I see your wishes on the wall, and that's all right with me
I see you run to make a call, hoping that there's someone free
Your life and my life they don't touch at all, and that's no way to be
We've never seemed so far

What's real? what is true?
I ain't turning my back on you
Where're you goin'? where've you been?
Making wishes, watching dreams

It might be simple, it might be true, I might be overwhelmed by you
You might be empty, the way your eyes just look right through
It's such a mess now anyway, wish fulfillment every day
I don't believe you, now I can't hear a word you say

I see you shaking in the light, reading the headline news
The others they're not quite so bright, we want them to choose you
I could almost see your face tonight, singing simple rhythm'n'blues
You'll always be a star

Shake it baby! come'on scream!
Just see your face in a magazine
Don't doubt it! leaves Chris sore! (?)
I can't stand it anymore

It's my favorite shot of you, you look so pretty your eyes were true
I'm still on your side, in spite of everything you do
We're only blood on blood on life, you paint me pictures every night (?)
Come wish beside me, don't you know you know what's right



Lyrics submitted by shut

Track duration: 03:27

"Wish Fulfillment" as written by Kim Gordon, Lee M. Ranaldo, Steven Jay Shelley, Thurston Joseph Moore

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Wish Fulfillment song meanings
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26 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Wonder if the short story by Joyce Carol Oates "Where are You Going, Where Have You Been" is an inspiration.
    Flag SrdncSmirkon September 18, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:It`s surely about someone the singer has put all his hopes in.
    To me it could also be a politician you elected to fulfill your wishes, but now you see, how he`s getting washed up in all the political business, and doesn`t support the people that elected him anymore. Yu see him on the posters and on tv, an register how cold he has become. But still you hope he will return to the things you elected him for.
    Flag kidgforceon January 25, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I Love the beginning of this song, the ticking clock, the wailing,distorted guitar softly in the background, it's perfect thinking/driving music.

    I think the lyrics in this song are about a guy who loves and wants a girl who doubts herself
    (Your doubt, it leaves me sore,
    You want them to choose you
    You might be empty
    The way your eyes just look right through)

    Possibly when she could be or is something great
    (Where you going? Where you been?
    Making wishes, watching dreams?
    I could almost see your face tonight
    Singin' simple rhythm and blues
    You'll always be a star
    Shake it baby! C'mon, scream!
    Did I see your face in a magazine?)

    I think maybe his faith and love for her causes her to doubt herself even more
    (What's real? What's true?
    I ain't turning my back on you
    I don't believe you
    Now I can't hear a word you say)

    I think that this difference of opinion is probably what split them
    (Your life and my life, they don't touch at all
    And that's no way to be
    You've never seemed so far
    It's such a mess now anyway
    I can't stand it anymore)

    And Maybe, now he realises what he lost, he just wants this girl to be happy with herself
    (I see your wishes on the wall
    And that's alright with me
    It's my favorite shot of you
    You looked so pretty, your eyes were true
    I'm still on your side in spite of everything you do
    Come wish beside me
    Don't you know you know what's right?)

    Otherwise I'd agree with the Stalker/obsessive theory which is a shame, as this song doesn't sound creepy or dark at all :)
    Flag jbwastedon March 11, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:For years I have loved this song, mesmerised by the beauty of the music rather than paying attention to the lyrics. It always just "sounded" like a love song to me. Then this morning in the car I listened to the lyrics properly for the first time and they sent a shiver down my spine - to me this song is definitely a love song with a very sinister twist - its from the eyes of an obsessive and dangerous stalker fantasising about the subject of their obsession in a romantic way during the "nice" parts of the song, then fantasising about having the subject captive during the "angry" parts of the song. Shudder!!!
    Flag denisimoon October 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:okay, so i've loved this song from the begining. so many other songs on this album are so strange then this one comes on and it sounds so heartfelt and sweet. i think it might be like a person who knew the "star" figure. perhaps she left him when she moved on to bigger things, and he still loves her. he's looking back on pictures of them together, after perhaps finding a new picture of her in a magazine and remembering his feelings.
    Flag HideousAndSexyon October 28, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:wish fulfillment is a term that sigmund freud used to describe the unconscious desires during the dreamstate, meaning that dreams were basically wishes. i've loved this song for half of my life. i was always left the impression that the song is about the trappings of fame, and the desire to be close to someone yet they're self-involved and wrapped up in their own world, which leaves the protagonist unimpressed; i.e. "leaves me sore, i can't stand it anymore." however, it seems as though he still loves her despite her ego-centric ways.

    it's really a beautiful song. definitely my favorite sonic youth song.
    Flag voxetoileon August 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i always considered this song is about the confused, sick thoughts of a stalker. the narrator is the stalker and the person who is being stalked doesn't know the stalker. actually i think the stalked person is lee ranaldo, or somebody very much like him.
    Flag moikon May 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I have so much love for this song! I believe it's about chaotic city life and not being able to connect with people around you because life is too bustling and busy for simple pleasures. It's like he's looking at someone and wishing for that friendship and connection that just won't happen.
    Flag sonic_leaveson April 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i agree with both pablohoneydew and mogulwraith

    this song is about someone the singer knows- who is breaking away and selling themselves to fame.. they are pursuing their dreams and getting caught in them.

    "I see you run to make a call
    Hoping that there's someone free"

    slowly the person is becoming "too important" for the singer, getting caught up in the spotlight, and doesn't turn back to reflect on his/her past and roots.

    "You've never seemed so far" and "I ain't turning my back on you"

    indicates to me that the relationship is gradually breaking apart but the singer is still sticking to his/her friend through it all - "I'm still on your side in spite of everything you do"

    the glamor and the spotlight is causing the person to lose a bit of their soul in the process - "You might be empty/ The way your eyes just look right through"

    This person is calling a lost friend back to them, back to where the dreams first began and first took off - "Come wish beside me/ Don't you know you know what's right?"

    i feel like the "wish fulfillment every day" emphasizes how monotonous living the dream can become - and how much it can drain a person and remove them from their old friends.
    Flag mateaon February 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Someone he knows at least on a peripheral basis. Don't think its an exotic dancer at all. She's watching the headlines, trembling and upset because she is looking for her name and it doesn't happen. The others aren't in his opinion as good as her, he thinks she should've made it. She's a star to him but she sees right through him. At some point she has some limited success but its not enough for her, she's doubting she'll ever get there and it bothers him.
    Flag mogulwraithon February 24, 2008   Link

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