I Wish

Album: Up All Night (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This ode to jealousy in the face of "the other man" was penned by X Factor vocal coach Kotecha and Swedish songwriters Carl Falk and Rami Yacoub. They are the same trio who also penned One Direction's singles, "What Makes You Beautiful" and "One Thing."
  • Falk told Examiner.com how the ballad came to be written: "All of the songs that we do have kind of a signature guitar riff to them," he said. "It was the same thing with 'I Wish.' We just started to play around with some chords, and the riff came up, and we found the melody.

    That was a bit of a trick to make the chorus really lift… But it came more from singing and playing than 'mathematic songwriting.' I played the guitar; the other guys [Yacoub and Kotecha] just sang it. And we came up with the song that way."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.

Name the Character in the Song

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Little Richard

Little RichardFact or Fiction

Was Long Tall Sally a cross-dresser? Did he really set his piano on fire? See if you know the real stories about one of rock's greatest innovators.