(Yes, and disciplinary remains mercifully)
(Yes, and um, I'm with you Derek, this star nonsense)
(Yes, yes)
(Now, which is it?)
(I am sure of it)
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
(Yes, and um, I'm with you Derek, this star nonsense)
(Yes, yes)
(Now, which is it?)
(I am sure of it)
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
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by kehlankr, galaxiaad, bwheeler78, sharkycharming, JohnEightThirtyTwo, GrimTone, robodok, dimaqq, afloyd674, nasses321
Wish You Were Here Lyrics as written by Roger Waters David Gilmour
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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He clearly writes "two lost souls swimming in A (singular) fish bowl". So this probably means that he is speaking about just one, not two fish bowls.
shine on you crazy diamond was written for Barrett this one was about the delusionment and alienation the band felt after their success.
Peace.
Thanks to all those who have commented, I am sure that there are times over the past 5 years (!) that I could have done with seeing those.
As it stands at the moment I have put down my little black book, but still have a bag with a toothbrush and a comb in.
The first verse is about how Sid has lost the ability to differentiate between good and evil, like (heaven from hell or blue skies from pain). ultimately he has become numb and it is all the same to him.
the second verse is about how Sid aloud the drugs to change him as a person. He exchanged all of the qualities that made up Sid for those suggested by the drugs. hence the phrase "DID YOU EXCHANGE?" "cold comfort for change." or the line: "a walk on part in a war for a lead role in a cage"refers to Sid choosing to battle with drugs over who controls his personality, he looses and gives up. Causing him to become a prisoner, and allowing the drugs to change him however they may.
Third verse basally is the Pink Floyd members missing the old friend they used to know and they know that deep down they share "the same old fears" meaning that they still have a connection with him.
This song makes scene to me because I had a battle with drugs over my personality and luckily I came out onto unlike Sid. This is a extremely meaningful song and once you understand the meaning I guarantee it will touch you in some way.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
Then he asks do you know what you have give up?
Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
Then he goes on to say how I wish you were here (mentally)
I might be way off but that's the way it reads to me.
"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.
And how we found
The same old fears.
Wish you were here."
It's like everything is the same but it's not really. Everything is different, but in such a subtle fashion that you sense a bit of the other person/people and the way they were, but they aren't. You talk about the same things, you do the same things, you fear the same things, but at some point either you or they or both stepped out. But, it's comfortable and uncomfortable. Hence, the line "How I wish, how I wish you were here..." but they aren't, and they won't be. You can get as nostalgic as you want about the way it once was, but it won't ever be that way again.
Then again, I may have it all wrong. Maybe I should be wishing I was here since I stepped out of my "normal" life about 12 years ago :) It could be about oneself, too,I suppose, and wishing that things wouldn't change. Who knows? It's Pink Floyd....
But after recently losing my closest friend, i've fallen into the painful nostalgia. I came back to this song and I find my interpretation of it has changed all together. You have explained it perfectly!!
Again. I am sorry to hear of your friend. It's hard to lose people you love.
Namaste,
ADDgirl