Since the New Radicals broke up and her second album was shelved she has written and produced numerous songs for various other artists, including Carly Hennessy, Clay Aiken, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Kelly Clarkson, and Natasha Bedingfield, most notably Bedingfield's top 10 hit "Unwritten".
A compilation album of Arrive All Over You-era tracks entitled Just Missed the Train was released through the Balzout Inc label on September 26, 2006. Brisebois herself was completely unaware of such a release.
I Had a Dream
Danielle Brisebois Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you really, my dear
You say you need my touch
But you're never near
I need to break free
Hear my spirit scream
I had a dream
They
With words that you'd never say
I drift in the stream
You press against my chest
So I'm pressed to the wall
You say you like me best
Still I'm just one of them all
I need to break free
Hear my spirit scream
I had a dream
And land on my feet
It's only five steps away
Five steps till I'm free
They thought you was soft
I guess you fooled them like me
We really was impressed
By your sensitivity
I need to break free
Hear my spirit scream
In Danielle Brisebois's song "I Had A Dream," the lyrics tell a story about a person who feels trapped in a relationship where they are not receiving the love and attention they need. The opening lines ask whether the other person truly wants and needs their love, as they are never truly present. The singer's spirit is screaming to break free from this relationship.
The dream that is mentioned in the song represents the singer's hopes for a better relationship, where the other person would speak words of love and the singer could feel free to pursue their dreams. However, reality presses in, as the other person presses against their chest and the singer feels trapped, just one among many. The five steps to freedom mentioned in the song suggests that the singer knows what they need to do to get out of this situation, but they have not yet taken action.
The final few lines of the song allude to the idea that the singer is not alone in their feelings of being fooled by this person's seeming sensitivity. They and others were impressed by this sensitivity, which now feels like a trap. The repeated line about breaking free and the singer's spirit screaming underline the importance of taking action to escape this unhappy situation.
Line by Line Meaning
You say you want my love
Are you truly expressing your desire for my affection?
Do you really, my dear
Is that truly what you want, my beloved?
You say you need my touch
Do you genuinely require my physical presence?
But you're never near
However, you are not present in my life.
I need to break free
I yearn to liberate myself from this situation.
Hear my spirit scream
Can you perceive the sound of my soul's agony?
I had a dream
In my slumber, I had a vision
Of
relating to
They
a group of people
With words that you'd never say
utilizing language you would never articulate
I drift in the stream
I am aimlessly carried down the current
You press against my chest
Your body is tightly against mine
So I'm pressed to the wall
I am restricted against the solid structure.
You say you like me best
You communicate that I am your favorite
Still I'm just one of them all
Yet I am just one of the many individuals you appreciate
I need to break free
I must break away from this bond.
Hear my spirit scream
Feel the anguish within my soul.
I had a dream
During my slumber, I had an unreal vision.
And land on my feet
And disembark safely.
It's only five steps away
It only takes a short distance of five steps.
Five steps till I'm free
I have to take just five steps to be liberated
They thought you was soft
The group perceive you as vulnerable
I guess you fooled them like me
But perhaps you deceived them, just as you did me
We really was impressed
In truth, we were impressed
By your sensitivity
by your capacity to empathize and connect emotionally.
I need to break free
I yearn to emancipate myself.
Hear my spirit scream
Perceive the outcry of my soul.
Contributed by Parker S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.