost souls
We're only two aimlessly wandering beings
Swimming in a fish bowl
Living in a closed, limited environment
Year after year
Persistently and monotonously repeating cycles of time
Running over the same old ground
Revisiting the same unproductive routines
What we found?
What did we discover?
The same old fears
The identical phobias
Oh, I wish you were here
Oh, how I desire your presence
We're just two lost souls (how I wish)
We're only two wandering beings (how I long)
Swimming in a fishbowl (how I wish you were here)
Living in a confined space (how I desire your presence)
Year after year
The repetitiveness of time
Running over the same old ground (how I wish, how I wish you were here)
Repeating the same futile patterns (how I desire your presence)
What we found?
What have we discovered?
The same old fears
The unaltered, immutable anxieties
(How I wish, how I wish you were here)
(How strongly I wish for your presence)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: David Gilmour, Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cristo9451
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell
Blue skys from pain
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade
Your heros for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What have we found?
The same old fears
Wish you were here
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell
Blue skys from pain
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade
Your heros for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What have we found?
The same old fears
Wish you were here
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell
Blue skys from pain
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade
Your heros for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What have we found?
The same old fears
@aretitsento
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Oh! I wish you were here.
@jd.6692
Alpha Blondy - I Wish You Were Here
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from hell,
Blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And Did you exchange
A walk on part in the war,
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from hell,
Blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
@kossay89
I'll never forget that amazing night when I heard Alpha Blondy perform this song live in Morocco. I was on a little boat, sailing along the Abou Regreg River. It was one of those nights that stays with you forever. The air was warm, with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of the river. As Alpha Blondy's voice filled the air, it felt like the music was woven into the fabric of the night itself. The river glimmered under the moonlight, casting a tranquil spell over everything. It was a moment of perfect peace and harmony, where time seemed to stand still, and all that mattered was the beauty of the music and the surroundings.
@AntonioCalvente-tu2gp
La música me da vida y estos grupos más los sentimientos de la música🎉🎉🎉
@yaya2006
Pink Floyd would wish if they had played it like Alpha Blondy did. I love Pink Floyd forever.
@jjwilson32
:) so true. Best version ever.
@undomix
I prefer Pink Floyds version
@alalallalala4323
undomix
me too the original is too campy
@alalallalala4323
Alalal Lalala
Floy's cover suits the lyrics better
@cs122680
Floyd's cover? You mean the original? David Gilmour and Roger Waters wrote this song after Syd Barrett had to leave the band for mental health reasons. This was penned in tribute to their band mate, their brother who was no longer able to be a part of the legacy he played a major role in building.
I love this song and think that this is a pretty good cover, but in my opinion nothing even holds a candle to the original.
@jideadebiro
Il m'a fallu 30ans de musique pour tombé sur ce morceau pour enfin dire...c'est ma chanson préferé. Merci Alpha Blondy.
@Clebardman
Il m'a fallu trente ans pour tomber sur cette reprise. Excellente version, musicalement ça a du sens d'en faire un reggae. Si vous avez le temps, essayez d'écouter l'original de Pink Floyd ;)