High Fly
John Miles Lyrics


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Highfly, touch the sky,
Whatcha gonna do now the well's dry?
Good time, feeling fine.
Whatcha gonna do now there's no wine?

For many years
You played the joker and you always won.
You wasted time,
Always fooling round and having fun.
Your luck ran out
Just like the sunshine when the day is done.
Your dreams subsided
When you decided that your chance had gone
Your chance to be someone.

You never tried,
You just accepted things and didn't care.
And now it's over,
You look around you but there's no one there.
It's too late now,
Face the truth and don't you try to run.
You're feelin' sorry,
And you've realised your chance has gone
Your chance to be someone.
Highfly, touch the sky,
Whatcha gonna do now the well's dry?
Good time, feeling fine.
Whatcha gonna do now there's no wine?

Highfly, touch the sky,
Whatcha gonna do now the well's dry?
Good time, feeling fine.
Whatcha gonna do now there's no wine?

Highfly, touch the sky,
Whatcha gonna do now the well's dry?
Good time, feeling fine.
Whatcha gonna do now there's no wine?

Highfly, touch the sky,
Whatcha gonna do now the well's dry?
Good time, feeling fine.
Whatcha gonna do now there's no wine?

Highfly, touch the sky,
Whatcha gonna do now the well's dry?




Good time, feeling fine.
Whatcha gonna do now there's no wine?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of John Miles's song "High Fly" are a reflection on missed opportunities and regrets. The chorus line "HighFly, touch the sky" is a metaphor for reaching one's full potential and achieving success. However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer failed to seize the opportunities that were presented to him.


The first verse of the song speaks of a time when the singer had everything he needed to succeed. The line "Whatcha gonna do now the well's dry?" suggests that he has exhausted his resources and is out of options. The second verse reveals that the singer never really tried to make something of himself. He was content to live in the moment and enjoy the good times. Now that those times are over, he is left with a feeling of emptiness and despair.


The song is ultimately a cautionary tale about the dangers of taking life for granted. It encourages listeners to make the most of their opportunities while they can, lest they end up like the singer in the song.


Line by Line Meaning

Highfly, touch the sky,
Enjoying life to the fullest and feeling on top of the world.


Whatcha gonna do now the well's dry?
What will happen when resources run out and there's no more to take?


Good time, feeling fine.
Living a fun and carefree life.


Whatcha gonna do now there's no wine?
What happens when the good times stop and there's no more pleasure to be had?


For many years
For a long time.


You played the joker and you always won.
You took risks and always came out ahead.


You wasted time,
You spent your time recklessly without any goals in mind.


Always fooling round and having fun.
Engaging in frivolous activities and not taking anything seriously.


Your luck ran out
Your good fortune disappeared.


Just like the sunshine when the day is done.
Your luck disappeared suddenly, just like the sun disappears when the day ends.


Your dreams subsided
Your aspirations disappeared.


When you decided that your chance has gone
You gave up on your dreams and decided they were impossible to achieve.


Your chance to be someone.
Your chance to make a meaningful impact and become successful in life.


You never tried,
You never made an effort to achieve your dreams.


You just accepted things and didn't care.
You were complacent and didn't take any initiative to change your life.


And now it's over,
Your time has run out.


You look around you but there's no one there.
You've lost everything and have no one to support you.


It's too late now,
There's no turning back and no time left to make a change.


Face the truth and don't you try to run.
Accept the reality of your situation and don't try to escape it.


You're feelin' sorry,
You regret your past choices and actions.


And you've realised your chance has gone
You now understand that you let your opportunity slip away.


Your chance to be someone.
Your chance to make a meaningful impact and become successful in life.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN (GB 1) MILES, ROBERT MARSHALL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@bluesstudio2750

Sad day today John Miles gone at age 72 - I remember listening to this on Radio Luxembourg under bed covers age 15 in 1975. Saw him in concert at Portsmouth Guildhall in 1979, great gig. RIP John Miles - Highfly - fly high...

@jamesmcglone4379

Jeez radio Luxembourg 😁👍💕

@Dan_druft

So did I and I'm 62 now

@kimbrook54

Lol me too!

@kimbrook54

I'm from pompey and same age lol and listened to this on radio luxembourg!

@roberttaylor90y76

Sad to learn of Johns passing .Performed such good music in the 70s.

@robertpearce5491

Just heard John has passed away.. Thanks for this, Music and more..! R.I.P.

@davidtasker4983

RIP John xxx Highfly and Music are in my opinion 2 of the finest songs to come out of the 70s, Music being the most popular but in my opinion this was far better. they both take pride of place in my record collection ( He never got the recognition for his talent, Fantastic Singer Writer and Musician ) RIP John

@jamesmcglone4379

Slowdown was good to 😁👍

@vincee7621

My condolences. There was a time when one simply couldn't avoid hearing the massive hit Music. Me being me, tried to escape it, fearing it was too commercial a song and too widely played in the radio. The truth is, it was a great song full stop and who among us didn't secretly look forward to that terrific instrumental section. Great work John. Thank you.

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