Gibbard has been actively writing, recording and releasing music since 1994, when he graduated from Olypmic High School. He appeared as a guest on Jimmy Tamborello's (his Postal Service collaborator) Dntel album entitled Life is Full of Possibilities (2001) - Specifically, he contributed vocals to the song "(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan.". In addition, played bass for the band Pedro the Lion on their 2000 tour, and he played drums on the song 'Carparts' for The Long Winters' 2002 album, "The Worst You Can Do Is Harm." He has also released a split EP with Andrew Kenny (of American Analog Set) in the Home Series on the Post-Parlo record label on March 30, 2004. Styrofoam's 2004 album Nothing's Lost features Gibbard's vocals on the track "Couches in Alleys." Additionally, Ben contributed vocals to a song (Handle With Care) on Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis's side project Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins's album, Rabbit Fur Coat.
Gibbard will make his acting debut in the film "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men," an adaptation of David Foster Wallace's collection of short stories. Actor John Krasinski (NBC's "The Office") wrote the screenplay and directed the film.
Dream Song
Ben Gibbard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pacing around in the moonlight
Because these same dreams won't let him be
The cameras photographs everything
That he's been burying down beneath
And show him what he don't wanna see
His thoughts racing, eyes stuck open wide
Tossing and turning through the night, oh the night
He has this one where he's being pursued
By every woman he ever knew
But at first grasp he wakes and gasps
He watches her laying there sound asleep
Wonders who's chasing her through her dreams
And when they do if it scares her too
He counts the hours creeping by
His thoughts racing, eyes open wide
Tossing and turning through the night, oh the night
And oh how he needs to get some sleep
But who waits down there so deep
Leaves him shaking him at the knees, it seems
He counts the hours creeping by
His thoughts racing, eyes open wide
Tossing and turning through the night, the night
And oh how he needs to get some sleep
But who waits down there so deep
Leaves him shaking him at the knees, it seems
The song “Dream Song” by Ben Gibbard is a hauntingly beautiful depiction of the nightmares and fears that plague a person's mind during sleepless nights. The lyrics in the first verse paint a picture of someone who cannot escape these “same dreams” that repeatedly haunt them. The individual paces around the moonlit room, restless and unable to find peace. The second verse takes on a more voyeuristic tone, suggesting the subject is aware of being watched and photographed while hiding something important.
Gibbard then shifts back to the singer's nightmares, describing one particular dream where he is pursued by every woman he ever knew. This fear and unease are emphasized in the way he gasps upon waking from the dream. Despite his own haunting dreams, he thinks of others and wonders who might be chasing them in their sleep. He then describes a sense of terror that waits for him "down there so deep," leaving him "shaking at the knees." It is unclear whether this fear is related to the person's dreams or something else entirely.
The lyrics of the song beautifully capture the universal experience of struggling to sleep when tormented by anxieties and fears. The repetition of the lines “He counts the hours creeping by / His thoughts racing, eyes open wide / Tossing and turning through the night, the night” emphasizes the singer's restlessness and lack of peace. The song's meaning is open to interpretation as it speaks to the different types of fears and anxieties that impact us all.
Line by Line Meaning
He's been waking all through the night
He has not been able to sleep peacefully and has been waking up multiple times at night.
Pacing around in the moonlight
He is restless and keeps moving around his room at night.
Because these same dreams won't let him be
He keeps having recurring dreams that do not let him sleep in peace.
The cameras photographs everything
He is conscious of his every action, and it is being captured by some unknown entity.
That he's been burying down beneath
He has been suppressing some feelings or thoughts and not addressing them.
And show him what he don't wanna see
The photos show him things that he intentionally tries to ignore or avoid seeing.
He counts the hours creeping by
He is impatiently waiting for time to pass and for morning to arrive.
His thoughts racing, eyes stuck open wide
His mind is active, and he is unable to calm his thoughts, leading to wide-open eyes and lack of sleep.
Tossing and turning through the night, oh the night
He is struggling to get comfortable and is unable to find a suitable sleeping position because of his restlessness.
He has this one where he's being pursued
He has a particular dream where he is followed or chased by someone or something.
By every woman he ever knew
In this specific dream, all the women he has ever encountered are the ones chasing him.
But at first grasp he wakes and gasps
He wakes up abruptly when he feels like the dream has become a reality.
He watches her laying there sound asleep
He sees someone he cares about resting peacefully in bed next to him.
Wonders who's chasing her through her dreams
He wonders who might be chasing his loved one in her dreams and whether it is affecting her peace of mind.
And when they do if it scares her too
He is concerned if his loved one's dreams are disturbing her and causing her to feel scared.
And oh how he needs to get some sleep
He is desperately in need of rest and sleep.
But who waits down there so deep
There is something causing him fear and anxiety, something that he is not able to overcome easily.
Leaves him shaking him at the knees, it seems
He is intimidated and nervous, to the point where it is affecting his physical state, causing him to shake at the knees.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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