Wish You Were Here
The Australian Pink Floyd Show Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

So, so you think you can tell 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? Did they get you to trade Your heroes for ghosts? Hot ashes for trees? Hot air for a cool breeze? Cold comfort for change? 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
Wish You Were Here
Sony

Shine On You Crazy
Welcome To The Machine
Have A Cigar
Wish You Were Here
Shine On You Crazy Diamond





Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Australian Pink Floyd Show's song Wish You Were Here are about the difficulty of distinguishing between the good and the bad in life. The opening lines ask if one can truly tell the difference between heaven and hell or between joy and pain. The following stanza questions whether one can tell the beauty of nature, represented by a green field, from the harshness of industrialization, represented by a cold steel rail. The lyrics then delve into the theme of losing oneself in the pursuit of success, asking if one has exchanged heroes for ghosts, referring to trading real life connections for material possessions. The last two lines of the stanza ask if the listener has exchanged freedom for confinement, trading a walk-on part in the war, or the everyday struggles of life, for a lead role in a cage, or the safety and monotony of a routine.


The chorus of the song expresses the longing for a lost loved one. The line "How I wish you were here" is repeated twice, emphasizing the pain of missing someone. The next line, "We're just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl year after year," represents the feeling of being trapped in routine despite the desire for something more. The final line, "What have we found? The same old fears. Wish you were here," expresses the futility of success and the longing for a simpler life, represented by the missing loved one.


Overall, the lyrics to Wish You Were Here are a critique of modern society and its emphasis on success and material possessions over authentic connections and personal fulfillment. It is a reminder that, despite our achievements, we can still feel trapped and alone, and that true happiness comes from those we love and the moments we share.


Line by Line Meaning

So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell
Do you believe that you can differentiate between good and evil?


Blue skies from pain
Can you distinguish between happy moments and painful ones?


Can you tell a green field From a cold steel rail?
Do you recognize the distinction between nature and a manufactured environment?


A smile from a veil?
Can you differentiate between a real smile and one that is fake or hiding something?


Do you think you can tell?
Can you truly distinguish between these things or are they just illusions?


Did they get you to trade Your heroes for ghosts?
Were you convinced to give up your role models for something that doesn't exist or isn't real?


Hot ashes for trees? Hot air for a cool breeze?
Were you deceived into accepting something of little worth in exchange for something that is valuable?


Cold comfort for change?
Did you settle for something mediocre instead of embracing change and growth?


Did you exchange A walk on part in the war For a lead role in a cage?
Did you trade a small but meaningful part in a greater cause for a more prominent one that is ultimately constricting?


How I wish How I wish you were here
The singer longs for the presence of a loved one who is absent.


We're just two lost souls Swimming in a fish bowl Year after year
The singer and the loved one are both aimlessly wandering through life, trapped in a small space like a fish in a bowl.


Running over the same old ground What have we found? The same old fears
Despite moving forward, the singer and the loved one have not discovered anything new and are plagued by the same anxieties.


Wish you were here
The singer reiterates their yearning for the presence of their loved one.




Contributed by Cameron W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Thomas Unsworth

APF concerts are the best shows closest to the real Floyd, or often better ...... from a very early PF fan who went to hundreds of original Pink Floyd gigs over many years.

puntjefortuna

Great video...I love this song and the way you perform it...🥰❤🎸🌈💎

Turtlechez

Magickally performed 🧡👏👏

Damian Mac

Beautiful song ❤️

Phillip Prc

Such awesome music!!

Josette Beauvais

Listen, it's so beautiful ❤....

Fresh Set of Eyes' Experiential Learning

Everyone's comments capture my feelings exactly. Breathtaking. Thank you ❤❤🙌🙌🙌

Gig Monkey

my 'box enters the chapel, room , field, bar or any other venue that is willing to host my final farewell' tune...brilliantly recreated ! Hope you buggers play this at Brum and Leicester later this year !!!!⚰⚰♥♥♥

Anne Blair

Late to the party…missed the premiere last night😢
Just love it, feels like I’m there again….well done 😊

Jayne Bowman

Brilliant as always 🤩🤩

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