Cover art for I Wish by Imagine Dragons
Jul. 1, 20221 viewer14K views

I Wish Lyrics

[Verse 1]
I never called you and now it's too late
To say all the words that I've wanted to say
The doctor said, "Oh, there's a fight up ahead"
I should've been there by your hospital bed

[Pre-Chorus]
So it rains every day, oh, it rains every day
No, I haven't got the words to say

[Chorus]
Oh, how I wish I was a better friend
Before it was too late
I wish that I would've been there in the end
I wish I was a better friend

[Verse 2]
I wasn't there when you said your goodbye, and I
Replay in my mind 'bout a thousand times
I wasn't therе for those rivers you cried
I was always too busy, no, I didn't makе the time

[Pre-Chorus]
So it rains every day, oh, it rains every day
No, I haven't got the words to say
[Chorus]
Oh, how I wish I was a better friend
Before it was too late
I wish that I would have been there in the end
I wish I was a better friend

[Bridge]
And everyday I wish you were here
Oh, every day I wish
Oh, every minute of every year
I swear I feel you near, near me

[Chorus]
How I wish I was (How I wish) a better friend (Better friend)
Before it was too late
I wish that I would have been there in the end
I wish I was a better friend

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About

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Genius Annotation

“I Wish” is the 16th track on ‘Mercury – Act 2’, and the 30th track on ‘Mercury – Acts 1 & 2’.

In the Mercury Track by Track breakdown, Dan Reynolds confirmed that this song, like “Wrecked” before it, was written as a lament about the death of Dan’s sister-in-law, Alisha Reynolds. Dan confirmed that he wrote this song very soon after her death, playing the chorus on the piano at his mother’s house possibly after her funeral.

On physical copies of the album, “I Wish” is only available on the exclusive versions. The reason is currently unknown.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Credits
Mastering Engineer
Mixing Engineer
Recording Engineer
Recorded At
Shangri-La Recording Studio (Malibu, California, USA)
Release Date
July 1, 2022
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