Wish You Were Here
Susan Boyle 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 the cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk-on part in a 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
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
Wish you were here
So, so you think you can tell
Susan Boyle's song "Wish You Were Here" is a moving tribute to a lost connection between two people who used to share a special bond. The lyrics begin by questioning the listener's ability to distinguish between heaven and hell, pain and joy, and other starkly contrasting experiences. The singer goes on to reflect on the idea that some things in life are not as simple as they seem, and the listener may have been deceived at some point in their life. This begs the question of whether they can truly understand the profound emotions that come with losing someone special.
The second half of the song reflects on the pain of the loss of a loved one, and the way that memories of that person continue to haunt the singer like the image of two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl. The phrase "running over the same old ground" suggests that the singer feels trapped in a cycle of painful memories, unable to escape the sadness they've been left with. Ultimately, the song ends with a wish that the lost connection could be restored, a final expression of regret for everything that's been lost.
Line by Line Meaning
So, so you think you can tell
Do you really believe
Heaven from Hell
Good from bad
Blue skies from pain
Happy times from sorrowful moments
Can you tell a green field
Can you distinguish nature
From a cold steel rail?
From a man-made object?
A smile from a veil?
Can you tell if someone is truly happy?
Do you think you can tell?
Is it really possible?
Did they get you to trade
Did someone make you give up
Your heroes for ghosts?
Belief in real heroes for false ones
Hot ashes for trees?
Worthless things for valuable possessions?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Lies instead of truth?
Cold comfort for change?
Pretend security instead of moving forward?
And did you exchange
Did you switch
A walk on part in a war
A minor role in something important
For a lead role in a cage?
Prominence without freedom?
How I wish, how I wish you were here
I really miss you
We're just two lost souls
We are both uncertain
Swimming in a fish bowl
Trapped in a limited space
Year after year
For many years
Running over the same old ground
Doing the same unfulfilling things
What have we found?
What have we discovered?
The same old fears
The same old worries
Wish you were here
I really miss you
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: David Gilmour, Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind