Yanni is a self-taught pianist who began his musical interest by giving recitals for family members, though he had no formal training and could not read a note. At the age of 18, he attended the University of Minnesota, having moved out of his native Greek to immerse himself into American culture. While a student there, Yanni joined an up-and-coming local group called Chameleon where he met drummer Charlie Adams. Chameleon earned some modest commercial success touring throughout the Midwest. After receiving a B.A. in psychology, Yanni determined that sought a life in music, making it his life's work.
He moved to California in pursuit of opportunities to work on movie soundtrack works. His first solo album, titled 'Optimystique', was recorded in 1980, and it showed his debt to instrumental electronic music of the past as well as other styles such as jazz, smooth pop, and the like. The album saw a general release in 1984. In 1987, he put together a small band which included John Tesh and Charlie Adams, and began touring to promote his earliest works. Other examples of his albums in his early days include 1986's 'Keys to Imagination' and 1987's 'Out of Silence', both of which have recieved retrospective critical acclaim.
The tail end of the 80s saw Yanni's career start to kick into high gear, a result of his determination in promoting his iconic sound. In 1992, Dare to Dream was released. It was Yanni’s first Grammy-nominated album and featured "Aria", a song based on The Flower Duet and popularized by an award-winning British Airways commercial. A second Grammy-nominated album, In My Time, was released in 1993. His music has been used extensively in television and televised sporting events, including the Super Bowl, Wide World of Sports, Tour de France, World Figure Skating Championships, The Olympics, and ABC News.
Yanni's breakthrough commercial success came with the release of his album and video, Yanni Live at the Acropolis, filmed on September 23, 1993 at the 2,000-year-old Herod Atticus Theater in Athens and released in 1994. This was Yanni’s first live album and utilized a full orchestra under the supervision of the Iranian conductor, Shahrdad Rohani, in addition to his core band. Subsequently, the concert was broadcast in 65 countries and seen by half a billion people. It has almost continuously remained on the charts since its release and is the second best-selling music video of all time, selling more than 7 million copies worldwide. A composition from this album, "Acroyali/Standing in Motion", was determined to have the "Mozart Effect," by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine because it is similar to Mozart's K 448 in tempo, structure, melodic and harmonic consonance and predictability.
In March 1997, Yanni became one of the few Western artists permitted to perform and record at the Taj Mahal in India. Later that year he performed at the Forbidden City in China. From these two events he created his next live album and video, Tribute, which was released in 1997. Armen Anassian, Conductor, concedes that he had some doubts about the artist's plans to perform at India's Taj Mahal and China's Forbidden City for Tribute: "To be honest, a few years ago when he was talking about it, the idea was so amazing. I myself was very skeptical, understandably so. But the truth is, it happened. We did it." Anassian describes Yanni as "very optimistic" and has observed that "nothing really fazes him." That outlook carries over naturally to his music. "I don't think it's a goal, per se. He's very honest with his own feelings. His music really comes from the heart. He writes music with ease, the music comes out with relative ease. The feel-good portion of the music is a by-product. It coincides with what the people love to hear." Lighting Designers Lee Rose and David "Gurn" Kaniski received an Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries or a Special" for both Live at the Acropolis and Tribute .
In 2000, after a two-year sabbatical, Yanni released his first studio album in seven years: If I Could Tell You.
Yanni also toured in 2003–2004 with the debut of the Ethnicity album extending his "One World, One People" philosophy. This album sparked what would become the 4th largest concert tour of the year ranked by Billboard Magazine.
He kicked off his 2004–2005 "Yanni Live!" tour at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, and his next live album and video, Yanni Live! The Concert Event was released in 2006.
In 2008, in collaboration with producer Ric Wake, Yanni showcased vocal artists singing his songs on Yanni Voices. On March 24, 2009, Disney Pearl Imprint released Yanni Voices, the artist's first studio album in six years, and its Buena Vista Concerts division produces the tour that began in April 2009.
