Top Of The World
The Chicks Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I wished I was smarter
I wished I was stronger
I wished I loved Jesus
The way my wife does
I wish it had been easier
Instead of any longer
I wished I could have stood
Where you would have been proud
That won't happen now
That won't happen now

There's a whole lot of singin'
That's never gonna be heard
Disappearing everyday
Without so much as a word
Somehow
Think I broke the wings
Off that little songbird
She's never gonna fly
To the top of the world
Right now
Top of the world

I don't have to answer
Any of these questions
Don't have no God to
Teach me no lessons
I come home in the evening
Sit in my chair
One night they called me for supper
But I never got up
I stayed right there in my chair

There's a whole lot of singin'
That's never gonna be heard
Disappearing everyday
Without so much as a word
Somehow
Think I broke the wings
Off that little songbird
She's never gonna fly
To the top of the world
Right now

I wished I'da known you
Wished I'da shown you
All of the things I
Was on the inside
I'd pretend to be sleeping
When you come in in the morning
To whisper goodbye
Go to work in the rain
I don't know why
Don't know why

'Cause everyone's singin'
We just want to be heard
Disappearing everyday
Without so much as a word
Somehow
Want to grab a hold
Of that little songbird
Take her for a ride
To the top of the world
Right now

Woah-oh-oh
Woah-oh
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world




To the top of the world
To the top of the world

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Top of the World" by The Chicks express feelings of regret, longing, and a sense of being trapped in a stagnant life.


In the first verse, the singer reflects on their shortcomings and wishes they were smarter, stronger, and had a deeper connection to their faith like their wife does. They also express a desire for things to have been easier and shorter, rather than enduring a prolonged struggle. They wish they could have achieved something that would have made others proud, but now realize that opportunity has passed them by.


The chorus suggests that there are many songs that go unheard, disappearing without any recognition or acknowledgement. It is implied that the singer feels responsible for stifling these songs, as they confess to breaking the wings off a songbird, representing someone's potential and dreams. This songbird will never be able to reach the top of the world, metaphorically symbolizing achieving success or fulfilling one's aspirations.


In the second verse, the singer reveals a sense of apathy and detachment from life, stating that they don't have to answer any questions or have any higher power guiding them. They describe coming home every evening and remaining stationary in their chair, ignoring family calls for supper. This suggests a lack of motivation, possibly due to feeling unfulfilled or trapped in a monotonous routine.


The chorus repeats, conveying the idea that countless songs and voices go unheard, fading away without acknowledgment. The broken songbird symbolizes lost potential and a missed opportunity for greatness.


In the final verse, the singer expresses regret for not fully knowing and showing their true self to someone, presumably a loved one. They admit to pretending to be asleep as the person leaves in the morning, and not understanding why they act this way. The lyrics suggest a lack of communication and emotional connection, emphasizing missed chances to let someone in and share their innermost thoughts and emotions.


The final chorus emphasizes the desire to be heard and acknowledged, to "grab a hold of that little songbird" and take it for a ride to the top of the world. This signifies a longing for personal growth, liberation, and the pursuit of one's dreams, as well as wishing for recognition and validation for their voice and talents.


Overall, "Top of the World" explores themes of regret, unfulfilled potential, and a yearning for recognition and freedom. It speaks to the human desire to be heard, understood, and acknowledged for our true selves.


Line by Line Meaning

I wished I was smarter
I wished I had more intelligence and knowledge


I wished I was stronger
I wished I had more physical and emotional strength


I wished I loved Jesus
I wished I had a deep and unwavering faith like my wife does


The way my wife does
My wife's devotion and faithfulness to Jesus exceeds my own


I wish it had been easier
I wish life had presented fewer challenges and difficulties


Instead of any longer
Instead of enduring hardships for extended periods of time


I wished I could have stood
I wished I could have achieved something meaningful and significant


Where you would have been proud
To a level that would have made you proud of me


That won't happen now
But unfortunately, that opportunity is now lost


That won't happen now
That won't happen now


There's a whole lot of singin'
There are countless voices and stories


That's never gonna be heard
That will never receive the attention and recognition they deserve


Disappearing everyday
Fading away and being forgotten each day


Without so much as a word
Without even a whisper or acknowledgement


Somehow
In some mysterious way


Think I broke the wings
I believe I shattered the dreams and aspirations


Off that little songbird
Of that talented and hopeful person


She's never gonna fly
She will never reach her full potential


To the top of the world
To the pinnacle of success and achievement


Right now
At this moment in time


I don't have to answer
I am not obligated to respond


Any of these questions
To any of these inquiries or uncertainties


Don't have no God to
I do not have a God to


Teach me no lessons
Guide me or impart wisdom


I come home in the evening
When the day is done, and I return to my residence


Sit in my chair
I find comfort by sitting in my favorite spot


One night they called me for supper
On one occasion, my family called me to join them for dinner


But I never got up
However, I never responded or joined them


I stayed right there in my chair
I remained seated in my familiar place


'Cause everyone's singin'
Because everyone has their own story to tell


We just want to be heard
We all desire to have our voices acknowledged and listened to


Want to grab a hold
I want to seize the opportunity


Of that little songbird
Of that talented and hopeful person


Take her for a ride
Support and guide her on a journey


To the top of the world
To reach the highest levels of success and accomplishment


Right now
At this very moment


Woah-oh-oh
Expressing an emotional or melodic vocalization


Woah-oh
Expressing an emotional or melodic vocalization


To the top of the world
To the highest point of achievement and triumph


To the top of the world
To the summit of success and fulfillment


To the top of the world
To reach unparalleled heights


To the top of the world
To achieve greatness and surpass all expectations


To the top of the world
To conquer and accomplish extraordinary feats


To the top of the world
To the pinnacle of excellence and recognition


To the top of the world
To the utmost level of achievement and success


To the top of the world
To ascend and triumph over all obstacles




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Patricia J. Griffin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@linskay4542

This song hits me so hard, every single time. Bless all of us trying to pick up the pieces and break the family cycles 💜

@laryrumiantzeff

Same here. I bawled my eyes out the first time I watched it

@stephanierobinette4425

What does this song mean anyway ??

@Ilikefrogs..

I cry every time I hear this one.

@linskay4542

@Mia Katharine Myers same. Moves me so deeply thing I’m going to get a song bird with a broken wing tattooed on me some day

@TheBennie102103

@Stephanie Robinette My take is it's about parents neglecting their kids

11 More Replies...

@treejsjsdjsksk

No other song out there like this. They are phenomenal.God bless these girls. Love em🙏🕊️🌹❤️🇨🇦

It's crazy insane how much I can relate to this song in terms to my father as I was his caregiver until the day he passed and the song is bittersweet for me. Dixie chicks or now they are called the chicks need to come back, take their place in music world again 🌹🕊️🙏

@brianhellums-gi8pf

Every time I need to cry it out, I put this song on. I mean “ugly cry”, too. This is one of the most beautiful and gut wrenching songs ever written! I always have and always will be a fan of The Chicks. Dixie or not! ❤

@iamashleyestelle

My heart. I've loved this song since childhood..Every time the violin enters at 4:08 it just sends me.

@SilentBob731

Absolutely one of the greatest songs of all time.
It takes you on a journey, wrings out your heart....and leaves you to think about what it just taught you.
It's really no wonder that these Ladies rank as one of my Top 5 Favourite Bands of All Time. ;-)

“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.”

More Comments

More Versions