After a solo tour in the fall of 2003, Alexakis decided to continue with Everclear, organizing a new band that made its debut in March of 2004. The new lineup consisted of bass player Sam Hudson, guitarist Dave French, and drummer Eric Bretl. In the summer of 2004, the band added keyboard player Josh Crawley, and swapped Bretl for former Everclear drum tech Brett Snyder. The new lineup released its first recording, a cover of Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land, that summer. A self-released EP of performances recorded for XM Satellite Radio called Closure was given out at shows in the fall of 2004.
Free of a major label, Alexakis spent the ensuing year and half slowly recording material for a new Everclear release. He admitted that the time after the breakup of the original lineup served as a "wake up call", during which he suffered his third divorce and a filing for bankruptcy. Alexakis announced the completion of the album in early 2006,titled Welcome To The Drama Club. The new band is now on Eleven Seven Music.
In August of 2008, drummer Brett Snyder left the band after four years. He was then replaced by Tommy Stewart, who previously played in bands Fuel and Godsmack.
Wishing
Everclear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I look crazy to the world
I have been to this place before
The right guy for the wrong girl
I wish that I could wake up from a dream that I just don't wanna believe
Down sitting here waiting for you
And I know you are walking away from me
I put you in that room with me
Wipe away where I go
I wish I could wake up from a dream that I just don't wanna believe
That I gave a beautiful freak like you power and control all over me
Please don't leave me
Please don't go
I don't wanna be alone
Wishing don't count for much
When that thing you want is gone
I refuse to believe in luck
Now when it comes to my luck
I wish I could wake up from a dream that I just don't wanna believe
That all the bad things I've done in my life are coming back to torture me
Please don't leave me
Baby please don't go
I don't wanna be alone
Please don't leave me
Baby please don't go
I don't know how to be alone
One two three
You walked into my life like you walked into a crowd
Obsessed on how you obsessed on me
I wish that I could see what you saw in me
All the things you said you liked so much
And other things you say you hate
Yeah and now all I wanna do is start over again
And all I wanna do is try to make you wanna stay
I'm sorry to sound so lame
But you left it way too late
You're telling what I need to say
That will make you wanna stay
Please don't leave me
Please don't go, please don't go
Please don't tell me that I stand up for you to go
Please don't leave me
Please don't go, please don't go
Please don't tell me that it's tearing for you to go
I don't know how to be alone
I dont' know how to be alone
I don't know how to be alone
Ooh, please don't be cruel
Please don't do to me the horrible things that I did to you
The lyrics to Everclear's "Wishing" portray the emotions of a person who is desperately clinging to a unhealthy relationship. Standing outside his lover's door, the singer acknowledges that he is perceived as crazy to the outside world due to his obsessive behavior towards his partner. The singer wishes that he could wake up from the dream that is his current reality, as he contemplates the futility of his wishing. The idea of the right guy for the wrong girl is presented, implying that the relationship is doomed to fail due to external factors such as poor timing or mismatched personalities.
The singer is clearly aware that his partner is walking away from him, but he is unable to say the words that would mark the end of their relationship. The singer reflects on the power and control that his partner has over him, expressing his fear of being left alone. He candidly admits to making mistakes in his life and dreads the possibility of reaping what he has sown. The singer wishes that he could start over and make things right, but it seems to be too late.
Overall, "Wishing" is a heart-wrenching reflection on the power dynamics in relationships and the fear of abandonment. The singer is transparent about his shortcomings and his desperation to keep his partner close, even when the relationship is clearly unhealthy.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing outside your door
I am standing outside your door.
I look crazy to the world
People might think I am crazy for doing this.
I have been to this place before
I have been in this situation before.
The right guy for the wrong girl
We are wrong for each other.
I wish that I could wake up from a dream that I just don't wanna believe
I wish this situation was not real.
Down sitting here waiting for you
I am sitting here waiting for you.
And I know you are walking away from me
I know you are leaving me.
I don't wanna say the words that everyone seems to know
I do not want to say the words that everyone expects me to say.
I put you in that room with me
I am imagining a situation where we are together.
Wipe away where I go
I want to erase where I am going.
That I gave a beautiful freak like you power and control all over me
I gave someone unique and unconventional like you power to control me.
Please don't leave me
I do not want you to leave me.
Wishing don't count for much
Wishing is not very effective.
When that thing you want is gone
When what you want is lost.
I refuse to believe in luck
I do not believe in luck.
Now when it comes to my luck
Now, when it comes to my situation.
That all the bad things I've done in my life are coming back to torture me
My past mistakes are causing me pain now.
Baby please don't go
I want you to stay.
You walked into my life like you walked into a crowd
You came into my life like it was easy.
Obsessed on how you obsessed on me
I am fixated on how you are fixated on me.
I wish that I could see what you saw in me
I wish I knew why you liked me.
All the things you said you liked so much
All the things you told me you liked.
And other things you say you hate
And other things you told me you hated.
Yeah and now all I wanna do is start over again
Now I just want to start over.
And all I wanna do is try to make you wanna stay
I just want to try to make you want to stay.
I'm sorry to sound so lame
I apologize for sounding pathetic.
But you left it way too late
But it is too late to fix this.
You're telling what I need to say
You are telling me what I need to say.
Please don't tell me that I stand up for you to go
I do not want to hear that I am pushing you away.
Please don't tell me that it's tearing for you to go
I do not want to hear that it is hard for you to leave.
Ooh, please don't be cruel
Please do not be unkind.
Please don't do to me the horrible things that I did to you
Please do not treat me the way I treated you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Harshit Singh
Everclear deserves much more recognition than it has.
Amazing song.
Lori Thakur
amazing song!
kornfreak78
I really REALLY like this song... reminds me of my ex... when she walked out of my life. Had this song been around back then.. this would have been my song to her. I loved her more than life it's self.. but.. I wasn't enough for her. Shame how shit like that happens... I miss the good times I had with her. Damn shame she left me for a guy that doesn't even love her. Ahh well, good or bad, time moves forward. That said.. this is a really beautiful song. Everclear will always be awesome!
pyoumans36
Best song on the album, fascinating study of Art's abandonment issues.
moduleview
This is what you call good music
Gilbert Rogus
Man this is the best band ever.
Jesse Kendall
i love how they keep their sound, most bands drift from their original sound. so much heart
PATRIOT ROB
So beautiful Arts lyrics never let me down I am still enjoying this ride Everclear you take my heart mind & soul to so many places. Truly a amazing band so under rated please keep the brilliance coming guys love what you do.
tttwalker
Love that voice. I missed you Everclear!!
Sarah Peterson
Loving this song to death