Wish I Could Fly

"Wish I Could Fly" is an orchestral pop ballad which contains elements of electronica. According to the liner notes of the duo's 2002 compilation The Ballad Hits, the song was written by Per Gessle as an experiment to "see how a drum machine loop would fit with a big orchestra, but it quickly evolved into something more substantial."[1] Vocalist Marie Fredriksson has described it as a "very special song to me. One of my all-time favourite Roxette songs. I never get tired of this."[2] A Spanish-language version of the song, titled "Quisiera volar", was included as a bonus track on deluxe edition versions of Have a Nice Day.[3]

According to Ultimate Guitar, "Wish I Could Fly" has a moderately slow tempo of 80 beats per minute. The song is composed around a complex, orchestra-performed chord progression, however, its basic chord structure consists of four repetitions of an A♯–F–Gm–A♯–C sequence during the introduction. Each verse is composed of four repetitions of a Gm–A♯–C sequence, followed by a chorus consisting of F–Dm–Gm–C–F–D♯–A♯–C. The bridge is made up of three progressions of G–C–G–D, followed by two short progressions of a Dm–F–G sequence, while the outro is based around three elongated bars of Cm–D♯–F.[4]

Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet stated that the song "sounds modern but at the same time classic Roxette".[5] AllMusic editor Jason Damas described it as "excellent pop" in his review of Have a Nice Day.[6] Birmingham Evening Mail commented, "Marie Fredricksson and Per Gessle, once considered the hottest thing out of Sweden since Abba and Volvo, are back with their first new release for four years. It's a simple song, a beautiful ballad with a big production, that's unmistakeably Roxette."[7] Dagens Nyheter called it a "complete with Portishead loops and finger-in-the-air arrangement."[8] Hege I. Hanssen from Norwegian newspaper Nordlys noted it as a "classic Roxette-song",[9] while Brendon Veevers from Renowned for Sound said it is "classic Roxette balladry".[10] Sunday Mirror commented, "Yes, the Swedish rock gods are back! With the same haircuts, the same sound and the same fans. A hit then."[11]

The song became a sizable hit for the duo, peaking within the top thirty of numerous record charts throughout Europe and ending 1999 as the most-played song on European radio.[12] The single charted highest in Hungary, where it reached number one and in the duo's native Sweden, reaching number four;[13] it was certified gold in the latter country for shipments in excess of 25,000,[14] and it was also certified gold in Italy for shipments of 15,000 units.[15] The single reached the top ten in Finland,[16] Iceland[17] and Italy,[18] the top twenty in Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Switzerland,[19][20][21] and the top thirty in Germany, the Netherlands, and the Polish Airplay Chart.[22][23][24] It peaked within the top twenty of Billboard's European Hot 100 Singles.[25]

Roxette performed the song at numerous high-profile events in the UK, including the annual televised Party in the Park concert at London's Hyde Park, and on BBC One's Top of the Pops.[26] "Wish I Could Fly" peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart, making it their highest-charting single in the country since "Almost Unreal" reached number seven in 1993, although it would also prove to be their final top forty hit in the UK.[27] Similarly, the song peaked at number 11 on the singles charts of both Austria and Spain, also peaking at number one on the Spanish Airplay Chart.[28][29] It became the duo's first single since "The Big L." in 1992 to enter the French Singles Chart, albeit spending six weeks on the chart and peaking at number 80.[30]

While Have a Nice Day was not released in the United States, an updated and repackaged edition of their 1995 compilation Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! Roxette's Greatest Hits was released there in September 2000 by Edel Records.[3] This new edition of the compilation included "Wish I Could Fly" and subsequent single "Stars", with the former being serviced to adult contemporary radio formats from July 2000.[12] The song went on to peak at number 27 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart, and at number forty on Adult Top 40.[31][32]

The music video of the song was directed by long-time collaborator Jonas Åkerlund, and consists of a compilation of brief shots of different people's lives, prominently featuring Marie alone in her apartment yearning for a missed lover. Shots are sequenced through a moving spotlight that shines through the darkness, illuminating scenes of lovers sleeping or having sex, prostitutes, streets, buses and metro stations, as well as various inanimate objects. In one of those shots, we see Per with his one year old son Gabriel.[33][34] The video was published on YouTube in November 2010. By November 2020, it has been viewed over 10,2 million times.[35]

All songs written by Per Gessle.

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Ballad Hits.[1]

• Recorded at Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden in January 1998 and El Cortijo Studios in Marbella, Spain in March 1998.
• Mixed by Marie Fredriksson, Per Gessle, Michael Ilbert and Clarence Öfwerman at Mono Music, Stockholm.

Musicians

• Marie Fredriksson – lead and background vocals and production
• Per Gessle – background vocals, acoustic guitar, string arrangements and production
• Micke "Nord" Andersson – twelve string acoustic and Rickenbacker guitars
• Michael Ilbert – programming, engineering, string arrangements and production
• Jonas Isacsson – additional bass guitar
• Christer Jansson – tom-toms and cymbals
• Christoffer Lundquist – background vocals and extended-range bass
• Clarence Öfwerman – keyboards, programming and production
• Mats "MP" Persson – string arrangements
• Stockholms Nya Kammarorkester (credited as SNYKO) – strings

• Wish I Could Fly (3 tracks) at MusicBrainz
• Wish I Could Fly (3 tracks, UK) at MusicBrainz
• Wish I Could Fly (4 tracks, remixes) at MusicBrainz
• Wish I Could Fly (4 tracks, remixes, UK) at MusicBrainz
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics