Wish You Were Here
Aslan Lyrics


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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
And hot air for a cool breeze
And cold comfort for change?
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
And what have we found?
The same old fear
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
And what have we found?
The same old fear
I wish you were here
I wish you were here
And how I wish you were here
I wish you were here

Do do do do do
Do do do do do
Do do do do do
Do do do do do...

I wish you were here
I wish you were here
I wish you were here
I wish you were here, wish you were here
Wish you were here, wish you were here, here

I wish you were here
I wish you were here
I wish you were here




I wish you were here
I wish you were

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Aslan's song Wish You Were Here delve deep into emotions of loss, longing, regret and the hope for a reunion. The first verse narrates a series of questions, challenging the listeners to differentiate between heaven and hell, joy and pain, beauty and stark reality. The lines "Did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts, hot ashes for trees" are suggestive of how dreams and hopes often fade away, replaced by a stark reality. The verse is a commentary on how life is uncertain and shifting, and how difficult it is to find true stability or meaning without someone to share it with.


The chorus "How I wish you were here...We're just two lost souls..." is an expression of a heartwrenching longing for a loved one who is away, or perhaps lost or departed. The imagery of swimming in a fishbowl and running over the same old ground year after year, only to confront the same old fear, portrays the sense of being trapped and hopeless. The repetition of the phrase "I wish you were here" highlights the intense emotional pain wrought by separation and the hope for reconnection.


Overall, Wish You Were Here is a song that speaks to a deep sense of longing and loss, but also to the hope that despite pain and fear, there is a chance of reconnection and love.


Line by Line Meaning

So you think you can tell
Do you believe that you possess enough wisdom to distinguish between good and evil?


Heaven from Hell
Can you distinguish between the sacred and profane?


Blue skies from pain
Can you differentiate between happiness and sadness?


Can you tell a green field
Can you tell the difference between life and steel or machinery?


From a cold steel rail?
Can you tell the difference between nature and industry?


A smile from a veil?
Can you tell when people are hiding their true emotions behind a disguise?


Did they get you to trade
Were you tricked into exchanging your real heroes for fleeting ones?


Your heroes for ghosts
Did you lose sight of what truly matters?


Hot ashes for trees
Did you give up valuable things for worthless ones?


And hot air for a cool breeze
Did you prefer meaningless words instead of authentic experiences?


And cold comfort for change?
Did you settle for an incomplete sense of security over taking risks for transformation?


Did you exchange
Did you give up something for the sake of something else?


A walk-on part in the war
Did you give up your life's purpose for temporary security?


For a lead role in a cage?
Did you trade your freedom for a position of power that's ultimately unsatisfying?


How I wish
I strongly desire


We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl
We're just two aimless people going through life's motions.


Year after year
Season after season


Running over the same old ground
Facing the same problems and making the same mistakes


And what have we found?
And what have we gained from our experiences so far?


The same old fear
The same old anxiety that haunts us


Do do do do do
Vocalization of melody


I wish you were here
I hope you were present here with me


Wish you were here, wish you were here, here
I really wish you were here with me right now.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jose Pasillas II, Alex Katunich, Michael Einziger, Christopher Kilmore, Brandon Boyd

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Martin McDonald

Christy could take any song and sing it with total conviction and always pitch perfect, and always delivered with pure heart.

Riley Cullum

No more pain or suffering. Thank you for the music Christy. One of The frontmen and voices 🙏💔

Barry O' Toole

Well said... RIP Christy..

Oisin Hegarty

One of the best to ever do it. RIP Christy 🇮🇪 an icon

Glenn Boylan

What a performance! You'll be sadly missed Christy, Rip 🙏

francesco de lucia

Yesterday i saw the notice of the death of Dignam, I didnt know who he was. Now I'm here and this live performance give me chills. Dignam was such a beatiful person and a beatiful artist. Rip Christy Dignam

James Doyle

God I didn't know Christy had Died until I seen these Posts. I never ever met the Man nor heard Aslan Live . But my Heart is Sorrowful.
God Rest You Christy.
RequiescatinPace.

sean kealey

The best band ever to come out of Ireland ,and I don't say that lightly

Rachel Beth

Thin Lizzy is pretty damn good though. Gary Moore can't be beat

Derek Ward

U2 way better , this a cover ??

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