By the Heartbreaker sessions, the original lineup was fractured. Founding bassist Andy Fraser had left, and Kossoff’s unreliability led the band to bring in keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick and session guitarist "Snuffy" Walden as "studio insurance".
To foster a sense of the "communal vibe" that was slipping away, Rodgers gave songwriting credit for the track to the entire group, even though it was primarily his composition. Free - Wishing Well
Although the lead guitar on the track is unmistakably Kossoff's signature soulful style, he remained uncredited on the original single release due to the band’s frustration with his addiction. By the Heartbreaker sessions, the original lineup was
Rodgers has offered conflicting accounts over the years, sometimes calling it a song about an "imaginary person" or "unconsciously" about people he knew, while others, like drummer Simon Kirke, have maintained its direct connection to Kossoff. Recording Amidst Chaos Although the lead guitar on the track is
The "wishing well" is often viewed as a metaphor for having "one foot in the grave," symbolizing a state of stagnant hopelessness where one wishes for change but remains stuck.