Hey You
Walt Wagner Lyrics
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Getting lonely getting old
Can you feel me?
Hey you standing in the aisles
With itchy feet and fading smiles
Can you feel me?
Hey you don't help them to bury the light
Don't give in without a fight
Hey you out there on your own
Sitting naked by the phone
Would you touch me?
Hey you with you ear against the wall
Waiting for someone to call out
Would you touch me?
Hey you, would you help me to carry the stone?
Open your heart, I'm coming home
But it was only fantasy
The wall was too high
As you can see
No matter how he tried
He could not break free
And the worms ate into his brain
Hey you, out there on the road
Always doing what you're told
Can you help me?
Hey you, out there beyond the wall
Breaking bottles in the hall
Can you help me?
Hey you, don't tell me there's no hope at all
Together we stand, divided we fall
The song "Hey You" by Walt Wagner is a hauntingly beautiful ballad about feeling disconnected and looking for a way to connect with others. The persona is addressing different characters who are all in various states of isolation and desperation. In the first verse, the persona is calling out to someone who is feeling lonely and old, and is asking if the person can feel them. The second verse is addressed to someone who is waiting for someone to call, and the persona is again asking if the person can feel them. The chorus is uplifting, with the persona asking people not to give up and to fight for their lives.
The third verse is the most poignant. Initially, it appears that the persona is addressing himself, as he is sitting naked by the phone, waiting for someone to reach out to him. However, the persona then asks if someone would help him carry the stone, and open their heart, as he is coming home. The persona is acknowledging that he needs assistance in breaking free from the wall that isolates him. However, the final lines of the song shatter the dream of rescue, as the persona admits that it was only fantasy, and the wall was too high. In the end, the song is a plea for human connection and the hope that together we can overcome our isolation.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey you out there in the cold
Addressing someone who is currently feeling isolated and alone in a difficult situation
Getting lonely getting old
Acknowledging that this isolation is leading to a feeling of loneliness and aging prematurely
Can you feel me?
Expressing the desire for a connection with the person who is being addressed
Hey you standing in the aisles
Addressing someone who is in a crowded and hectic environment
With itchy feet and fading smiles
Acknowledging that this environment is causing restlessness and a loss of happiness
Can you feel me?
Expressing the desire for a connection with the person who is being addressed
Hey you don't help them to bury the light
Urging the person to not let others suppress their inner light, their true self and passions
Don't give in without a fight
Encouraging the person to resist those attempts to suppress their identity and engage in a struggle to maintain their individuality
Hey you out there on your own
Addressing someone who is alone and feeling vulnerable
Sitting naked by the phone
Creating an image of someone waiting and exposed, waiting for a call that may or may not come
Would you touch me?
Expressing a desire to be physically reached out to and supported
Hey you with you ear against the wall
Addressing someone who is eavesdropping or trying to hear something that is hidden
Waiting for someone to call out
Acknowledging the person's desire for contact, but suggesting they reach out instead of waiting passively
Would you touch me?
Expressing a desire to be physically reached out to and supported
Hey you, would you help me to carry the stone?
Asking for assistance in bearing a heavy burden or responsibility
Open your heart, I'm coming home
Expressing a desire to come closer and a hope that the other person will be receptive, inviting them to be an ally in their struggle
But it was only fantasy
Acknowledging that sometimes things don't turn out as the person had hoped or imagined
The wall was too high
Recognizing that some obstacles, like walls that separate people, may be insurmountable
As you can see
Pointing out that the gap between the singer and the person being addressed is apparent
No matter how he tried
Recognizing the artist's efforts to bridge the gap, but lamenting that those efforts didn't succeed
He could not break free
Acknowledging that the artist was unable to escape the cycle of isolation and loneliness
And the worms ate into his brain
Creating a macabre image of how an unfulfilled and isolated individual may suffer mentally
Hey you, out there on the road
Addressing someone who is active and moving through the world
Always doing what you're told
Acknowledging that the person being addressed may be conforming to societal expectations out of obligation or fear
Can you help me?
Expressing the desire for the person being addressed to assist the singer in finding their own path
Hey you, out there beyond the wall
Addressing someone who is further disconnected than those previous, seemingly out of reach
Breaking bottles in the hall
Suggesting violence or reckless behavior that may indicate a self-destructive impulse
Can you help me?
Expressing a hope that even someone who is further disconnected and in crisis may be able to show compassion
Hey you, don't tell me there's no hope at all
Urging the person not to give up hope, no matter how dire the situation may seem
Together we stand, divided we fall
Emphasizing the importance of a shared struggle and collective action to overcome adversity, ensuring successful collaboration is key to solving problems.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: OWEN PARKER, SACHA COLLISSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind