Apart from his solo career, Anderson formed the duo NxWorries in 2015 with record producer Knxwledge. He is frequently accompanied by the band Free Nationals, who play a variety of instruments, such as electric guitar, bass, piano, keyboards and drums, and also serve as backing vocalists. In 2021, he formed the duo Silk Sonic with fellow singer-songwriter Bruno Mars. The duo's debut single, "Leave the Door Open", became Anderson's first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Dreamer
Anderson .Paak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And if I can find a balance between it, that's where I find my satisfaction
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, (yeah, huh) keep dreaming
I'm on my fifth brew and my rents due
Sixth and west roof
I can see it all
Hold on to my head, that's my little dude
Look at Kenzo swaggin' like his paw
One for the occasion and get ya good suit
Fuck your reservation
Bitch, I brought 'em all
Look at where you came from, californication
Since a little baby skating in boogie boards
And raiding your cookie jar, my radio analog
I wanted them Nikes
Mama got me Lugz, and all
This one's for all the little dreamers
And the ones who never gave a fuck
I'm a product of the tube and the free lunch
Living room, watching old reruns
And who cares your daddy couldn't be here?
Mama always kept the cable on
I'm a product of the tube and the free lunch
Living room, watching old reruns
One for the occasion
Fuck your reservation
Call up all the haters, it's official
Californication, ever since a baby
Radio and the cable
I got the dish, too, and all
This one's for all the little dreamers
And the ones who never gave a fuck
I'm a product of the tube and the free lunch
Living room, watching old reruns
And who cares your daddy couldn't be here?
Mama always kept the cable on
I'm a product of the tube and the free lunch
Living room, watching old reruns
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
This one's for all the little dreamers
I'm a product of the tube and the free lunch
And who cares your daddy couldn't be here?
I'm a product of the tube and the free lunch
This is the music that you gotta feel
Gave you the truth before I got a deal
No rabbit in a hat, it ain't no magic, ain't no Copperfield
More like a panther, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale
Word to the free lunch, who knew what we would become?
Who would be defunct? Which rumors would be debunked?
Yeah, this is the music that you gotta feel
Yeah, gave you the truth before I got a deal
No rabbit in a hat, it ain't no magic, ain't no Copperfield
More like a panther, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale
Word to the free lunch, who knew what we would become?
Who would be defunct? Which rumors would be debunked?
Used to be scared of all my fears
'Till I woke up from this nightmare
Now what become of a dream deferred
Now until we leave this earth
The music make your speakers burst
I always put my people first
It's deep how when I speak they say
I'm preaching like I lead a church
No proper opposition, competition gonna need a nurse
My job as an artist is making miracles
To show you how to struggle poetic and make it lyrical
Crystallize the thought to make it clear to you
And make the revolution irresistible
This one's for all the little dreamers
And the ones who never gave a fuck
I'm a product of the tube and the free lunch
Living room, watching old reruns
And who cares your daddy couldn't be here?
Mama always kept the cable on
I'm a product of the tube and the free lunch
Living room, watching old reruns
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Oh my gosh stop, you guys calm down
In Anderson .Paak's song "The Dreamer," he expresses his appreciation for both old and new music, and how he finds satisfaction in balancing between the two. He also urges listeners to not stop dreaming, repeating the phrase "Don't stop now, keep dreaming" throughout the song. He then goes on to recount his personal journey and upbringing, referencing moments like his fifth beer and overdue rent, but also touching on his humble beginnings where he would watch old reruns on the free cable his mother always kept on. He emphasizes that he is a product of his environment and upbringing, but is also determined to make something of himself as an artist.
Overall, "The Dreamer" is a song that encourages listeners to pursue their dreams and aspirations, while also paying homage to the struggles and obstacles that come with it. Anderson .Paak speaks from his own experiences, acknowledging his challenges and setbacks, but ultimately showing resilience and determination to succeed.