Website: http://www.yanni.com/
Wishing Well
Yanni Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
★ 卜超 制作
Standing on a bus stop
Feeling your head pop
Out in the night
On the kind of night
Where you want to be out
On the street, on the street
Like a cat in heat
And the air is thin
And it blows through your skin
And you feel like something
Is about to begin
But you don't know what
And you don't know when
So you tear at your hair
And you scratch at your skin
You wanna run away, run away
Just get on the fucking train and leave today
And it doesn't matter where you spend the night
You just might end up somewhere in a fight, in a fight
Or caught in your room on a concrete shelf
Fighting all alone, with yourself, with yourself
And you just wanna feel like a coin that's been tossed
In a wishing well, a wishing well
A wishing well, a wishing well
Well, you're tossed in the air
And you fell and you fell
Through the dark blue waters
Where you cast your spell
Like you were just a wish that could turn out well
So you stand on the corner
Where the angels sit
And you think to yourself,
"This is it, this is it,
This is all that I have
All I can stand
Is this air in my lungs
And this coin in my hand
That you tossed in the air
And I fell, and I fell
All the way to the bottom
Of the well, of the well
Like those soft little secrets
That you tell, that you tell
To yourself, when you think
No one's listening to, well"
And the walls spin
And you're paper-thin
From the haze of the smoke
And the mescaline
The threat of your brow
Under unmade sheets
In your ear with the noise
From the darkest streets
We ran far and wide
You screamed, you cried
You thought suicide was an alibi
But you were always a mess
You were always aloof
Yeah, it's awful, I guess
But it's the awful truth
It was truth from the first
To the last words that she read
And she emerged from the dark
Like a ghost in my head
She said, "I haven't forgot
Any words that you said
I just stare at the clocks
And I cry in my sleep
And I tear up your letters
And I burn them in heaps
And I gather the ashes
In that hole in the ground
Where we fell"
The song “Wishing Well” by The Airborne Toxic Event is a melancholic piece that captures the feeling of being lost, uncertain, and wanting to escape from reality. The lyrics describe a situation where the singer is standing on a bus stop feeling overwhelmed and anxious, nearly crawling up the walls, and feeling like something is about to begin but not knowing what or when. The singer is trying to escape from the reality that they are living in, wanting to run away without any concern for where they might end up. The imagery of feeling like a “coin that’s been tossed in a wishing well” conveys the idea of being helpless and knowing that fate will take its own course.
The second verse of the song shows the singer standing on the street corner, lost in their own thoughts, wondering if this is all they have and if what they are holding in their hands is all they can stand. The singer feels trapped in their own mind, and the walls seem to be closing in on them. The mention of smoke and mescaline hints at a sense of disorientation and confusion. The sudden introduction of new characters like “she” and “you” towards the end of the song suggests that the singer may be addressing different people or perhaps different versions of themselves. The song leaves the emotional state of the singer open to interpretation, with the last lines suggesting that they are not alone in their struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing on a bus stop
Standing still in life, unsure of where to go next
Feeling your head pop
Feeling overwhelmed and frantic
Out in the night
Feeling lost in the darkness
On the kind of night
On a night with a certain atmosphere or mood
Where you want to be out
Feeling a desire to experience life
On the street, on the street
Wishing to be out experiencing life and not stuck in one place
Crawling up the walls
Feeling restless and anxious
Like a cat in heat
Feeling a primal urge to escape and explore
And the air is thin
Feeling suffocated and trapped
And it blows through your skin
Feeling exposed and vulnerable
And you feel like something
Feeling a sense that change is coming
Is about to begin
A new chapter in life is about to start
But you don't know what
Feeling uncertain of what's to come
And you don't know when
Feeling unsure of when change will happen
So you tear at your hair
Feeling frustrated and desperate
And you scratch at your skin
Feeling uncomfortable in your own body
You wanna run away, run away
Desiring to escape from current circumstances
Just get on the fucking train and leave today
Desiring to leave everything behind and start anew
And it doesn't matter where you spend the night
Feeling like anywhere is better than where you currently are
You just might end up somewhere in a fight, in a fight
Leaving may not solve all problems and may even create new ones
Or caught in your room on a concrete shelf
Feeling trapped in a mundane, monotonous life
