The members of The Band first worked together as The Hawks, the backing band of rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins from 1959 until 1963. Shortly afterwards, Bob Dylan came to Toronto and recruited the quintet for his history-making 1965/1966 world tour. The Band also worked with Dylan on the initial Blonde on Blonde sessions which, bar two tracks, were ultimately abandoned in favour of versions recorded with Nashville session musicians.
After a motorcycle accident in mid-1966, Dylan retreated from the public eye to his country house near Woodstock, New York. He was joined by the Band for some informal jam sessions starting in the autumn of 1967, nearly all of which were recorded. After being heavily bootleged, Columbia Records finally released The Basement Tapes in 1975, a selection of the better tracks recorded during the sessions along with new recordings by The Band.
Bob Dylan and The Band were reunited in 1974, recording Planet Waves for Asylum Records, Dylan's first album recorded for a record label other than Columbia. Although the album was released under Dylan's name alone, The Band joined Dylan for his first tour in eight years in support of Planet Waves, with some of the material recorded and released on the 1975 concert record Before the Flood.
Columbia Records finally released The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete in November 2014, featuring every surving recording from the original sessions in Woodstock.
All You Have To Do Is Dream
Bob Dylan and The Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Taste your lips of wine
Any time, night or day
Only trouble is, gee whiz
I'm dreaming my life away
Dream dream dream dream
Dream dream dream dream
All I have to do is dream
Dream dream dream dream
Dream dream dream dream
When I want you in my mind
And I need you to hold me tight
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dream
Dream dream dream dream
Dream dream dream dream
I can make you mine
Taste your lips of wine
Any time night or day
Only trouble is, gee whiz
I'm dreaming my life away
I need you so that I could die
I want you so and that is why
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dream
Dream dream dream dream
Dream dream dream dream
In Bob Dylan's song "All I Have to Do Is Dream," the singer expresses his desire for a particular person. The lyrics center around the idea of dreaming, which serves as a metaphor for the singer's longing for this person. He imagines tasting her lips like wine and dreams of being able to have her at any time, day or night. However, he realizes that it is only a dream, and expresses frustration about "dreaming his life away."
The lyrics are emblematic of the themes found throughout Dylan's work. Throughout his career, Dylan has consistently focused on issues of desire, longing, and regret. His songs often include a sense of yearning for something more, whether it is love, freedom, or some other kind of fulfillment. "All I Have to Do Is Dream" is no exception - it is a bittersweet song about wanting something so badly that it is painful.
Overall, "All I Have to Do Is Dream" is a powerful song that speaks to the human experience of longing and desire. It is a testament to Dylan's ability to capture complex emotions in simple, straightforward lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
I can make you mine
I can possess you
Taste your lips of wine
Experience the sweet pleasure of your kiss
Any time, night or day
At any time, regardless of day or night
Only trouble is, gee whiz
The only obstacle is, gosh
I'm dreaming my life away
I'm living my life in a fantasy, not reality
Dream dream dream dream
Imagining or desiring something strongly
Whenever I want you
Whenever I desire to be with you
All I have to do is dream
I just need to imagine or fantasize about it
When I want you in my mind
When I want to think about you
And I need you to hold me tight
When I need to feel your embrace
I need you so that I could die
I need you so badly that it feels like life without you would not be worth living
I want you so and that is why
I desire you so much and that's the reason
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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