His mother played songs by Frank Sinatra to him as a child, and he later became a fan of Motown and other R&B/soul music. He took piano lessons as a child, but he did not like them. He would skip the lessons and ride his bicycle across the bridge from his grandfather's farm over to the heart of the black "Chicken Hill" ghetto, where he could just listen and absorb the music.
In the 1960s, Hall attended Temple University, but did not graduate, preferring instead to spend his time singing on the street corners and play with various musicians and groups. At that time, Daryl Hohl (as he was called then) sang backup for different bands. He eventually changed his last name to Hall. Daryl Hall idolized the Temptations and began to perform session work as a singer. He first met John Oates at a band competition.
After John transferred to a different school, Daryl joined the band Gulliver, which released one eponymous album in 1969 before being dropped from their label.
Daryl is the host of the wildly popular online show entitled "Live From Daryl's House", where Daryl and the band collaborate with artists from various musical genres on the 15th of each month. The first episode aired in 2007, and it's still going strong. Best of all, it's free to watch.
Dreamtime
Daryl Hall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
like a dark cloud on a crowded stage
You were talking through the smoke in your fantasy
I know you girl I know what to believe
Maybe things ain't been so good at home
And the people that you love never cared at all
You want to run away don't care where you go
Believe it's alright to fantasize
And say the words you think will satisfy me
But you know better than that
'Cause you know what's a lie
You're living in Dreamtime Baby
It's time to wake up
You're living in Dreamtime Baby
It's time to shape up
In your dream it's overcast
Rain comes down movin' your way fast
You want to run away don't care where you go
You want to run away that's all you know
Turn a corner then you see a door
Walk on through throw yourself on the floor
When you're looking up it's no surprise
Standing there is a man with Movie Star Eyes
Think he's gonna take care of you
The man with the plan that'll see you through
I say there ain't no way
'Cause I know he's a lie
You're living in Dreamtime Baby
It's time to wake up
You're living in Dreamtime Baby
It's time to shape up
I never saw anybody fall apart so fast
Living in Dreamtime you know it ain't gonna last
Never saw anybody think she's so right and be so wrong
Living in Dreamtime
It's hard to carry on
The song Dreamtime by Daryl Hall describes a person who is stuck in a fantasy world to escape the harsh realities of their life. The opening lines suggest that the person is angry and frustrated with their life and is looking for ways to escape it. They are grasping at straws, talking through the smoke of their fantasy, trying to find some solace. However, the singer of the song knows better, he understands that the person is only lying to themselves by living in their dream world.
The lyrics suggest that the person is going through a tough time at home and probably doesn’t have anyone who cares for them. So, they run away in their dreams and refuse to face the harsh reality. It is a temporary fix that won’t last, and the lyrics of the song suggest that it's time to wake up from the dream world and face reality. The line “Never saw anybody think she's so right and be so wrong” is a reminder that no matter how good the fantasy world feels, it's not the solution to the problem.
The chorus of the song stresses the need to wake up from the Dreamtime and take responsibility for one's life. It's a call to move forward, to leave the fantasy world behind and face the challenges of life. The song has a melancholic tone, and the imagery used throughout the lyrics paints a vivid picture of a person who is desperate to escape their reality.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw you standing and I felt your rage
I noticed your presence and sensed your anger
like a dark cloud on a crowded stage
Your negativity overshadowed everything else around you
You were talking through the smoke in your fantasy
You were speaking while being lost in your own unrealistic imagination
I know you girl I know what to believe
I'm familiar with you and I understand what's genuine about you
Maybe things ain't been so good at home
Possibly, you're experiencing problems in your personal life
And the people that you love never cared at all
Your loved ones seem indifferent to your situation
You want to run away don't care where you go
You have a strong urge to escape your current circumstances and it doesn't matter where you end up
You want to run away that's all you know
Your only solution in such situations is to run away
Believe it's alright to fantasize
You assume that imagining about different possibilities is acceptable
And say the words you think will satisfy me
You speak what you assume will be pleasing to me
But you know better than that
In your heart, you know that this isn't the case
'Cause you know what's a lie
You know very well what's false
You're living in Dreamtime Baby
You create your own mental reality that is far from the truth
It's time to wake up
You should come out of your fantasy world
In your dream it's overcast
Your hallucinatory world seems gloomy
Rain comes down movin' your way fast
The stormy weather approaches you hurriedly
Turn a corner then you see a door
You imagine turning around and seeing an exit
Walk on through throw yourself on the floor
You pretend to walk through as if you have no strength to stand
When you're looking up it's no surprise
On glancing upwards, you aren't startled
Standing there is a man with Movie Star Eyes
A man who appears captivating like a movie star is present
Think he's gonna take care of you
You assume he'll provide for you
The man with the plan that'll see you through
You believe the man has the solution to your predicament
I say there ain't no way
I'm confident that it's impossible
'Cause I know he's a lie
I'm aware that he's lying
I never saw anybody fall apart so fast
I've never witnessed someone collapse so quickly
Living in Dreamtime you know it ain't gonna last
Your imaginary world isn't sustainable
Never saw anybody think she's so right and be so wrong
I've never observed someone as convinced of their correctness, yet be so erroneous
It's hard to carry on
It's challenging to persist in such a circumstance
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLIE HALL, LOL HAMMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@america5283
This anthem was written by the great John beeby who passed away last night. Thanks for being a friend John. I'm proud to have known you. Love you mate. Rip
@66marshallandrew
Thank you John for this epic song. RIP
@michaellyons2637
What a great song! I can’t believe it’s not played on 80s stations. Daryl Hall was an early influence on my own music and performance. He was the reason I could visualize being a keyboardist and lead singer simultaneously, which I’ve done in a few bands over the years. This song is simply a wonderful composition!
@erikakarafa-chin2710
Couldn’t agree 👍 more about this incredible song 🎶! He’s one of the best recording artist 👩🎨 of all time! And this song 🎶 was officially a wonderful composition and a great 👍 masterpiece for his album 💿, as well! Without a doubt 👍! Yeah 👍! Well Done 👍, Mr. Daryl Hall! Great 👍 job 👏!
@mariapaz213
✨️💖🎶💯🎶🎶🎶🎶👏👏👏👏✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️🙏🎵🎵💃✨️✨️✨️@@erikakarafa-chin2710
@jennytressler978
He sings with such conviction in every song he sings, and his performance in the video is right in sync with that conviction. This song's theme is similar to "Everything Your Heart Desires," which came out around the same time. It makes me wonder what Daryl was going through at that time in his life, if anything, or if the similar themes are just a coincidence. Either way, great tune!
@eightiesmusic1984
Both epic songs.
@paulaloud65
Love Daryl's voice. A genuine Legend
@mikewarden57
One of the most under rated songs of the 80's. The drums kick ass!
@norfolksouthernrailfan2006
Under rated how, because this song peaked at #5 on the Billboard hot 100 in the summer of 1986.