Busby Berkeley Dreams
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
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But you're in every song I know
Whining and pining is wrong and so
On and so forth, of course of course
But no, you can't have a divorce
I haven't seen you in ages
But it's not as bleak as it seems
We still dance on whirling stages
In my Busby Berkeley dreams
The tears have stained all the pages
Of my True Romance magazines
We still dance in my outrageously beautiful
Busby Berkeley dreams
And now you want to leave me for good
I refuse to believe you could
You forget we're not made of wood
Well darling you may do your worst
Because you'll have to kill me first
I haven't seen you in ages
But it's not as bleak as it seems
We still dance on whirling stages
In my Busby Berkeley dreams
The tears have stained all the pages
Of my True Romance magazines
We still dance in my outrageously beautiful
Busby Berkeley dreams
I haven't seen you in ages
But it's not as bleak as it seems
We still dance on whirling stages
In my Busby Berkeley dreams
The tears have stained all the pages
Of my True Romance magazines
We still dance in my outrageously beautiful
Busby Berkeley dreams
Do you think it's dangerous
To have Busby Berkeley dreams?
The lyrics of The Magnetic Fields's song Busby Berkeley Dreams describe the singer's persistent longing for a lost love. The opening lines set up the theme of the song: "I should have forgotten you long ago, but you're in every song I know." Despite the lyrics' surface-level whining and pining, the song's true brilliance lies in its exploration of the power of the imagination to keep love alive. The chorus introduces the idea that the singer and their love still dance together "on whirling stages" in their "Busby Berkeley dreams," referencing the over-the-top, choreographed musical numbers popularized by Berkeley in Hollywood during the 1930s. This cleverly juxtaposes the reality of the singer's lonely life with the vivid, nostalgic world of their fantasy.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer's love is no longer present physically, but they remain a powerful presence in the singer's mind. Even their tears have "stained all the pages of [the singer's] True Romance magazines." The singer is unwilling to let go of their love, expressing, "You forget we're not made of wood / Well darling you may do your worst / Because you'll have to kill me first." The final line, "Do you think it's dangerous to have Busby Berkeley dreams?" questions the safety of this romantic, idealized world in which the singer finds their escape.
Overall, the lyrics of Busby Berkeley Dreams provide a poignant meditation on the eternal nature of love, and the ways in which we can use our imaginations to preserve it, even when reality proves otherwise.
Line by Line Meaning
I should have forgotten you long ago
I should have moved on from you a while back
But you're in every song I know
I can't escape thoughts of you, as even my favorite songs trigger memories of us
Whining and pining is wrong and so
I know it's not healthy to constantly obsess over you
On and so forth, of course of course
And so the cycle continues, I can't help but fixate on you
But no, you can't have a divorce
But despite how unhealthy it may be, I'm not ready to completely let go of our relationship
I haven't seen you in ages
It's been a long time since we've seen each other
But it's not as bleak as it seems
But it doesn't feel as bad as it probably should
We still dance on whirling stages
In my mind, we still share romantic moments and experiences together
In my Busby Berkeley dreams
And this happens in my dreams, inspired by the elaborate dance routines from classic Hollywood films
The tears have stained all the pages
All of the emotional pain has been documented
Of my True Romance magazines
In the form of magazines that often feature stories of love and heartbreak
And now you want to leave me for good
But now you're ready to completely move on from us
I refuse to believe you could
I can't imagine a world where you're no longer part of my life
You forget we're not made of wood
We're not emotionless and can't just easily brush off our feelings for each other
Well darling you may do your worst
Even if you try your hardest to leave, I won't give up on us
Because you'll have to kill me first
My love for you is that strong
Do you think it's dangerous
Is it unhealthy
To have Busby Berkeley dreams?
To cling to fantasies of a past relationship inspired by classic films
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Stephin Raymond Merritt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind