Claude-Miche… Read Full Bio ↴Alain Boublil is a librettist, born in Tunisia in 1941.
Claude-Michel Schönberg (born July 6, 1944 in Vannes, France) is a French record producer, actor, singer, popular songwriter, and musical theatre composer.
They are best known for their collaborations, these include:
La Révolution Française (1973)
Les Misérables (1980)
Miss Saigon (1989)
Martin Guerre (1996)
The Pirate Queen (2006)
Marguerite (2008)
I Dreamed A Dream
Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There was a time when men were kind,
And their voices were soft,
And their words inviting.
There was a time when love was blind,
And the world was a song,
And the song was exciting.
There was a time when it all went wrong...
I dreamed a dream in time gone by,
When hope was high and life, worth living.
I dreamed that love would never die,
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.
Then I was young and unafraid,
And dreams were made and used and wasted.
There was no ransom to be paid,
No song unsung, no wine, untasted.
But the tigers come at night,
With their voices soft as thunder,
As they tear your hope apart,
And they turn your dream to shame.
He slept a summer by my side,
He filled my days with endless wonder...
He took my childhood in his stride,
But he was gone when autumn came!
And still I dream he'll come to me,
That we will live the years together,
But there are dreams that cannot be,
And there are storms we cannot weather!
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living,
So different now from what it seemed...
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed...
The song "I Dreamed A Dream" by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg tells the heartbreaking story of Fantine, a young woman who dreamed of a happy and fulfilled life before her dreams were shattered by the harsh realities of life. The opening lines of the song paint a picture of a time when men were kind and love was blind. This is followed by a reflection on the past, where Fantine dreams of a life full of hope and love that would never die, with the belief that God would be forgiving. However, as she looks back on her life, she realizes that it all went wrong.
Fantine remembers a time when she was young and unafraid, when dreams were made and used, and when the world was full of possibilities. However, this soon changed as she faced obstacles that made her realize that some dreams cannot be fulfilled. The tigers that come at night represent the challenges that Fantine faces, tearing apart her hope and turning her dreams to shame.
Fantine's tale of unfulfilled dreams is further driven home as she reflects on her past love, who slept by her side for a summer and filled her days with wonder. However, as autumn came, he was gone, leaving her to face the storms of life alone. She dreams that he will return, but as she comes to terms with her reality, she realizes that some dreams can never be fulfilled, and some storms cannot be weathered. By the end of the song, Fantine is resigned to her fate, knowing that life has killed the dream she dreamed.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a time when men were kind,
In the past, there existed an era where men were gentle and empathetic towards others.
And their voices were soft,
The tone in men's voice was calm and comforting, exuding a sense of security and trust.
And their words inviting.
The words uttered by men lured you in, creating a sense of warmth and welcoming.
When hope was high and life, worth living.
A time when optimism overshadowed all the negativity of life and breathed a sense of purpose and meaning.
I dreamed that love would never die,
Expectation of love becoming timeless and mere misunderstandings forming the obstacle.
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.
Hopefulness that God's benevolence would prevail when questioning one's life choices.
And dreams were made and used and wasted.
Time passing by and mundane life responsibilities leading to forgetfulness of dreams and eventually giving up on them.
There was no ransom to be paid,
Life being easy-going, with no sense of urgency or panic.
No song unsung, no wine, untasted.
The experiences that one wished to go through were experienced in full, and nothing was left incomplete.
But the tigers come at night,
Times when one is vulnerable, and negative circumstances seem to amplify.
With their voices soft as thunder,
Even though the negative thoughts echo like thunder, they come in disguise of soothing thoughts and low-voiced persuasions.
As they tear your hope apart,
Negativity eventuating into becoming the primary reason for frustration and unfulfilled dreams.
And they turn your dream to shame.
Dreams losing their real essence and eventuating into something to be ashamed of rather than cherished.
He filled my days with endless wonder...
Presence of someone who invoked the sense of endless fascination and charm.
But he was gone when autumn came!
The person who was there during the best of times left when a tough period arrived, leaving the singer alone to face it all.
That we will live the years together,
Realization and subsequent desire for spending a substantial amount of time with the desired companion.
But there are dreams that cannot be,
Some dreams, no matter how enchanting, can't become a reality due to various reasons.
And there are storms we cannot weather!
Challenges that seem insurmountable when encountered and cause distress to one's stamina and fortitude.
So different from this hell I'm living,
The always cherished and thought-to-be-attainable life that is different from the depressing and hard reality of life.
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed...
The stark reality of life destroying the expectations and hopes that one had.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind