Wish I Had
St. Vincent Lyrics


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Golden, golden, golden river run
To the East then drop beneath the sun
And as the moon lies low and overhead
We're lost

Burn slow, burning up the back wall
Long roads, where the city meets the sky
Most days, most days stay the sole same
Please stay, for this fear it will not die

If I had a boat, I would sail to you
Hold you in my arms, ask you to be true
Once I had a dream, it died long before
Now I'm pointed north, hoping for the shore

Down low, down amongst the thorn rows
Weeds grow, through the lilies and the vine
Birds play, try to find their own way
Soft clay, on your feet and under mine

If I had a boat, I would sail to you
Hold you in my arms, ask you to be true
Once I had a dream, it died long before
Now I'm pointed north, hoping for the shore

Splitting at the seams
Heaving at the brace
Sheets all billowing
Breaking of the day
Sea is not my friend
And everyone conspires
Still I choose to swim
Slip beneath the tide

Once I had a dream, once I had a hope
That was yesterday, not so long ago
This is not the end, this is just the world
Such a foolish thing, such an honest girl

If I had a boat, I would sail to you
Hold you in my arms, ask you to be true




Once I had a dream, it died long before
Now I'm pointed north, hoping for the shore

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to St. Vincent's "Wish I Had" seem to be about a person who longs for someone they love but cannot reach. The imagery is vivid and evocative, with references to a "golden river," "long roads," and "soft clay." The singer talks about dreaming of sailing to this person and holding them in their arms, but ultimately they are "lost" and "hoping for the shore." The themes of loss, longing, and a search for meaning seem to pervade the song.


One interpretation of these lyrics is that they are about the pain of unrequited love. The singer describes a deep desire to be with someone they love, but this person is not reciprocating those feelings. The reference to a dream that "died long before" may indicate that this love was once possible but has since faded away. The image of the singer "pointed north" suggests a directionless search for meaning and purpose, as though they are adrift in the world without this person.


Alternatively, the lyrics could be understood as a commentary on the isolation and disconnection that many people experience in modern society. The singer describes a world where "most days stay the sole same" and "everyone conspires" against her. The reference to swimming "beneath the tide" suggests a feeling of being overwhelmed and lost in the chaos of daily life. The search for a shore may represent a search for a sense of belonging or purpose in a world that can feel unpredictable and overwhelming.


Line by Line Meaning

Golden, golden, golden river run
The river glows golden in the sunlight


To the East then drop beneath the sun
The river flows eastward and the sun sets beyond it


And as the moon lies low and overhead
The moon is visible in the night sky above


We're lost
The artist and possibly others are feeling directionless and aimless


Burn slow, burning up the back wall
Something is slowly burning up the wall behind the artist


Long roads, where the city meets the sky
The road ahead stretches towards the city skyline


Most days, most days stay the sole same
Most days are unchanging and monotonous


Please stay, for this fear it will not die
The artist fears something and wants someone to stay with them


If I had a boat, I would sail to you
The artist wishes they had a means to reach someone else


Hold you in my arms, ask you to be true
The artist wants to hold the other person and ask for their honesty


Once I had a dream, it died long before
The singer had a dream in the past, but it is now gone


Now I'm pointed north, hoping for the shore
The artist is heading north, hoping to reach land


Down low, down amongst the thorn rows
The singer is low, among rows of thorn bushes


Weeds grow, through the lilies and the vine
Weeds grow among the lilies and vines


Birds play, try to find their own way
Birds are flying around, trying to navigate on their own


Soft clay, on your feet and under mine
The ground beneath their feet is soft clay


Splitting at the seams
Something is breaking apart


Heaving at the brace
Something is pushing strongly against a support


Sheets all billowing
The sheets may be fluttering or flapping in the wind


Breaking of the day
Dawn is approaching or happening


Sea is not my friend
The artist has a difficult relationship with the sea


And everyone conspires
Everyone seems to be plotting or working against the artist


Still I choose to swim
Despite the difficulties, the singer chooses to continue on


Slip beneath the tide
Perhaps an acknowledgement of the dangers of swimming


Once I had a dream, once I had a hope
The singer had dreams and hopes in the past


That was yesterday, not so long ago
The past wasn't very long ago


This is not the end, this is just the world
The singer may be recognizing that life goes on despite setbacks and difficulties


Such a foolish thing, such an honest girl
The artist is a girl who may have made foolish decisions




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: James McMorrow

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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