Line by Line Meaning
I enjoy some of the old and I enjoy the new
I like both old and new things in life
And if I can find a balance between it, that's where I find my satisfaction
I am happy when I can balance both the old and new things in my life
Don't stop now, keep dreaming
Continue to have hope and pursue your dreams
I'm on my fifth brew and my rents due
I am drinking my fifth beer and the rent is due
Sixth and west roof, I can see it all
From my rooftop on Sixth and West, I have a good view of everything around me
Hold on to my head, that's my little dude
I am holding on to my own head because I call myself little dude, as if I'm referring to a younger version of myself
Look at Kenzo swaggin' like his paw
Kenzo, my dog, is walking with a confident stride, just like his father would do
One for the occasion and get ya good suit
Buy a nice suit for special events
Fuck your reservation, Bitch, I brought 'em all
I don't need a reservation to enjoy myself, I brought all the people I wanted with me
Look at where you came from, californication
Remember where you came from, like growing up in California
Since a little baby skating in boogie boards
I have been skateboarding on boogie boards since I was very young
And raiding your cookie jar, my radio analog
I used to take cookies from your jar and listen to music on an old radio
I wanted them Nikes, Mama got me Lugz, and all
I wanted a popular brand of shoes, but my mom got me a different brand instead
This one's for all the little dreamers
This song is dedicated to all the people who have dreams
And the ones who never gave a fuck
It's also dedicated to people who don't care or are not afraid to fail
Living room, watching old reruns
I used to spend my time in the living room watching old TV shows
And who cares your daddy couldn't be here?
It doesn't matter if your father is not around
Mama always kept the cable on
My mother always made sure we had cable TV
This is the music that you gotta feel
My music is about feeling and emotion
Gave you the truth before I got a deal
I was honest in my music before getting a recording contract
No rabbit in a hat, it ain't no magic, ain't no Copperfield
My music is not a trick, it's not an illusion, it's the real deal
More like a panther, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale
My music is strong and powerful, much like the panther and the Black Panther Party leaders Huey Newton and Bobby Seale
Word to the free lunch, who knew what we would become?
I acknowledge and appreciate the free lunch I received as a child and wonder where it has led me
Who would be defunct? Which rumors would be debunked?
I'm not sure which of my critics or doubters have been proven wrong over time
Used to be scared of all my fears
I used to be afraid of the things that scared me
'Till I woke up from this nightmare
But I have since realized that those fears were just a bad dream
Now what become of a dream deferred
Now I'm wondering what has happened to the dream that I put on hold or set aside
Now until we leave this earth
From now until we die
The music make your speakers burst
My music is powerful and dynamic enough to make your speakers go crazy
It's deep how when I speak they say I'm preaching like I lead a church
People say I sound like a preacher when I speak because of the conviction and passion in my voice
No proper opposition, competition gonna need a nurse
I am so strong that anyone who competes with me will need medical attention
My job as an artist is making miracles
As an artist, it's my job to create something extraordinary
To show you how to struggle poetic and make it lyrical
I will share my struggles in a poetic and musical way to inspire you
Crystallize the thought to make it clear to you
I want to make my message clear and easy to understand
And make the revolution irresistible
I want my music and message to inspire a movement for change
Oh my gosh stop, you guys calm down
This is a sudden and unexpected interruption to the lyrics
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brandon Paak Anderson, Harry Palmer, Matthew Louis Merisola, Talib Kweli Greene
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SteveTheMovieGuy1
Well, you know, I'm a 56 year old white man from England, i.e. far outside Mr Paak's target demographic, but I have to say this is by far the best album I've heard in years. Proof that great music just cuts right across all boundaries.
@Kayla-nh5lr
👍👍☺☺
@ferenczidaniel
I'm from Hungary and I have to agree with you.
I don't know what is it like to live in Cali and live the life this guy lived, but when I am listening to his songs I feel like I can identify with him.
This guy is GREAT!
@dusanjanovsky4157
I wish I got my 55 years old dad listen to this masterpiece. Great comment anyway, makes me believe I will have a taste for good new music in those years as well :)
@SolarSanchez1
ferenczidaniel I never been in Cali, but this type of music makes a teletransportation or something. I agree
@michellecote1652
37 year old woman raised on punk - heard this in an Uber and it's in heavy rotation now. Genres and generations don't matter when the music is good.
@bellasvanlife
I'm 61. My mom was a single white mom raising two biracial girls in a predominantly black community. She worked three jobs. She passed 15 years ago. Her birthday is next week. This song just makes me cry. I miss her. I have played this song at least 50 times.
@sanomcfly2589
I was boardline suicidal and hear this song that brought my heart back to my childhood and gave me the inspiration I needed to keep life going. Big s/o to the homie anderson
@MegaGreatpretender
Nice, love you my man ! It’s off the charts for sure … so check - here I come with a official stance . You leaving ain’t no good - you need to hold on, we need u holding on - who’s cares ? The music u gotta feel… no magic no copper field … hold yourself… I love u ! I’m a product of re runs
@mamasaidknockyouout
<3 don't stop now brother <3