Carl was born in Salina, Oklahoma April 21, 1931. In the mid fifties he won… Read Full Bio ↴Carl was born in Salina, Oklahoma April 21, 1931. In the mid fifties he won an amateur contest in Pasadena, California which led to a recording contract with Decca Records and started singing professionally. He was on the Louisiana Hayride for a while, then in 1959 moved to Nashville to appear on the Grand Ole Opry.

This bio is a short summary of the album liner written by Ralph Emery for Carl's self titled album "Carl Belew", Decca # DL74074.

Wishful Thinking
Carl Belew Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Wishing I could see you again, dear
That the fire of love would burn once more
But I guess that's wishful thinking
And too much to be wishing for

Just thinking how you once kissed me
Wishing that hadn't meant goodbye
But I guess that's wishful thinking

Now I know why some people cry

I'll just live my life in dreams
And long for your love
It's you I'm wishing for
And it's you I'm thinking of

My heart echoes the love words you've spoken

How I wish I could hear them from you
Please make my wishful thinking come true

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Carl Belew's song "Wishful Thinking" convey a deep sense of longing and nostalgia. The singer is lamenting the loss of a past love, wishing to see them again and feel the fire of love reignited. However, despite these fervent desires, the singer recognizes that these wishes may never come to fruition. The melancholic tone of the song is set by the repetition of the phrase "but I guess that's wishful thinking," which emphasizes the futility of the singer's hopes.

The second verse further emphasizes the regretful nature of the song lyrics, with the singer recalling past kisses and yearning for them to not have led to their separation. But again, the singer acknowledges that these thoughts are mere wishful thinking, as they have already experienced the painful reality of goodbye. The final verse gives a glimpse into the singer's coping mechanism for their heartache, as they resign themselves to living their life in dreams and longing for their love. The song concludes with a plea to the past lover to make these wishes a reality, to make their "wishful thinking come true."

Overall, the lyrics of "Wishful Thinking" are highly emotive and poignant, beautifully expressing the pain of lost love and the longing for its return.

Line by Line Meaning

Wishing I could see you again, dear
I wish I could see you again, my dear

That the fire of love would burn once more
I wish our love could still burn passionately

But I guess that's wishful thinking
But I know that's just a fantasy

And too much to be wishing for
It's unrealistic to hope for

Just thinking how you once kissed me
I remember how you kissed me before

Wishing that hadn't meant goodbye
Hoping that it didn't lead to our separation

But I guess that's wishful thinking
But I understand that it's just a wishful thought

Now I know why some people cry
I understand why some people cry over lost love

I'll just live my life in dreams
I'll continue to dream and fantasize

And long for your love
And yearn for your affection

It's you I'm wishing for
You're the one I'm wishing to have