The story behind
Incubus wrote Wish You Were Here as a song that mixes nostalgia and criticism. The lyrics talk about a person who feels lost, as if they were far from home, and questions whether someone is waiting for them. The melody is soft, with a rhythm that seems to float, as if the song were saying "why aren't you here?" There is a moment when the guitar gets louder, as if trying to get attention, but then returns to being calm, as if having no answers. The song isn't very long, lasting only three and a half minutes, but in that time it says a lot. It is a piece that seems to speak about desire, being alone, and not knowing if someone is still waiting. ↓ Skip to chordsIntro 1
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Interlude 1
Bm11 A6 F#m9 Dmaj9
Bm11 A6 F#m9 Dmaj9
Verse 1
Bm11 A6 F#m9 Dmaj9
Bm11 A6 F#m9
Dmaj9
Bm11 A6
F#m9 Dmaj9
Bm11 A6
F#m9 Dmaj9
Chorus 1
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Interlude 2
Bm11 A6 F#m9 Dmaj9
Bm11 A6 F#m9 Dmaj9
Verse 2
Bm11 A6 F#m9 Dmaj9
Bm11 A6 F#m9
Dmaj9
Bm11 A6
F#m9 Dmaj9
Bm11 A6
F#m9 Dmaj9
Chorus 2
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Bridge 1
F#m11 G6
F#m11 G6
F#m11
G6
F#m11
G6
Outro 1
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4 A5
Intro 1
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5
F#5 A5 Esus4
E|----------------------------------| B|----------------------------------| G|-------------------------9-1111---| D|-4---4-4-4-4-7-----2-2-2----------| A|-4---4-4-4-4-7-----2-2-2-7-9-9----| E|-2---2-2-2-2-5-----0-0-0----------| 1 2 3 4
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Interlude 1
Bm11 A6 F#m9 Dmaj9
E|-0---0----------------------------|-------12----12-------------------| B|---7---7---7----------------------|---------9---10-------------------| G|---------9------------------------|-----9-----9-9--------------------| D|-------------11-------------------|-9h11--------11-------------------| A|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Bm11 A6 F#m9 Dmaj9
E|-0---0----------------------------|-------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0--| B|---7---7---7----------------------|-------9-----------0-0-0-0-0-0-0--| G|---------9------------------------|-----9---9---11----9-9-9-9-9-9-9--| D|-------------11-------------------|-9h11------11------11111111111111-| A|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Verse 1
Bm11 A6 Dm[F#m9
Bm11 A6 F#m9
Dmaj9
Bm11 A6
F#m9 Dmaj9
Bm11 A6
F#m9 Dmaj9
Chorus 1
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 Esu[A5
Interlude 2
Bm11 A6 F#m9 Dmaj9
E|-0---0----------------------------|-------12----12-------------------| B|---7---7---7----------------------|---------9---10-------------------| G|---------9------------------------|-----9-----9-9--------------------| D|-------------11-------------------|-9h11--------11-------------------| A|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Bm11 A6 F#m9 Dmaj9
E|-0---0----------------------------|-------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0--| B|---7---7---7----------------------|-------9-----------0-0-0-0-0-0-0--| G|---------9------------------------|-----9---9---11----9-9-9-9-9-9-9--| D|-------------11-------------------|-9h11------11------11111111111111-| A|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Verse 2
Bm11 A6 Dm[F#m9
Bm11 A6 F#m9
Dmaj9
Bm11 A6
F#m9 Dmaj9
Bm11 A6
F#m9 Dmaj9
Chorus 2
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 B5 E[D5
Asus2 E5 F#5 E[A5
Bridge 1
F#m11 G6
E|-------------------------0-0-0-0--|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| B|-------------------------0-0-0-0--|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| G|-6-----6-6-6-6-----6-6-9-9-9-9-9--|-7-----7-7-7-7-----7-7-7-7-7-7-7--| D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| A|-4-----4-4-4-4-----4-4-7-7-7-7-7--|-5-----5-5-5-5-----5-5-5-5-5-5-5--| E|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
F#m11 G6
E|-------------------------0-0-0-0--|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| B|-------------------------0-0-0-0--|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| G|-6-----6-6-6-6-----6-6-9-9-9-9-9--|-7-----7-7-7-7-----7-7-7-7-7-7-7--| D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| A|-4-----4-4-4-4-----4-4-7-7-7-7-7--|-5-----5-5-5-5-----5-5-5-5-5-5-5--| E|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
F#m11
E|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| B|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| G|-6-----6-6-6-6-----6-6-9-9-9-9-9--| D|----------------------------------| A|-4-----4-4-4-4-----4-4-7-7-7-7-7--| E|----------------------------------| 1 2 3 4
G6
E|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| B|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| G|-7-----7-7-7-7-----12121212121212-| D|----------------------------------| A|-5-----5-5-5-5-----10101010101010-| E|----------------------------------| 1 2 3 4
F#m11
E|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| B|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| G|-6-----6-6-6-6-----6-6-9-9-9-9-9--| D|----------------------------------| A|-4-----4-4-4-4-----4-4-7-7-7-7-7--| E|----------------------------------| 1 2 3 4
G6
E|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| B|-------------------------0-0-0-0--| G|-7---7-7-7-1212----12121212121212-| D|----------------------------------| A|-5---5-5-5-1010----10101010101010-| E|----------------------------------| 1 2 3 4
Outro 1
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 Esu[A5
Asus2 E5 B5 D5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4
Asus2 E5 B5 E[D5
Asus2 E5 F#5 A5 Esus4 A5
From the album
Morning View
Incubus · 2001 · Track 3