Wish You Were Here
Sparklehorse (Ft. Thom Yorke) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts
Hot ashes for trees
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
What have we found
The same old fears
Wish you were here
The song 'Wish You Were Here' talks about the struggle of distinguishing between heaven and hell, joy and sorrow, as well as good and evil. The singer questions if the listener can tell a green field from a cold steel rail, blue skies from pain, and a smile from a veil. In essence, it questions the distinction between two opposites that appear similar in a way.
The second part of the song refers to the haunting memories of the past and the choices that we make, particularly around the subject of trading heroes for ghosts. It goes on to reference societal issues and systems, such as trading hot ashes for trees and hot air for cool breeze, emphasizing how people demand change, but they settle for cold comfort.
The chorus, 'How I wish, how I wish you were here,' refers to a wistful longing for someone who was close to the singer but has gone away. The line, 'We're just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl, year after year,' implies that people might feel trapped in their life, even when it seems they have a lot of options. The song is melancholy, but the use of guitar melodies and the rich vocals make it undoubtedly one of the most iconic rock songs of all time.
Line by Line Meaning
So, so you think you can tell heaven from hell
Do you believe you can differentiate between good and bad?
Blue skies from pain
Can you recognize happiness from suffering?
Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail
Do you have the ability to distinguish between the natural and the artificial?
A smile from a veil
Can you see through someone's facade to their true feelings?
Do you think you can tell
Do you truly believe in yourself?
And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts
Did society convince you to abandon your role models for unattainable ideals?
Hot ashes for trees
Have you replaced valuable things with worthless ones?
Hot air for a cool breeze
Is your current situation less satisfying than previous ones?
Cold comfort for change
Did you settle for contentment instead of pursuing growth?
And did you exchange a walk-on part in the war
Did you give up fighting for your beliefs to take a less significant role?
For a lead role in a cage
Did you take on the appearance of power but ended up trapped?
How I wish, how I wish you were here
I strongly desire your presence.
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl
We're aimlessly living together without direction.
Year after year
Over long stretches of time,
Running over the same old ground
We repeat the same habits and mistake.
What have we found
What have we learned?
The same old fears
We're still struggling with the same anxieties.
Wish you were here
I wish you were with me to face these challenges.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID JON GILMOUR, ROGER WATERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind