I can be tough
I can be strong
But with you, it's not like that at all

There's a girl
That gives a shit
Behind this wall
You've just walked through it

And I remember, all those crazy things you said
You left them running through my head
You're always there, you're everywhere
But right now I wish you were here

All those crazy things we did
Didn't think about it, just went with it
You're always there, you're everywhere
But right now I wish you were here

Damn, damn, damn
What I'd do to have you
Here, here, here
I wish you were here
Damn, damn, damn
What I'd do to have you
Near, near, near
I wish you were here

I love the way you are
It's who I am, don't have to try hard
We always say, say it like it is
And the truth is that I really miss

All those crazy things you said
You left them running through my head
You're always there, you're everywhere
But right now I wish you were here

All those crazy things we did
Didn't think about it, just went with it
You're always there, you're everywhere
But right now I wish you were here

Damn, damn, damn
What I'd do to have you
Here, here, here
I wish you were here
Damn, damn, damn
What I'd do to have you
Near, near, near
I wish you were here

No, I don't wanna let go
I just wanna let you know
That I never wanna let go
Let go, oh, oh

No, I don't wanna let go
I just wanna let you to know
That I never wanna let go
(Let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go)

Damn, damn, damn
What I'd do to have you
Here, here, here
I wish you were here (I wish you were)
Damn, damn, damn
What I'd do to have you
Near, near, near
I wish you were here

Damn, damn, damn
What I'd do to have you
Here, here, here
I wish you were here
Damn, damn, damn
What I'd do to have you
Near, near, near
I wish you were here


Lyrics submitted by heartbeatsforyou

Wish You Were Here Lyrics as written by Martin Karl Sandberg Avril Ramona Lavigne

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Wish You Were Here song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

17 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +6
    Memory

    Wow. It's like someone took my diary and gave it to Avril.

    DafnneCarteron March 02, 2011   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    I think this song is about her grandfather who passed away and she wants him to see how far she has gone in life.

    It's a beautiful song, I really love it. The chorus is really catchy and I can't get it out of my head.

    JacobLasheron March 03, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I can't get this verse

    I love the way you are It's who I am, don't have to try hard We always say, said like it is And the truth is that I really miss

    can anybody help me, please? :)

    this is my favorite song of her, thanks to her or whoever chose it as a single, i was begging for it. I got the 4 albums and GL is her best.

    manolobwon September 09, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    she wrote "Slipped Away" about her grandfather. i sang it at my grandmas funeral a couple weeks ago.

    imsierraon October 21, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    amaaaaaaaazing.

    thrwmyhrtawy.on February 27, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is absolutely perfect for my cousin and I. Her and I are extremely alike, we call each other twins because we are that much alike. but we live 680 miles apart, and we only get to see each other a couple weeks through out the year. which is terrible. this song is like it was written for us. even if the song was written for someone that has passed away. the lyrics still work wonderful for us. WE LOVE IT!

    roxydeshayeson November 04, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    my favorite song, along with smile on the new album so good!

    Dreydonon March 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    but this is obvio about her and brody together, its wonderful

    Dreydonon March 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    my most favorite song on the cd!!!

    Lucylou1065on April 08, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    I think it was about someone passing away because "you just walk through it" Ghost?! lol. Another term for dead. everyone thinks its about a boyfriendd. I think its about someone passing away.

    TiffaniPeaceon July 02, 2011   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.