Semisonic is a power pop/alternative rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minne… Read Full Bio ↴Semisonic is a power pop/alternative rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. Known for their signature song "Closing Time", the band members are Dan Wilson (guitar/vocals), John Munson (bass), and Jacob Slichter (drums). Although on hiatus since the early-00s, sporadic reunions have occurred.

After the breakup of Trip Shakespeare, Dan Wilson and John Munson joined up with drummer Jacob "Jake" Slichter to form Semisonic in 1995. An E.P., Pleasure, was released that year, and their first studio full-length release, Great Divide, followed in 1996 on MCA. Although they drew a cult following among 90s powerpop fans, mainstream success eluded the group.

Semisonic's breakthrough came two years later in 1998 when their sophomore effort, Feeling Strangely Fine, reached the Top 50 chart on the strength of the hit single "Closing Time". Their international career also blossomed when another song from the album, "Secret Smile," quickly became a U.K. radio favourite in the summer of 1999, eventually peaking at #13 on the official U.K. Singles Chart.

In early 2001, the band released its third album, All About Chemistry. The single "Chemistry" was a mainstay overseas; however, the album didn't fare as well in the United States. Another song, "Over My Head," was used in the 2001 teen movie Summer Catch, and Semisonic rode the wave of various tours in and around the U.K. In the fall of 2001, Semisonic contributed their cover of the Wings classic, "Jet," for the Paul McCartney tribute CD, Listen to What the Man Said.

Semisonic has been mostly on hiatus since 2001. Band members have since pursued other projects, such as Slichter's writing career and Wilson's solo recordings They performed for the first time in years on July 14, 2006 for the Minneapolis Aquatennial. They have also been spotted performing for private parties in basements. Dan Wilson's talented songwriting has lead to massively popular collaborations with Adele and other artists.

* The song "F.N.T." was used in the 1996 movie The Long Kiss Goodnight.
* "F.N.T." was also used in the 1999 movie 10 Things I Hate about You.
* "Never You Mind" appeared on the Never Been Kissed soundtrack in 1999.
* "Chemistry" appeared on the 40 Days and 40 Nights soundtrack in 2002.

I Wish
Semisonic Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I wish I could be anyone but the one that I am now
I wish I could see any scene but the one I hang around
I wish I could do anything but the things I always do
No matter how I try to sing along
Something is always wrong
What I wish I knew

I wish I could drive in the car that you drive around the Bay

I wish I could ride in the back seat you're riding in today
I wish I could be more like someone you wish that I could be
No matter how I change it anyway
You won't even say if you really want me

I can try to please you
Get down on my knees for you
Go outside and freeze for you
Cross the high seas for you
Whatever you need me to
I can climb the trees for you
Twist in the breeze for you
But there's one thing that I can never do
I can't believe for you
I can't believe in me for you

I wish I could turn into somebody far, far away
I wish I could make myself satisfactory in every way
I wish I could know whether you really know what you need
If I could only be somebody else
I wouldn't be myself
And maybe you'd want me

I can try to please you
Get down on my knees for you
Go outside and freeze for you
Swim the high seas for you
Whatever you need me to

I've been climbing the trees for you
Twisting in the breeze for you
But one thing I can never, never do

I can't believe for you

I can't believe for you
I can't believe in me for you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Semisonic’s song “I Wish” describe the desire to be someone else or to escape from oneself. The singer is dissatisfied with his current situation and wants to change everything about his life, including the scenes and people he surrounds himself with. He expresses his desperation and longing by wishing to be anyone but himself, to drive someone else's car, to be more like someone else, and to turn into somebody far away. He tries to please the person he is singing to by attempting to do everything that she asks of him, from climbing trees to crossing high seas. However, he realizes that there is one thing he cannot do, which is to believe in himself or in anything, for the other person.

The lyrics of the song evoke a feeling of drifting and being lost, of being disconnected and misunderstood. It touches on a universal human experience of feeling trapped in our own bodies and lives, and yearning for something beyond our immediate reality. The song speaks to the inherent struggle of being human.

Line by Line Meaning

I wish I could be anyone but the one that I am now
The singer wishes he could be someone else instead of himself.

I wish I could see any scene but the one I hang around
The singer is tired of his surroundings and wants to see something new.

I wish I could do anything but the things I always do
The singer feels stuck in a routine and wants to break free from it.

No matter how I try to sing along Something is always wrong What I wish I knew
The artist tries to fit in and sing along with others but feels like something is always off.

I wish I could drive in the car that you drive around the Bay
The artist wishes he could have what someone else has.

I wish I could ride in the back seat you're riding in today
The singer longs to be where someone else is and experience what they are experiencing.

I wish I could be more like someone you wish that I could be
The singer wants to change himself to be what someone else desires him to be.

No matter how I change it anyway You won't even say if you really want me
The artist changes himself but still doesn't know if the person he is trying to please actually wants him.

I can try to please you Get down on my knees for you Go outside and freeze for you Cross the high seas for you Whatever you need me to I can climb the trees for you Twist in the breeze for you
The artist is willing to do anything to please the person he desires, even if it means going through great difficulties and discomfort.

But there's one thing that I can never do I can't believe for you I can't believe in me for you
The artist cannot change his beliefs and who he is for someone else's sake.

I wish I could turn into somebody far, far away
The singer wants to escape his current situation and become someone else entirely, to be far away from where he is now.

I wish I could make myself satisfactory in every way
The artist wants to be perfect in every aspect, hoping that it would make him more desirable to the person he desires.

I wish I could know whether you really know what you need
The singer is unsure if the person he desires actually knows what they want and need.

If I could only be somebody else I wouldn't be myself And maybe you'd want me
The singer thinks that being someone else would make him more desirable to the person he desires.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAN WILSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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