Wish You Were Here
Emmerson Nogueira Lyrics
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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 confort 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
In Emmerson Nogueira's song Wish You Were Here, the lyrics are asking the listener if they can differentiate between good and bad in life. The opening line "so, so you think you can tell heaven from hell" is a rhetorical question that suggests the singer believes most people can't differentiate between good and bad experiences, with Heaven representing good and Hell representing bad experiences. The following lines, "blue skies from pain, can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?" further emphasize this point.
The next section of the song deals with the idea of sacrifice, asking "did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?" which may be interpreted as asking if the listener has given up on what they believe in. The line "a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage" refers to the idea of choosing conformity over truth, highlighting that the listener may have given up their authentic self in exchange for a comfortable and safe option.
The chorus of the song, "how I wish, how I wish you were here" is a longing for a lost relationship, possibly a friendship, where two individuals were unafraid to be their true selves around one another. The line "we're just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl year after year, running over the same old ground" likely implies that the two individuals in question are stuck in their patterns of behavior, unable to move forward or escape their perceived limitations.
Line by Line Meaning
So, so you think you can tell
Do you believe that you possess enough wisdom and insight to accurately distinguish;
Heaven from Hell,
The idealization from the disillusionment
Blue skies from pain
Good times from bad times
Can you tell a green field
Are you capable of perceiving the difference between;
From a cold steel rail?
Peace and happiness from hardship and depression?
A smile from a veil?
Can you differentiate if someone is genuinely happy or just hiding behind a facade?
Do you think you can tell?
Can you really tell the differences between things?
And did they get you to trade
Did someone convince or manipulate you into replacing;
Your heroes for ghosts?
The important people and values in your life for something fleeting or insubstantial?
Hot ashes for trees?
What once gave you warmth or comfort for something that now seems dead or lifeless?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Something that was all talk but leads to where now things are worse?
Cold confort for change?
A situation that was once bearable but is now unpleasant for trying out something new?
And did you exchange
Did you trade;
A walk on part in the war
An insignificant role or action taken before for something much bigger and more damaging?
For a lead role in a cage?
For a situation where you seem like you have more control but are just trapped in another way?
How I wish, how I wish you were here
I am yearning to see you again and be with you
We're just two lost souls
We are directionless and unmoored souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
Living in isolation, through the eyes of someone who sees everything but nothing
Year after year
Through the passage of time
Running over the same old ground
Going through the same drudgery day in, day out
What have we found?
What has our struggles and everyday slog been for?
The same old fears
Nothing new to be afraid of
Wish you were here
Once again, I long to be in your company.
Contributed by Callie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gean Tottoli
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?
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
vlog jhosy
Meu marido amava essa música, sempre que viajarmos ele colocava 😭 infelizmente ele faleceu e hoje venho ouvir essa linda canção Luiz onde quer que esteja ❤️ amo você .
Wellington Martins
Seja forte. Vida que segue..! Infelizmente é um ciclo...
Vanessa Alves
Doeu em mim ler isso. Muita força pra vc.
Jeferson Benites
Meus sentimentos,Deus conforte o seu coração 😢
Josoel Pereira JP
Caraca!! Quem tá assistindo agora??
Esse cara tinha que estar na mídia mano, muito bom de mais....👏👏👏👏
Julia Ignez
Quando meu pai perdeu esse DVD ele ficou mto chateado, quando ele ganhou um celular e soube que dava pra ouvir no youtube ele até chorou ;-;
Natã Xavier
Kkkkkkkkkkkkkjj
Ewerton Oliveira.
Aconteceu comigo também.
Francys Fagundes
Julia Lim kkkk
alex santos
Cara q massa