In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came
That voice which calls to me and speaks my name
And do I dream again? For now I find
'The Phantom of the Opera' is there inside my mind

Sing once again with me our strange duet
My power over you grows stronger yet
And though you turn from me to glance behind
'The Phantom of the Opera' is there inside your mind

Those who have seen your face draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear, it's me they hear
Your spirit and my voice in one combined
'The Phantom of the Opera' is there inside my mind

'The Phantom of the Opera'
'The Phantom of the Opera'

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Me First and the Gimme Gimmes's Phantom of the Opera describe the eerie and haunting presence of the titular character, who invades the dreams of the singer. The lines, "In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came" and "that voice which calls me and speaks my name" hint at the phantom's power to infiltrate the mind of the singer, manifesting in her dreams. The singer, uncertain if she is dreaming again or if the phantom is actually there, realizes that the phantom has taken up residence inside her mind, represented by the repeated refrain of "The Phantom of the Opera".

The second verse of the song speaks directly to the singer's relationship with the phantom- the line "my power over you grows stronger yet" implies that the phantom is manipulating and controlling the singer's thoughts, and the line "those who have seen your face draw back in fear" alludes to the physical, disfigured appearance of the phantom which is a source of horror for many. The singer, however, is compelled to sing a "strange duet" with the phantom, indicating her inability to escape his grasp even as she is aware of the danger he poses. The last line of the verse, "The Phantom of the Opera is there inside your mind", once again emphasizes the overpowering presence of the phantom in the singer's consciousness.

In the last section of the lyrics, the phantom himself speaks, revealing that the singer is the mask he wears, and that it is his voice that is intertwined with her spirit. This could be interpreted in multiple ways- it could be a metaphor for the phantom's control over the singer, or it could be interpreted as a statement about the singer's own inner demons which the phantom represents. The song ends with the repeated chorus of "The Phantom of the Opera", reinforcing the fact that the phantom is an ever-present force in the singer's life.

Line by Line Meaning

In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came
The Phantom of the Opera haunts me while I sleep, his voice echoing in my mind even in my dreams

That voice which calls to me and speaks my name
His voice is like a siren call, pulling me in and saying my name as if he knows me intimately

And do I dream again? For now I find
I wonder if what I am experiencing is a dream or reality, because it feels so vivid and real

'The Phantom of the Opera' is there inside my mind
The Phantom has invaded my thoughts and is now a constant presence in my mind

Sing once again with me our strange duet
The Phantom seeks me out to recreate our eerie, ethereal music together

My power over you grows stronger yet
The Phantom revels in his control over me and his power grows each time we sing together

And though you turn from me to glance behind
Even when I try to escape or resist him, I cannot help but look back at the haunting figure of the Phantom

'The Phantom of the Opera' is there inside your mind
His hold over me is so strong that he is permanently etched into my thoughts

Those who have seen your face draw back in fear
Others who have witnessed the strange and unsettling bond between myself and the Phantom are terrified of him

I am the mask you wear, it's me they hear
The Phantom is the true force behind my public persona, and it is his voice that everyone hears

Your spirit and my voice in one combined
There is a deep connection between my soul and the Phantom's voice, as if we are one being when we perform together

'The Phantom of the Opera'
The central figure of this song and the one who haunts the artist and controls their every thought and action

'The Phantom of the Opera'
Repeating the title of the song, emphasizing just how much the Phantom has taken over the singer's life and thoughts

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Mike Batt, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Richard Stilgoe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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