Sewers at the Bottom of the Wishing Well
Ryan Adams Lyrics


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No time to explain
Always hopeless in a hurry
There's no one to blame
For an empty heart

Well, well, well
Nothing's gonna change
Nothing's gonna change our way out
Into the sewers at the bottom of the wishing well

My heart isn't black
It's just dirty from the floors
Nobody walks across
Nobody walks across or sleeps on anymore

Well, well, well
Nothing's gonna change
Nothing's gonna change, oh well
Into the sewers at the bottom of the wishing well
Wishing well
Wishing well
At the bottom of the wishing well

No one left to blame
No body to dismember
Just a shadow on the floor
A shadow on the floor
From a light that wasn't on, oh well
Well, well
Nothing's gonna change
Oh well
Into the sewers at the bottom of the wishing well
The bottom of the wishing well
Wishing well
At the bottom of the wishing well
Ooh




Ooh
Oh

Overall Meaning

The song "Sewers at the Bottom of the Wishing Well" by Ryan Adams & The Cardinals is a somber reflection on hopelessness and loneliness. The lyrics touch on the transient nature of life and relationships and the feelings of emptiness and desperation that can accompany them. The lines "Always hopeless in a hurry" and "My heart isn't black, it's just dirty from the floors/Nobody walks across or sleeps on anymore" suggest a sense of abandonment and isolation, while the repeated refrain of "Nothing's gonna change" underscores the lack of agency or control in the situation.


The title of the song is a metaphor for the depths of despair - the idea that even at the bottom of the wishing well, where people usually go to make a wish, there is nothing left to hope for. The mention of sewers in the title also implies a sense of filth and decay, emphasizing the feelings of degradation and hopelessness that the song evokes.


Overall, "Sewers at the Bottom of the Wishing Well" is a poignant and introspective meditation on the darker aspects of the human experience.


Line by Line Meaning

No time to explain
I don't have time to go into detail


Always hopeless in a hurry
My sense of hopelessness is always present while I go about my day quickly


There's no one to blame
I cannot point fingers at anyone


For an empty heart
I feel empty inside


Well, well, well
an introduction to the next stanza


Nothing's gonna change
Things will remain the same


Nothing's gonna change our way out
We cannot find a solution to our problems


Into the sewers at the bottom of the wishing well
We will continue our downward spiral, reaching the worst possible situation


My heart isn't black
I am not evil or malicious


It's just dirty from the floors
My heart is just stained from the things I've gone through in life


Nobody walks across
No one goes near me


Nobody walks across or sleeps on anymore
People used to approach me or rely on me, but not anymore


No one left to blame
No one is accountable for my situation


No body to dismember
I am not seeking revenge


Just a shadow on the floor
All that's left of me is a mere outline on the ground


From a light that wasn't on, oh well
I am barely visible, hence why there wasn't any light shining upon me


Well, well
Another introduction to the next stanza


Oh well
A sense of defeat


The bottom of the wishing well
The lowest point imaginable


Wishing well
A reminder of how broken I am


Ooh
A non-linguistic sound of pain or worry


Ooh
A non-linguistic sound of pain or worry


Oh
An interjection of sadness or disappointment




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: RYAN ADAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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