Wish You Were Here
Glup! Lyrics
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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?
And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
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 you found? The same old fears.
Wish you were here.
The song "Wish You Were Here" by Glup! is about loss and the absence of someone who was once close. It begins by questioning the listener's ability to distinguish between positive and negative experiences, such as heaven and hell, blue skies and pain, a green field and a cold steel rail, or a smile and a veil. The lyrics suggest that the listener's perceptions and ability to navigate life may have been influenced by trading heroes for ghosts and making sacrifices that aren't satisfying. The verse ends with the question "Do you think you can tell?"
The song then moves into the chorus, where the singer expresses a deep longing for the person who is no longer present. The metaphor of "two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl" suggests a feeling of being trapped and going through the motions of life without direction or purpose. The repetition of "year after year" reinforces the feeling of stagnation and the difficulty of moving past the loss.
The final stanza of the song returns to questioning the listener's beliefs and values, asking them to consider what they have really gained from their experiences and if the sacrifices they have made have been worth it. The final line states "Wish you were here," emphasizing the central theme of loss and longing for a return to a time when the person who is absent was still present.
Line by Line Meaning
So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell,
Do you believe you can differentiate between good and evil?
blue skies from pain.
Can you tell the difference between happiness and sorrow?
Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?
Do you know the distinction between nature and industry?
A smile from a veil?
Can you recognize a genuine emotion from a disguised one?
Do you think you can tell?
Are you confident in your ability to perceive reality?
And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?
Did external influences cause you to exchange your role models for empty ideals?
Hot ashes for trees?
Did you substitute something valuable for something worthless?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Did you replace something refreshing for something oppressive?
Cold comfort for change?
Did you choose temporary relief over progress?
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?
Did you give up fighting for what you believe in, becoming a prisoner of your own life?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
I deeply long for your presence, your perspective, your help.
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,
We are hopeless and directionless, trapped in a repetitive and monotonous existence.
Running over the same old ground.
Continuously treading familiar ground, never expanding horizons.
What have you found? The same old fears.
Has your search led you anywhere? Or are you still plagued by the same old problems?
Wish you were here.
I wish you could be here to share the burden.
Contributed by Claire T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.