Wish You Were Here
Gibb Robin Lyrics

The song 'Wish You Were Here' by Gibb Robin can be interpreted in various ways. It is a song about the subjectivity of perception and the confusion that can arise from it. The opening verse asks if the listener can tell heaven from hell, blue skies from pain, and a green field from a cold steel rail. These are things that many people assume are easy to differentiate, but the song challenges this assumption. The lyrics indicate that reality is not always what it seems, and what one person may perceive as good could be another's misery. This is further illustrated by the line, "A smile from a veil, do you think you can tell?"

The song then takes a political turn, asking if the listener has traded their heroes for ghosts or accepted cold comfort for change. It is a call to examine whether they have given up their ideals for something less noble or authentic. The final lines of the verse strike a more personal note, asking whether the listener has accepted a lesser role in their life story, and whether they are merely a participant in someone else's war.

The chorus expresses longing for someone who is absent. It evokes the feeling of being lost and not knowing what to do, but wishing that someone were there to help make sense of things. The last verse brings in references to hip hop music, and the song suggests a desire for unity across seemingly different genres and backgrounds. It implies that music is a refuge that can bring people together regardless of their differences.