The Devil In The Wishing Well

wow, reading your guys' comments has completely changed my perception of this song. ok, so the narrator switches a lot between the devil and jane, and when they go to the part "so go right, you'll be left, etc" it's just one of them giving directions to anyone who'd listen. and i think jane is sort of the hero of this story, because she cut some of her heart out for the devil, and spent time with him, talked with him, but in the end, she's still trying to save him, shown in the repeating vamp "jane says, it's a long way out, i'm gonna make it out". so the devil is still trapped in that well, but jane's not giving up on him.

the song also speaks to the nature of evil, like someone said earlier. here, they take the ultimate evil, the devil, and portray him as simply misunderstood...well, maybe not simply, but you know what i mean. it's just saying, no matter how bad someone may seem, all they need is love and understanding, and it may be a long way out, but with your help, they're gonna make it out.

sorry, this is getting long, but i also think that maybe john ondrasik is in some way the devil in this song, and in his actual life he was saved by someone named jane, (note the song jainy and the love he shows to her in that) maybe a girlfriend or his wife, who knows. basically, everyone has evil in them, but everyone also has good. yin and yang, and to overcome evil all it takes is someone to understand and care about you. god bless.

I was reading an article today where Ondrasik gives a brief glimpse of his intended meaning of this song:

"Ondrasik is also proud of the second single from the album, 'The Devil in the Wishing Well,' a musically charming story song. If you take it literally, it is about a man and a woman meeting Satan in a big black hotel. 'Think 70's piano rock meets Dante,' Ondrasik cracks. A little less literal explanation, but another one that may hold some merit, is that it is about a couple grappling with their feelings over a one-night stand."

Source: "popentertainment.com/fiveforfighting.htm"

Although, it is important for people to personalize a song as well. Interpreting lyrics on your own is often a great insight to problems, fears, or ideas and philosophies that are more prevalent in your own mind, while also offering support and solutions in relatable incidents, such as user wil555's experience.

I would love to know the song meaning on this one....it is a remarkable song....any ideas - I heard once it was about a one night stand and from somewhere else depression

my goodness. .insanely beautiful song. .im not too sure what it's about. .maybe he's dreaming. .like how it says "jane says im your body in the night"? and maybe he is kinda in a depression and or is doing bad things he needs to get out of and stuff. .i do not know. .maybe the devil part is about how some people seem so bad but they are just misunderstood and they really just need someone to talk to and to understand their pain just like it says.

well it says "jane says it's a long way out. .i'm gonna make it out. .cuz i'm about her" so maybe it's a real girl that wants him to get better?

i would say depression would fit because some people say they hit rock bottom or the bottom of the well so maybe a wishing well is a metephor for people throwing pennies into a wishing well when as thier doing is feeding the devil because if thier not about jane its a long way out and your not gonna make it without working at it

This song is very confusing. It's about someone who meets anothe person who is misunderstood and in trouble. One person tries to help the other but the other one won't let him/her. He still tries his best to help this person. At least, I think this is the meaning.

The following was an email I sent to Five for Fighting, and was put on their website...it's long. :P

FFF- My name is Greg. I'm fifteen (for a moment, yuk, yuk), and I own Americatown and The Battle For Everything. The Battle For Everything is, by far, the most influencial and powerful album I know. Especially "The Devil In The Wishing Well." I wrote a thorough description of how this has affected me on my personal website, and I'll post an excerpt.

This is a song by Five for Fighting, a music group I listen to a lot. I went through a period of depression back at the end of ninth grade. My friend Emily got me help, so the recovery started. I later found out that it was caused by a medication I was taking. Luckily, I am now off the medication. During this depression period, I bought Five for Fighting's latest CD, "The Battle For Everything." There was one song that really struck a chord with me, "The Devil In The Wishing Well." It almost perfectly described what I was going through. Here is how it works out.

I met Jane at the center of the earth It was dark there was dirt all around But I gather you can figure that

In this stanza, replace Jane with Emily. This is just the beginning, nothing earth-shattering yet. Except the center of my world was dark and dirty.

Jane says I'm your body in the night And I'll lead you where you might find yourself Better if you follow me

This would be Emily telling me that she's going to get me help with my depression. She's going to lead me down the road, as she once felt the same way I felt.

So go right you'll be left at a big hotel You'll meet the devil at the bottom of a wishing well You know you better give him something Give him something good Like everybody else he's misunderstood

This was Emily leaving me to come to grips with my depression. She couldn't take me the whole way, I have to confront the devil (depression) by myself and help myself out.

Jane says it's a long way out... I'm gonna make it out Cause I'm about her

The striking theme of this song in the first two lines. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but there wasn't a doubt in my mind that it was going to end. It wasn't a question of "if," it was just "when."

Jane says, you're as Holy as a ghost, But who loves you the most, if you offer I might let you carry me

Well, both my parents work in the church, I have a holy family...she was going to carry me through this, help me out. Just not all the way.

Jane there's nobody here but yourself In the end it's the wealth of your spirit Now hurry up get on with it

Hurry up and get better, Greg! More or less...just not in those words.

I went left I got right at some big hotel There was a devil at the bottom of the wishing well He said you better give me something Give me something good Like everybody else I'm misunderstood

This was the defining moment, when I confronted my depression head on. I wasn't going to let it beat me. It couldn't. I had God on my side, this was the Devil.

Jane says it's a long way out I'm gonna make it out Cause I'm about Jane says it's a long way out I'm gonna make it out

Just the strong message of the song again...it's long, but I'm making it out.

I took a guess and cut a portion out of my heart He said that's nowhere close enough but it's a damn good start I wrote the secret that I buried on the wishing well wall He said I've seen one... it follows that I've seen them all

There wasn't really a moment like this that I remember, but this was me starting to find out how to get over my depression.

We spoke of human destination in a perfect world Derived the nature of the universe (found it unfulfilled) As I took him in my arms he screamed I'm not insane I'm just looking for someone to understand my pain...

Taking the devil in my arms...a poignant way to talk about me finally reaching the peak of my depression. I found out what he wanted, I decided to not let him beat me. He didn't, I won the battle.

It's a long way out... I'm gonna make it out

It wasn't long timewise, but it seemed long for me. It was long, but I made it out. No doubt that I was going to get over it. I made it. Thanks to all my friends and everyone who gave me the courage to confront the Devil and overcome him.

Thanks for inspiring me to make it out of one of the most hellish experiences of my life.

-Greg

It's a long way out... I'm gonna make it out.

This song speaks of the nature of evil.

This is one of my favorite songs ever, Five for Fighting is nothing short of AMAZING