After being exposed to electronic music, Goulding developed this song with the help of electropop artist and producer Frankmusik, whom she emailed via MySpace. She explained to the Guardian on December 12, 2009: "I said, 'I've got this acoustic song, and I know I want something good to happen to it but I don't know what – can you help me?" Frankmusik replied instantly to her surprise. "He said, 'Yes, I'd love to, come round on Monday.' So I got a train to Thornton Heath, ended up staying for a week, recorded a couple of songs, and just talked about music."
The American release of Lights features a couple of tracks that weren't on the original UK release of the set. To make room for them, "I'll Hold My Breath" and "Wish I'd Stayed," were omitted from the repacked album. Goulding told Chart Rigger: "It was kind of tough, but it was my decision. I feel like I've grown out of them slightly because I wrote them so long ago. 'Wish I'd Stayed' will always be very special to me because that was one of the very first songs I wrote when I was just really free-writing. I just prefer 'Animal' and 'Human.' They're an example of how I've progressed. And the reason I kept them for the repackage and not the [next] album is because I think I'm going to progress even more. But those other two songs, I kind of felt like they were holding me back a bit and I wanted to have a fresh start in America and be happy with the tracks."
Wish I Stayed
Ellie Goulding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One we all agree on
When men look outside, they see houses
Instead of the fields they grew from
We are constantly uprooted from them
Making us tiresome (and fearful)
Can you get up right now
Endeavor to free fall?
You can fall if you want to
It's just a matter of how far
You've treasured our hometown
But you've forgotten where you are
And it will stay with you until your mind's been found
And it has been found wondering around
With that skipping rope, the trampoline
The crafty smoke that made us choke
But we didn't give up hope
It's just the simple ways of getting paid
The carelessness of running away
I wish I stayed
I wish I stayed
Patterns all arranged in my background
Pillars and posts keeping this country on form
Letters were all sent
With no addresses so that people can't discover
That we're always under cover
Why do I always draw triangles?
Instead of words this paper deserves
I don't own my clothes but I own my mind
And it's not what you've lost but it's what you find
I don't own my clothes but I own my mind
And it's not what you've lost but it's what you find
With that skipping rope, the trampoline
The crafty smoke that made us choke
But we didn't give up hope
It's just the simple ways of getting paid
The carelessness of running away
I wish I stayed
I wish I stayed
You can fall if you want to!
It's just a matter of how far
You've treasured our hometown
But you've forgotten where you are
And it will stay with you until your mind's been found
And it has been found wondering around
With that skipping rope, the trampoline
The crafty smoke that made us choke
But we didn't give up hope
It's just the simple ways of getting paid
The carelessness of running away
I wish I stayed
I wish I stayed
"Wish I Stayed" by Ellie Goulding is a song about the feeling of being lost and disconnected from one's roots. The song starts off questioning why we can't all speak the same language and understand each other. It talks about how we're constantly uprooted and feel tiresome and fearful. The chorus reflects the desire to go back to the simple ways of childhood, represented by the skipping rope and trampoline, and the struggle to hold onto our hometown despite forgetting where we come from.
The second verse describes the patterns and pillars that keep the country on form, but also hints at secrecy and cover-ups with letters being sent without addresses. The triangle imagery reflects the feeling of being stuck and unable to express oneself fully. The repeated line "I don't own my clothes but I own my mind" speaks to the idea that true freedom comes from within and not from material possessions.
Overall, the song touches on themes of identity, belonging, and the struggle to find oneself in a constantly changing world.
Line by Line Meaning
Why can't we speak another language
Why can't we find a way to communicate effectively with one another?
One we all agree on
One that everyone can understand and easily relate to.
When men look outside, they see houses
People tend to focus on structured aspects of life rather than a more natural, rural way of living.
Instead of the fields they grew from
People tend to forget their cultural roots and where they come from.
We are constantly uprooted from them
We are continuously moving away from our origins and traditions.
Making us tiresome (and fearful)
Which could be exhausting and sometimes intimidate us.
Can you get up right now
Are you willing to get up and try something new right now?
Endeavor to free fall?
Are you ready to try new things without fear of failing?
You can fall if you want to!
It’s okay to make mistakes and fall down, it’s all part of the learning process.
It's just a matter of how far
How much risk are you willing to take? It’s all up to you.
You've treasured our hometown,
Your roots and culture are still an essential part of you.
But you've forgotten where you are
You may forget the importance of your cultural and traditional heritage in adapting to life changes.
And it will stay with you until your mind's been found,
It will be your guiding principle until you've rediscovered your culture's value and significance.
And it has been found wondering around
You could be searching for the significance of culture, where it has been all around you.
With that skipping rope, the trampoline,
The things that bring you joy are sometimes the simplest things in life.
The crafty smoke that made us choke
Sometimes, mistakes can have severe consequences, but you can always learn from them.
But we didn't give up hope
Even though those mistakes can be discouraging, it's important not to give up hope and keep trying.
It's just the simple ways of getting paid,
Making money doesn't have to be complicated, as it can come from simple approaches.
The carelessness of running away
Running away from problems will only cause more issues in the long run.
I wish I stayed
I wish I hadn't left, missed out on important values and life lessons.
Patterns all arranged in my background
Your cultural background establishes who you are and where you come from.
Pillars and posts keeping this country on form
The tradition, culture and values are the backbone of society.
Letters were all sent
The letters of the written past carry much significance and inform present actions and decisions.
With no addresses so that people can't discover
Sometimes these letters of the past are meant to be secretive and should not be found by others.
That we're always under cover
We should guard and keep our history, our culture, and significant events a secret, hidden and well protected.
Why do I always draw triangles?
Sometimes, art or expressions of creativity can represent deep significance that may be unknown.
Instead of words this paper deserves
Sometimes, things that cannot be effectively conveyed through words, are better expressed through art, creativity or provocation.
I don't own my clothes but I own my mind,
While material possessions are important, what we think, and believe about ourselves and our origins is what truly matters.
And it's not what you've lost but it's what you find
What we learn is more valuable than anything we may lose.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ellie Goulding
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Milena Donis
on Love Me Like You Do - From "Fifty Shades of Grey"
sjdnjnjsdkf