Hey, Mr Dreamseller, where have you been?
Tell me, have you dreams I can see?
I came along, just to bring you this song
Can you spare one dream for me?

You won't have met me, and you'll soon forget
So don't mind me tugging at your sleeve
I'm asking you if I can fix a rendezvous
For your dreams are all I believe

Meet me on the corner when the lights are coming on
And I'll be there, I promise I'll be there
Down the empty streets we'll disappear until the dawn
If you have dreams enough to share

Lay down your bundles of rags and reminders
And spread your wares on the ground
Well, I've got time, if you deal in rhyme
I'm just hanging around

Meet me on the corner when the lights are coming on
And I'll be there, I promise I'll be there
Down the empty streets we'll disappear until the dawn
If you have dreams enough to share

Hey, Mr Dreamseller, where have you been?
Tell me, have you dreams I can see?
I came along, just to bring you this song
Can you spare one dream for me?

Overall Meaning

In Lindisfarne's song "Meet Me on the Corner", the singer is addressing a "dream seller" who he encountered. The dream seller is asked if he has any dreams to share with the singer. The singer hopes that by sharing dreams, they can make a quick connection. Throughout the song, the singer makes repeated attempts to meet the dream seller on the corner on the street. The lyrics suggest a longing for connection, companionship, and dreams that are not solely focused on material wealth or possessions.

The chorus is a hopeful moment where the singer implores the dream seller to meet him on the corner. It is a simple and almost innocent request for meaningful human interaction. The singer is willing to lay aside his past regrets and share some time with the dream seller in the hopes of achieving a small respite from life's hardships.

Interestingly, the song was inspired by two street performers whom the lead singer of Lindisfarne, Alan Hull, encountered. Hull asked the performers if he could buy one of their songs for his own use. They declined, so Hull changed the lyrics slightly and turned it into "Meet Me on the Corner." The song was written in the 1970s and became a hit in the UK, reaching the top 5 on the charts at the time.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey mister dream seller
The singer is addressing someone they believe can sell them dreams

Where have you been.
The singer is asking where the dream seller has been previously

Tell me have you dreams I can see?
The singer is requesting to see the dreams the seller has to offer

I came along, just to bring you this song
The artist has brought a song to the dream seller as an offering or tribute

Can you spare one dream for me?
The artist is asking the dream seller to give them one of their dreams

You won't have met me
The singer believes the dream seller will not remember them

And you'll soon forget.
The singer believes that the dream seller will forget them quickly

So don't mind me tugging at your sleeve.
The artist acknowledges that they are bothering the dream seller

I'm asking you,
The artist is making a request of the dream seller

If I can fix a rendezvous,
The artist is asking if they can make an appointment with the dream seller

For your dreams are all I believe.
The singer places great value on the dreams the seller has to offer

[Chorus] Meet me on the corner, When the lights are coming on, And I'll be there. I promise I'll be there. Down the empty streets, We'll disappear into the dawn, If you have dreams enough to share.
The artist is suggesting a specific time and place for them to meet and suggesting that they can disappear together if the dream seller has enough dreams to share

Lay down your bundles, Of rags and reminders, And spread your wears on the ground.
The singer is suggesting that the dream seller should lay down their possessions and sell their dreams instead

Well I've got time, If you're dealing mine, I'm just hanging around.
The singer is indicating that they have time to wait for the dream seller and are interested in what the seller has to offer

[Chorus] Meet me on the corner, When the lights are coming on, And I'll be there. I promise I'll be there. Down the empty streets, We'll disappear into the dawn, If you have dreams enough to share.
The singer is repeating their invitation to meet and disappear together if the dream seller has enough dreams to share

Hey mister dream seller
The artist is again addressing the dream seller

Where have you been.
The artist is asking again where the dream seller has been previously

Tell me have you dreams I can see?
The singer is again requesting to see the dreams the seller has to offer

I came along, just to bring you this song
The singer is repeating that they brought the song as an offering to the dream seller

Can you spare one dream for me?
The artist is again asking the dream seller to give them one of their dreams

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