I Wish I Could
Peabo Bryson Lyrics

Looking out my window
Starting with gazing outside of a window, Peabo Bryson is expressing his thoughts about his daughter.

I see you playing in the leaves
From the window, he can see his daughter playing in the leaves, which gives him a sense of joy and awe.

It's amazing how a little girl
His daughter's presence in his life holds a lot of significance.

Means all the world to me
His love for his daughter is immense and she is his world.

When I tell you that I love you
Peabo is talking to his daughter, promising her to always express his love.

I love you more than words can say
He is emphasizing the intensity of his love for his daughter, which is more than he can put into words.

Smile, say cheese, say pretty please
Peabo is requesting his daughter to pose for his camera to capture the memories.

I wanna take your picture
He wants to capture the moment of his daughter's life and save it as a memory.

How'd you ever get so big?
Peabo is amazed at how quickly his daughter is growing up.

I've gotta take your picture
He feels compelled to capture as many memories as he can before they slip away.

Hold on to the memory
Peabo is urging himself to remember the moments with his daughter.

Before the whole thing slips away
He is afraid that he may forget these precious moments if he doesn't preserve them.

I wish I could save these moments
Peabo expresses his desire to keep his daughter's childhood memories alive.

And put 'em in a jar
He wishes he could preserve the moments like a collection, similar to putting them in a jar.

I wish I could stop the world from turning
He wishes he could pause time and savor the moments forever.

Keep things just the way they are
Peabo wants things to stay the way they are, with his daughter being a pure, sweet and innocent child.

I wish I could shelter you from everything
He wishes he could protect his daughter from all the negatives in the world.

Not pure and sweet and good
He doesn't want his daughter to lose her innocence and kindness.

I know I can't, I know I can't
He is acknowledging the fact that he can't protect his daughter from everything, even though he wishes he could.

But I wish I could
Despite knowing he can't, he still wishes he could.

When you kiss me for no reason
Peabo is expressing his adoration for how his daughter shows love for no reason.

It goes straight to my heart
He feels a deep emotional connection when his daughter shows affection.

When I feel your arms around me
He cherishes the warm embrace of his daughter, which brings him comfort and security.

I almost fall apart
He is overwhelmed by the love he feels for his daughter.

It's time for bed and you whisper
Peabo is tucking his daughter into bed, and she reminds him to pray.

"Daddy, we forgot to pray, whoa"
His daughter's devotion and childlike faith has a profound effect on him.

And when I watch you sleeping
Peabo finds peace and joy in watching his daughter sleep.

All my worries fade away
Watching his daughter sleep makes all of Peabo's troubles disappear.

A little bit of heaven
He sees his daughter as a pure and innocent being, with her peaceful slumber resembling heaven.

Glows on your angelic face
Her peaceful sleep reflects the purity of her soul, which Peabo finds angelic.

I know I can't, I know I can't, I know I can't
Peabo recognizes the limitations of what he can do for his daughter.

But I wish I could, ooh, I wish I could
Despite his limitations, as a parent, he wishes to provide the world for his daughter, making her life safe, secure, and happy.