Fighting all alone, with yourself, with yourself
Struggling with internal battles and challenges
And you just wanna feel like a coin that's been tossed
Desiring excitement and unpredictability in life
In a wishing well, a wishing well
A symbol of hope and possibility for a better future
Well, you're tossed in the air
Feeling uncertain and unstable
And you fell and you fell
Feeling like life is a series of ups and downs
Through the dark blue waters
Navigating through tough times and emotions
Where you cast your spell
Feeling like you have control over your life, even if it's just an illusion
Like you were just a wish that could turn out well
Feeling hopeful for a positive future despite current struggles
So you stand on the corner
Reflecting on past decisions and contemplating future choices
Where the angels sit
A metaphor for a safe and peaceful place
And you think to yourself,
Internal reflection and introspection
"This is it, this is it,
Feeling like the present moment is significant and important
This is all that I have
Feeling limited by current circumstances and possessions
All I can stand
Feeling like you can't handle any more stress or pressure
Is this air in my lungs
Feeling alive and grateful for life
And this coin in my hand
A reminder of the unpredictability of life
That you tossed in the air
Feeling like your fate is in someone else's hands
And I fell, and I fell
Feeling like you're constantly falling or failing
All the way to the bottom
Feeling like you've hit rock bottom
Of the well, of the well
Symbolizing a dark and desolate emotional state
Like those soft little secrets
Private and personal thoughts and feelings
That you tell, that you tell
The innermost thoughts that only you know
To yourself, when you think
Intimate thoughts that arise in times of solitude and reflection
No one's listening to, well"
Feeling isolated and alone in personal struggles
And the walls spin
Feeling disoriented and dizzy
And you're paper-thin
Feeling vulnerable and exposed
From the haze of the smoke
Feeling out of control and intoxicated
And the mescaline
A psychedelic drug that induces hallucinations and altered states of consciousness
The threat of your brow
Worrying and stressing about life's challenges
Under unmade sheets
Metaphor for feeling disheveled and emotionally exhausted
In your ear with the noise
Negative thoughts and worries that constantly plague the mind
From the darkest streets
Metaphor for life's challenges and difficulties
We ran far and wide
Escaping from our problems and searching for something more
You screamed, you cried
Reacting emotionally to life's challenges and difficulties
You thought suicide was an alibi
Feeling hopeless and helpless, thinking that suicide is a solution to problems
But you were always a mess
Feeling overwhelmed and lost in life
You were always aloof
Feeling disconnected from the world and others
Yeah, it's awful, I guess
Admitting that life is difficult and uncertain
But it's the awful truth
Accepting that life has its ups and downs
It was truth from the first
Life's challenges were present from the beginning
To the last words that she read
Acknowledging how far we've come in life, despite its difficulties
And she emerged from the dark
A metaphor for hope and rebirth
Like a ghost in my head
Haunting memories and thoughts of the past
She said, "I haven't forgot
Remembering the past and how it has shaped the present
Any words that you said
Keeping the power of the past's words and actions in mind
I just stare at the clocks
Feeling stuck in time, unable to move forward
And I cry in my sleep
Suffering emotionally even in moments of rest and escape
And I tear up your letters
Symbolic of cutting ties with the past and moving forward
And I burn them in heaps
Feeling the need to rid oneself of negativity and hurt
And I gather the ashes
Rebuilding and recreating one's self
In that hole in the ground
A metaphor for letting go of the past and starting anew
Where we fell"
Moving forward from painful experiences and memories
Contributed by Colton A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@PaulMG
Much love from Nairobi, Kenya. Ahsante sana (Thank you very much) Yanni. Your music is very emotional and inspirational at the same time. Lovely Piece
@lazarofdez1458
From Cuba!
@tonyakinyemi5198
I'm proud to be an African. Thanks to Yanni!
@neanam
What part of Africa?
@neanam
You got that good sweet African blood 💪🏾
@melkasmi9847
Me2bro,hamdolilah 🤝❤✌
@abdulrahmanshaker7732
The most loved musician in the world ... his music fascinating ... hearing it or watching it ...
Yanni' music is the universe language
@theoriginalmakaaka101
Wonder how many ET's / Watchers have danced to this.
@mattakaragianni4364
I TRULY AGREE WITH YOU
@Halefom
Best Instrumental for African nature or wonders based Documentary video. Very sensational...!!
Just lay on your back,put your earphones and listen carefully. You feel like you are flying low across Africa. Africa a home for mother nature!! Yhanks yanni.
Your Crazy Fan from Ethiopia!!!