Wishaway

Song Meaning

The lyrics of "Wishaway" immediately plunge into a curious emotional space, where desires are both expressed and immediately complicated. The opening lines, "See those eyes are brown I wish they were blue / Take that wish away and make it come true," introduce a speaker grappling with a longing for transformation, even if that transformation is as simple as eye color. There's a sense of magical thinking, where wishes aren't just made but somehow *removed* to manifest reality. This initial, almost innocent desire quickly gives way to a deeper emotional tension. The "you" character is depicted as guarded, someone who "laugh[s] and grab[s] the words before they get loose," suggesting unspoken thoughts or suppressed feelings. The speaker then shifts from wanting wishes to come true to a more vulnerable plea: "I wish today you'd stay, maybe tonight / You'd blow away the smoke and hold me tight." This reveals a core longing for intimacy and presence, contrasting sharply with the earlier, more abstract desires. The most compelling craft element here is the evolving meaning of the titular phrase, "wishaway." Initially, it seems to imply a magical process of making a wish disappear *into* reality. But then, it transforms: "Put that wish away, in case it comes true," suggesting a fear of realization, a desire to *hide* a wish. By the third verse, the speaker observes, "You wish you could be / A wishaway," implying the other person might yearn to *become* this concept – perhaps to escape, to be effortlessly changed, or to be free from the burden of their own desires. This shifting interpretation of a single, invented word makes the lyrics feel layered and introspective. Ultimately, the lyrics are effective because they capture the complex, often contradictory nature of human desire. They explore the push and pull between wanting something intensely and the fear or vulnerability that comes with its potential fulfillment. The final lines, "Do you feel alive, will you be alright / I hope you do, I know you do," pivot to a tender concern for the other person, suggesting a deep, empathetic connection despite the emotional distance and unspoken wishes that linger between them. It's a nuanced portrayal of longing, both for oneself and for another.