Darn That Dream
Clifford Brown and Dinah Washington Lyrics
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You say you love me and you hold me tight
But when I awake, I find you're out of sight
Oh, darn that dream
Darn your lips and darn your eyes
They lift me high above the moonlight skies
Then I tumble out of paradise
Darn that one-track mind of mine
I can't understand that you don't care
Just to change the mood I'm in
Lord, I'd welcome a nice old nightmare
Darn that dream and bless it too
Without that dream, I never would have you
But it haunts me 'cause it won't come true
Oh, darn that dream
Oh, darn that dream
The song "Darn That Dream" is a classic jazz ballad, performed by both Clifford Brown and Dinah Washington, among many other jazz musicians. The lyrics describe the frustration and disappointment of the singer's dreams not matching up with reality. The first stanza laments the fact that the dream of being held and loved by someone is not fulfilled when waking up. In the second stanza, the singer acknowledges the power that the other person has over them, lifting them to great heights only to come crashing down when reality sets in. The third stanza reflects on the singer's own "one-track mind" and inability to move on from the dream, even though they know it won't come true. The final stanza expresses conflicted feelings about the dream, both blessing it for leading to the possibility of love but also "darn"-ing it for causing so much disappointment and heartache.
Overall, the lyrics of "Darn That Dream" capture the universal experience of holding onto a dream or hope that may never come true, and the emotional turmoil that can result from that. The repetition of "darn" emphasizes the frustration and bitterness that the singer feels towards the dream that taunts them.
Line by Line Meaning
Darn that dream I dream each night
I am frustrated by the recurring dream I have every night
You say you love me and you hold me tight
In my dream, you give me love and comfort
But when I awake, I find you're out of sight
Once I'm awake, I can't find you and I feel alone
Oh, darn that dream
I wish I could stop having this dream
Darn your lips and darn your eyes
The way you look and the way you make me feel is frustrating
They lift me high above the moonlight skies
Your affection makes me feel euphoric and out of this world
Then I tumble out of paradise
But that feeling is fleeting and I soon return to reality
Oh, darn that dream
I hate that I go through this cycle of emotions every night
Darn that one-track mind of mine
I wish I could think about something else, but I can't
I can't understand that you don't care
I am confused by your lack of affection in real life
Just to change the mood I'm in
I'll take anything to break out of this mental state
Lord, I'd welcome a nice old nightmare
At this point, a scary dream would be a welcome break
Darn that dream and bless it too
I hate the dream but also appreciate it for bringing us together
Without that dream, I never would have you
The dream is responsible for bringing us together, I suppose
But it haunts me 'cause it won't come true
But it's frustrating that the dream is just a fantasy that can never be real
Oh, darn that dream
The frustration continues...
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edgar Eddie Delange, Jimmy Van Heusen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind