John O' Dreams
Arcady Lyrics


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When midnight comes and people homeward tread,
Seek out your blanket and your feathered bed,
Home comes the rover, his journey's over
Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams
Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams.

Across the hill the sun has gone astray
Tomorrows cares are many dreams away
The stars are flying, your candle's dying
Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams
Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams.

Both man and master in the night are one
All things are equal when the day is done
The prince and the ploughman, the slave the free man
All find their comfort in old John O'Dreams
All find their comfort in old John O'Dreams.

When sleep it comes the dreams come running clear
The hawks of morning cannot reach you here
Sleep is a river, flow on for ever




And for your boatman choose old John O'Dreams
Yes for your boatman choose old John O'Dreams.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "John O' Dreams" by Arcady convey a peaceful image of a mysterious character called "old John O'Dreams" who offers comfort and solace during the night. The song suggests that when people are tired and have completed their journeys, they surrender the night to old John O'Dreams, who can take them to a peaceful place where tomorrow's worries are far away. The singer encourages listeners to seek out their beds and give in to sleep so that they can be taken for a gentle ride on John O'Dreams' boat.


The song speaks to the innate human need for rest and a break from the busyness of daily life. "Old John O'Dreams" is portrayed as a magical entity who can temporarily free us from our troubles and take us on a journey through our dreams. The concept of sleep as a river that flows on forever is beautifully illustrated in the lyrics, with the boatman being none other than old John O'Dreams. The idea that sleep is a river we can flow on is a lovely metaphor for the idea of sleep as an escape from the burdens of the world.


Line by Line Meaning

When midnight comes and people homeward tread,
As the night deepens and people return to their homes,


Seek out your blanket and your feathered bed,
Find your cozy blankets and comfortable bed,


Home comes the rover, his journey's over
The traveler returns home, his journey is finished,


Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams
Relinquish the night to the old man of dreams,


Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams.
Relinquish the night to the old man of dreams.


Across the hill the sun has gone astray
Over the hills, the sun has set,


Tomorrows cares are many dreams away
Worries of tomorrow remain distant and far away,


The stars are flying, your candle's dying
The stars move quickly in the sky, while your candle burns low,


Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams
Relinquish the night to the old man of dreams,


Yield up the night time to old John O'Dreams.
Relinquish the night to the old man of dreams.


Both man and master in the night are one
In the night, both the common man and the master are equal,


All things are equal when the day is done
At the end of the day, all is equal,


The prince and the ploughman, the slave the free man
Regardless of status, all find comfort in the old man of dreams,


All find their comfort in old John O'Dreams
All find their solace in the old man of dreams,


All find their comfort in old John O'Dreams.
All find their solace in the old man of dreams.


When sleep it comes the dreams come running clear
When sleep finally arrives, dreams become vivid and clear,


The hawks of morning cannot reach you here
The worries of the next day can't bother you here,


Sleep is a river, flow on for ever
Sleep is like a river that flows forever,


And for your boatman choose old John O'Dreams
And for your guide, choose the old man of dreams,


Yes for your boatman choose old John O'Dreams.
Yes, for your guide, choose the old man of dreams.




Writer(s): arcady

Contributed by Jake D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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