Nelson Smock Riddle, Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was a well-known … Read Full Bio ↴Nelson Smock Riddle, Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was a well-known American bandleader, arranger and orchestrator whose career spanned from the late 1940s until the early 1980s. Riddle is perhaps best known for his 1950s work for Capitol Records, providing jazzy big-band style arrangements to accompany such vocalists as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Peggy Lee, Louis Prima and Keely Smith. Later, his arranging talents were also used by Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Bassey, Matt Monro, Linda Ronstadt, and others. His arrangements are characterized by innovative orchestration with counter melodies and instrumentation that express the emotions of each verse of a song. Interestingly, whilst arranging the Sinatra albums he received the pay of a band sideman, which was enhanced by Capitol when Nat King Cole discovered the anomaly and insisted he receive fair remuneration.

I Wish You Love
Nelson Riddle Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Goodbye, No use leading with our chins,
This is where our story ends,
Never lovers, ever friends.

Goodbye, Let our hearts call it a day,
But before you walk away,
I sincerely want to say:

I wish you bluebirds in the Spring,
To give your heart a song to sing;
And then a kiss, but more than this I wish you love.

And in July, a lemonade,
To cool you in some leafy glade;
I wish you health and more than wealth, I wish you love.
My breaking heart and I agree
That you and I could never be,
So with my best, my very best, I set you free.

I wish you shelter from the storm,
A cozy fire to keep you warm;
But most of all, when snowflakes fall,
I wish you love.

I wish you bluebirds in the Spring,
To give your heart a song to sing;
And then a kiss, but more than this I wish you love.

And in July, a lemonade,
To cool you in some leafy glade;
I wish you health and more than wealth, I wish you love.
My breaking heart and I agree
That you and I could never be,
So with my best, my very best, I set you free.

I wish you shelter from the storm,
A cozy fire to keep you warm;

But most of all, when snowflakes fall,
I wish you love.

Overall Meaning

The song "I Wish You Love" by Nelson Riddle talks about saying goodbye to a lover and wishing them well in life. The song starts off discussing the end of the story between the two individuals and how they were never lovers but only friends. Riddle then goes on to wish his former lover good things in life as they part ways. He wishes them bluebirds in the spring to give them a song to sing, a kiss, health, and love. Riddle also wishes them a glass of lemonade in July to cool them down, cozy fire to keep them warm in the winter, and most of all--love. He does this while acknowledging that they cannot be together and setting them free with the best possible best wishes.

The lyrics of the song highlight the bittersweet feeling of a breakup while holding onto the cherished moments spent together. It also reflects the human tendency of wanting to leave any relationship on good terms, by wishing the other person well. The reference to bluebirds, lemonade, and snowflakes falling makes it clear that the song is about wishing the person happiness during all seasons of the year. Riddle's soothing voice and the music provide a sense of comfort that makes the song an all-time classic.

Line by Line Meaning

Goodbye, No use leading with our chins,
Let's say goodbye without any false bravado or pretending.

This is where our story ends,
Our relationship is over now and this is the end of our story together.

Never lovers, ever friends.
Though we were never truly in love, let us remain good friends.

Goodbye, Let our hearts call it a day,
As our hearts are no longer in this relationship, let's call it a day and move on.

But before you walk away, I sincerely want to say:
Before you leave, I want to say what's really in my heart.

I wish you bluebirds in the Spring, To give your heart a song to sing;
May the beauty of nature and the joys of life bring happiness to your heart.

And then a kiss, but more than this I wish you love.
I wish you find true love that is more than just a physical expression of affection.

And in July, a lemonade, To cool you in some leafy glade;
May life offer you simple, refreshing pleasures in the midst of a lovely setting.

I wish you health and more than wealth, I wish you love.
May you enjoy good health and may love be a source of true richness in your life.

My breaking heart and I agree That you and I could never be,
Both my heart and I accept that our relationship was doomed from the start.

So with my best, my very best, I set you free.
With all my heart and soul, I release you from any ties that may have bound us.

I wish you shelter from the storm, A cozy fire to keep you warm;
May you find a safe haven and a simple comfort when the world gets rough.

But most of all, when snowflakes fall, I wish you love.
Above all else, I wish you the warmth and comfort of true love to sustain you.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Drew Barfield, Paul Young

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

exoticlonghair

2y↑3

menos reggaeton, y mas musica hermosa como esta

Socratess2007

10y↑5

Beautiful version here of the wonderful "I wish you love" by Nelson Riddle.
Five stars from the "Belgian jury" Miguel ! Walt

Pablo Aquino

10y↑1

Hermosa melodía , mi pensamiento vuela relajante , gracias por ese instante

H M

3y↑2

I Like Nelson Riddle ❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗✌️

transdata 303

9y↑4

So soothing.

Amerigo Vespucci

9y↑4

They just played this song on our fabulous radio station here in Prescott, AZ
KAHM FM 102.1 and online at KAHM.INFO. Thanks for uploading this
fantastic music!