Wish You Were Here
Led Zeppelin feat. Pink Floyd Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Yes, and disciplinary remains mercifully)
(Yes, and um, I'm with you Derek, this star nonsense)
(Yes, yes)
(Now, which is it?)
(I am sure of it)

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

Overall Meaning

The song "Wish You Were Here" by Led Zeppelin feat. Pink Floyd is a powerful reflection on the human experience and the struggle to distinguish between the good and the bad in life. At the core of this song is the question of how do we know what is real and what is an illusion? The opening lyrics, "So, so you think you can tell Heaven from hell? Blue skies from pain?" speaks to our ability to differentiate between what is good and what is bad in our lives. The ambiguity of the lyrics is intentional, as it is left to the listener to decide what is being referred to as heaven or hell, blue skies or pain.


The second verse highlights the idea of a trade-off. Did you trade your heroes for ghosts? Did you trade the comforts of life for a life spent in a cage? These are difficult questions, and the lyrics suggest that sometimes, it's easy to be fooled into making a trade that isn't worth it. The line, "We're just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl, year after year, running over the same old ground" highlights the feeling of being trapped in a cycle, unable to move beyond the same old fears and anxieties.


Ultimately, the song is a lament for a lost connection with someone who is no longer present in the singer's life. While there are moments of hope and beauty in the song, the overall feeling is one of longing and sadness.


Line by Line Meaning

So, so you think you can tell
Do you believe you can differentiate between things?


Heaven from hell?
Can you identify the stark contrast between the concept of heaven and hell?


Blue skies from pain?
Can you tell apart beautiful blue skies from the agony you feel?


Can you tell a green field
Are you able to distinguish a green grassy plain?


From a cold steel rail?
From a rigid, metallic rail system?


A smile from a veil?
Can you tell a cheerful smile from a cover-up concealed in disguise?


Do you think you can tell?
Do you think it's possible to do all of these things?


Did they get you to trade
Did they make you give up something?


Your heroes for ghosts?
Did you trade true admirable figures for mere apparitions?


Hot ashes for trees?
Did you accidentally replace invaluable memories with mundane objects like trees?


Hot air for a cool breeze?
Did you exchange meaningful and valuable feelings and memories for shallow ones?


Cold comfort for change?
Did you modify or alter something only to end up with an inferior substitute?


Did you exchange
Did you give something up willingly?


A walk on part in the war
Did you trade an inconspicuous role in a difficult situation?


For a lead role in a cage?
For a superior position that turned out to be a trap?


How I wish, how I wish you were here
I yearn for your presence; if only you were here.


We're just two lost souls
We're merely two aimless individuals


Swimming in a fish bowl
Trapped and aimlessly swimming in an enclosed space


Year after year
Repeating the same mundane existence over time


Running over the same old ground
Continuing with the same tedious routines


What have we found?
And what have we gained from all of it?


The same old fears
The persistent anxieties that we haven't overcome over the years


Wish you were here
I truly wish you were here




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: David Gilmour, Roger Waters

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@maryanneandrade7796

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



@anthonydickinson5913

Wish You Were Here.

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?

And did they get you to trade
Your heros for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort 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.



All comments from YouTube:

@user-ru3ql6ji4p

2024 and I'm still listening. Who's with me?

@swedishchefhands9037

I'm not with you. And that's why I wish you were here.

@MrGodbumps

I'm with you

@tatianepereira5465

Amoooo Brasil ❤❤❤

@RoadToXyon

🍄💖

@charlesmasson9597

I’m still here and always will be🎉

66 More Replies...

@bradvan316

I still remember my dad playing this on his guitar. When i hear this song, it just goes on my mind about my dad. I wish he was hear again. I miss you dad (1958) - (2016)

@danielregisalmeida8106

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@xpilipinas

Rest in Paradise to your old man.

@TranceJedi

Close your eyes.... He's still here ...

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