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Innocent When You Dream
Tom Waits Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The bats are in the belfry
The dew is on the moor
Where are the arms that held me
And pledged her love before?
And pledged her love before

And it's such a sad old feeling
All the fields are soft and green
It's memories that I'm stealing
But you're innocent when you dream
When you dream
You're innocent when you dream, when you dream
You're innocent when you dream

I made a golden promise
That we would never part
I gave my love a locket
And then I broke her heart
And then I broke her heart

And it's such a sad old feeling
All of the fields are soft and green
And it's memories that I'm stealing
But you're innocent when you dream
When you dream
You're innocent when you dream, when you dream
You're innocent when you dream

We're running through the graveyard
And we laughed, my friends and I
We swore we'd be together
Until the day we died
Until the day we died

And it's such a sad old feeling
All of the fields are soft and green
And it's memories that I'm stealing
But you're innocent when you dream
When you dream
You're innocent when you dream, when you dream
You're innocent when you dream

And it's such a sad old feeling
The fields are soft and green
And it's memories that I'm stealing
But you're innocent when you dream
When you dream
You're innocent when you dream, when you dream
You're innocent when you dream

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Tom Waits's song "Innocent When You Dream" can be interpreted in a variety of ways. The singer seems to be haunted by past memories of a love that is gone or a relationship that did not work out. He is seeking the arms that once held him and vowed love to him. The mood is mournful, with the bats in the belfry and the dew on the moor lending a spooky ambiance. The reference to a locket and a broken heart suggests that the singer was at fault for the relationship crumbling.


The chorus repeats that "you're innocent when you dream", perhaps suggesting that in dreams one can revisit a time before hurt or betrayal. Dreams serve as a means of escape, as the singer seeks refuge in memories of the past. The final set of lyrics introduce the singer's friends, and how they laughed and promised to stay together until the end. The mood remains melancholic and the memories remain bittersweet.


Interestingly, the lyrics of this song seem to contradict the title. While the title suggests a sense of purity or goodness, the lyrics describe feelings of sadness and regret. However, it could also be interpreted that despite the negative emotions in the lyrics, the singer still retains a sense of innocence or purity when they dream.


Line by Line Meaning

The bats are in the belfry
There is chaos and unbalance everywhere. Things are out of order and not as they should be.


The dew is on the moor
It is early morning and everything is still fresh and new. The day has not started yet.


Where are the arms that held me
The singer is missing someone who used to embrace him and make him feel safe and loved.


And pledged her love before?
This person promised to love the singer before, but something has changed, and their love is no longer present.


And it's such a sad old feeling
The singer is feeling nostalgic and sorrowful. He is reminiscing over the past and feeling regretful.


All the fields are soft and green
Everything is peaceful and tranquil in nature, adding to the nostalgic feel of the song.


It's memories that I'm stealing
The singer is reminiscing over past moments and events, almost clinging to them and never wanting to forget them.


But you're innocent when you dream
In dreaming, we are free to be whoever we want to be and pursue whatever we desire. We are in a pure and innocent state where anything is possible.


I made a golden promise
The singer made a promise to someone that he would never leave them, but he broke that promise.


That we would never part
The person that the singer made the promise to was someone he was committed to and wanted to be with always.


I gave my love a locket
The singer gave someone he loved a locket, a symbol of his love and devotion to that person.


And then I broke her heart
Despite his promises and love, the singer hurt the person he cared for and left them feeling heartbroken.


We're running through the graveyard
The singer and his friends are indulging in reckless behavior, running through a graveyard and tossing all barriers aside.


And we laughed, my friends and I
Despite the surroundings and circumstances, the singer and his friends are still finding joy and happiness in each other's company.


We swore we'd be together
The singer and his friends made a commitment to one another that they would stay together no matter what happened.


Until the day we died
This commitment was so strong that even death would not separate them.


The fields are soft and green
The peaceful and tranquil nature of the fields is being reiterated, perhaps to emphasize the fleeting nature of life and how quickly it can change.


You're innocent when you dream
Once again, the idea of dreams being a place of innocence and freedom from the constraints of reality is being reinforced. Dreams are a safe haven for our most hopeful and pure thoughts.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, JALMA MUSIC
Written by: THOMAS A. WAITS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@samludgin5363

first head this when i was 15. ever since, its haunted me. its one of the most memorable songs ive ever heard. it literally haunts me at least once or twice a week. who else can write such a tune.

@maramarxx2431

And it's the ending song of the wonderful movie 'Smoke' . If not seen, you must. You'll cry.

@MrFaello

Dad, that's for you. Wherever you are ! ❤

@himagine.

Merry Xmas.
and
Have a great new year.

@christopherpesqueira1439

I remember that a bottle of whiskey went well with this gem. Salud!

@nramdeen1

I've been looking for this song for years. Finally found it in May 2022. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

@Leo-qe3gl

Song is 10/10 😌

@antoniolagioia5882

Artista unico e generoso.
Sa dare tutto ai suoi ascoltatori.
Lo dico io che non conosco l’inglese.
Per cui se fa vibrare sentimenti di commozione lo si deve ad un’arte arcana e immanente.

@stephendonnelly327

Make a golden promise and keep it. Love this song. Auggie's story in Smoke. Perfect cast, perfect film.

@elifebasics6405

Totally never gets old for me...so real..amazing Tom Waits

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