I wished I was smarter
I wished I was stronger
I wished I loved Jesus
The way my wife does
I wish it had been easier
Instead of any longer
I wished I could have stood
Where you would have been proud
That won't happen now
That won't happen now

There's a whole lot of singin'
That's never gonna be heard
Disappearing everyday
Without so much as a word
Somehow
Think I broke the wings
Off that little songbird
She's never gonna fly
To the top of the world
Right now
Top of the world

I don't have to answer
Any of these questions
Don't have no God to
Teach me no lessons
I come home in the evening
Sit in my chair
One night they called me for supper
But I never got up
I stayed right there in my chair

There's a whole lot of singin'
That's never gonna be heard
Disappearing everyday
Without so much as a word
Somehow
Think I broke the wings
Off that little songbird
She's never gonna fly
To the top of the world
Right now

I wished I'da known you
Wished I'da shown you
All of the things I
Was on the inside
I'd pretend to be sleeping
When you come in in the morning
To whisper goodbye
Go to work in the rain
I don't know why
Don't know why

'Cause everyone's singin'
We just want to be heard
Disappearing everyday
Without so much as a word
Somehow
Want to grab a hold
Of that little songbird
Take her for a ride
To the top of the world
Right now

Woah-oh-oh
Woah-oh
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world


Lyrics submitted by LittleDeshu

Top of the World Lyrics as written by Patricia J. Griffin

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Top Of The World song meanings
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20 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    This song is from a man's perspective who has died and he is looking back down on life at all the things he regrets doing."I wished I could have stood where you would have been proud but that won't happen now" and "I wished I'd a known you Wished I'd a shown you All of the things I was on the inside".

    The songbird I believe is his wife. He looks back and sees that he has "broke the wings off that little songbird".... he wants to go back and "grab a hold of that little song bird. Take her for a ride to the top of the world".

    This is an AMAZING song!!

    Champagne Dreamon April 01, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Dixie Chicks are unbelievable. This is my favorite song on the album. So beautiful. It says so much.

    Zeppelynon September 16, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is totally beutiful. it is so awesome!! i totally wanan learn how to play it..

    punkchicaon October 17, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree with Champ Dream, except I thought the dead man was looking back and talking to his daughter that he disappointed. He wished she could have been proud (of her dad) and she is the songbird that he crushed somehow..through neglect? Although I supposed I could believe the wife interpretation as well. hmm.

    either way, haunting song.

    re8eccaon April 03, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i'm going to marry this song. it is definetly the best.

    i especially love the part at the end with the violins and what not and her singing "to the top of the world, to the top of the world..." it's so moving.

    the dixie chicks have to be one of the most amazing bands ever.

    stupidsarahon April 05, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Its such a great song. I LOVE the dixie chicks!!

    Teenagemiseryon June 06, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I recently attended a Chicks concert and they actually made a video for this song, but they weren't sure if it would ever make it to TV or not.

    Anyway, what I got from the video is that the little boy (this wasn't explicit, but inferred) was abused at least emotionally by his mother and he later took that out on both is wife and daughter.

    The boy, now a feeble old man and unable to care for himself, laments his life in his chair while his grown daughter acts as his caretaker.

    I do hope the video makes it to TV one day. If you think the song is fantastic, you should see it accompanied by the video.

    scandalousaphroditeon June 15, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree with the meanings... and totally love this song. Live it is amazing, and I think the video they did for it (shown on the Top of The World Tour) is great. I am kind of infatuated with it and hope it does get on TV. The only part I did not like is when it blends the daughter's face with the old man's... it is kind of scary...lol Anyway, this song is wonderful and the Chick's perform it beautifully.

    ELS24on June 22, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is beautiful and the film clip so so fantastic it gives me goosebumps...it reflects the song so fantastically...I think its about a boy who was neglected by his mother and becoz of it he neglected his own daughter....it ran in the family...then its also about his own daughter breaking free of that habbit...when her face is blended with her father....then she breaks free from it... its a image off her breaking free from him and its saying shes is'nt going to follow in his footsteps and she is'nt going to treat her children badly...thats what i got from the song and the filmclip

    vera1234on October 03, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is so beautiful! The violin in this song gives me the chills whenever hear it!

    \// peace

    Rollingstonesrockon November 26, 2004   Link

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