Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd (mélQdramâ) Lyrics
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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?
Your heroes 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
And how we found
The same old fears
Wish you were here
The lyrics to "Wish You Were Here" explore the complexities of human experience and the ways in which people navigate their emotions and perceptions of the world around them. The opening lines of the song ask whether the listener can distinguish between heaven and hell, joy and pain, and other abstract concepts that people generally associate with opposites. The questions then become more concrete as the writer wonders whether someone can differentiate between a green field and a railroad track or a genuine smile and a fabricated one. The song emphasizes the idea that life is often composed of contrasts and that people need to be able to tell the difference between them.
The second part of the song deals more specifically with disillusionment and the feeling of being trapped. The writer mentions trading heroes for ghosts and walking away from a war where someone plays a small role, only to end up feeling caged and trapped in a different way. This section of the song touches on themes related to regret and the pursuit of happiness, as well as the idea that people can find themselves in less-than-ideal situations despite their best intentions.
Overall, "Wish You Were Here" is a thoughtful and introspective song that encourages listeners to reflect on their experiences and the choices they make. The lyrics are complemented by the song's mournful melody, which evokes a sense of longing and nostalgia.
Line by Line Meaning
So, so you think you can tell
Do you believe that you can distinguish
Heaven from hell
Between something supremely pleasant and something very unpleasant?
Blue skies from pain
Can you differentiate between pleasant weather and mental anguish?
Can you tell a green field
Can you differentiate a lush, green field
From a cold steel rail?
From the stark, emotionless steel of a railway track?
A smile from a veil?
Would you be able to identify a genuine smile from a deceptive one with a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
Can you truly make such distinctions?
Did they get you to trade
Did they cause you to trade something
Your heroes for ghosts?
Did you give up your mentor figures for ones that are no longer present?
Hot ashes for trees?
Did you trade something valuable for something of lesser worth?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Did you swap meaningful talk for meaningless talk?
Cold comfort for change?
Did you lose something that previously offered little solace to gain something new?
And did you exchange
And did you, in fact, make such a trade?
A walk-on part in the war
Did you give up your insignificant role in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
In exchange for a larger part but locked up in a box?
How I wish, how I wish you were here
How deeply I yearn, how much I desire for you to be here
We're just two lost souls
We are nothing more than two aimless, wandering individuals
Swimming in a fishbowl
Living limited lives in a fish tank
Year after year
As the years pass by
Running over the same old ground
Through the same unchanging, mundane routine
And how we found the same old fears
How we always manage to encounter the same old anxieties
Wish you were here
How desperately I desire you to be here with me
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: David Gilmour, Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@giaimemudu
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
And what have we found?
The same old fears
Wish you were here
@nepalicomedy420
Stop asking who’s still listening, we never stop listening
PEACE
@diesellacrosse8613
Preach my nigga ✊🏾
@stevedouglas8387
Bind me Hollywood...... XXXx69
@molnarcsaba3537
Evergreen.
@Taylor-ur7wl
Amen
@astutewalnut3277
say no mo
@mikeneazy8275
My mother and fathers favorite song. My mother just took her last breath at 6:55am today. I’m in a parking lot. Blasting this and letting it out. Thank you Pink Floyd.
@turtle_girl_emma6595
I'm sorry for you loss
@professionalloser9477
Stay strong brother, she walks among the clouds now, where no pain or suffering can reach. Much love.
@hoovie1417
I’m with you. I’m 17 and my dad passed away in November … we were best friends