Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “Wishing Well” by The Oh Hellos
‘Wishing Well’ by The Oh Hellos is a soft yet powerful dirge about the cost of hope and the need for strength in difficult times. The song opens on a somber note, with a lone guitar setting the tone as the singer’s voice dips and soars in a melancholy pitch.
The song takes us on a journey from despair to hope, as the singer ponders the hardships of life yet ultimately finds solace in the notion of better days to come. The song’s opening lines set the lyrical tone for the rest of the song: “I have seen darkness with my own eyes, but I’m hoping for a better day.” The singer has been through hard times and still sees darkness but is comforted by the idea that bright days are ahead.
The chorus of the song brings the idea of hope to the forefront, as the singer implores listeners to be strong in the face of trial. With strong sweeping vocals, the line “when life gets hard, go to your wishing well” takes on a special power. Here, the singer encourages listeners to stay strong and hopeful even when hardships hit, to make a wish for a brighter future and never give up on themselves or their dreams.
But even as the song invokes hope, it always returns to its driving theme of mourning and struggle. With its mantra-like chorus and its heartbreakingly beautiful guitar, ‘Wishing Well’ paints a picture of sorrow that is all too real and comforting at the same time. The song acknowledges how difficult life can be but also affirms the notion of a better tomorrow if we just keep wishing and hoping.