Inspiration Behind Wishing Well:
Marc Byrd wrote Wishing Well as part of a charitable project called Project Aegis. This song was conceived after completing work on the band’s album Ulterium. Wishing Well reads like a story of a young person navigating life’s complexities. The lyrics express regret and sorrow, seeking forgiveness for the people that he has hurt in his past.
Biblical Application:
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins,” Mark 11:25.
Exegesis of Wishing Well:
Red Rover, come over, pick clovers
Let’s spend a little time away
We’re learning, we’re turning, we’re burning our hands
Playing in the fire today
Childhood game reference. Taking a break from life to have fun and be rejuvenated. The last 2 lines are either a metaphor about playing with fire or growing up in a farming community where weeds are burned.
But please don’t listen
To the lies inside this place
When the monster rears its head out
Just turn and see your face
Be careful not to believe gossip. Perhaps an image of childhood fairy tales about monsters living under your bed or in your closet.
When the sky is torn, the feelings are reborn
Like the passing rain, this moment will fade away
And so I try to find my water all by myself
It’s so dry
I won’t stop to cry
Incoming storms which trigger something from your past. Rain washing away any traces of debris, pollen or trash. Going to the wishing well, unable to find water due to a drought. Hope is fleeting.
Indecision is killing, you’re wishing, you’re dreaming
You’re measly life away
Time is out, time is gone, time is in
Time has come and flown away
Struggling to make a decision. Dreaming of what could be and wishing for something instead of being decisive. Complacency, procrastination and uncertainty is causing life and time to slip away.
But please don’t listen
To the lies inside this place
When the monster sticks its head out
Just turn and slap its face
Ungodly beliefs and untruths that human beings pick up during the course of their life.
When the sky is torn, the feelings are reborn
Like the passing rain, this moment will fade away
And so I try to find my water all by myself
It’s so dry
Metaphors to express wandering around in life to convey a journey of self-discovery
I’m drinking from this wishing well
I’m fleeing from this frozen cell
And I think about the people I’ve hurt in my life
I think about the people I’ve hurt in my life
Forgive me for the people I’ve hurt in my life
Forgive me for the people I hurt
This time of reflection has brought up flashbacks and memories of people that this individual has hurt in the past. Seeking forgiveness and reconciliation.
When the sky is torn, the feelings are reborn
Like the passing rain, this moment will fade away
And cannot find my water all by myself
So I wander
And I wander and wander and wander
All by myself
Illustrating how trial and error helps you confront inner struggles head-on instead of putting off important decisions like previous stanzas.
Final Thoughts:
Life is like a giant jigsaw puzzle. It takes time to find all of the border pieces. Once you start to put together the context, you’ll have a better understanding of what you are searching for. As long as you continue to learn by avoiding complacency, discovering the complexities of life becomes attainable. However, if you never evolve or mature, you’ll be like a wandering child, dreaming and wishing for a bright future.
by Jay Mankus
