Dreamgirl
Dave Matthews Lyrics


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Yeah, ya, yeah
Yeah, ya, yeah oh

I would dig a hole all the way to China
Unless of course I was there
Then I'd dig my way home
If by digging, I could steal
The wind from the sails of the greedy men who ruled the world

Still you my best friend
And after a good good drunk
You and me
Wake up and make love after a deep sleep
Where I was dreaming
I was dreaming of a dreamgirl, dreamgirl, dreamgirl, dreamgirl

Well I was feeling like a creep
As I watched you asleep
Face down in the grass
In the park in the middle of a hot afternoon
Your top was untied
And I thought 'how nice it'll be the fall of your sweat down your spine'

You're my best friend
Or after a good good drunk
You and me
Wake up and make love after a deep sleep
Where I was dreaming
I was dreaming of a dreamgirl, dreamgirl, dreamgirl, dreamgirl

Caught by the wave my back to the ocean
It knocks me off my feet, just as I find my footing
Here you come again, dreamgirl, oh dreamgirl
That's all dreamgirl, but a dreamgirl, dreamgirl, oh wait dreamgirl




In my dreams dreamgirl, I'm dreaming dream girl
Deep in, deep in

Overall Meaning

Dave Matthews Band's "Dreamgirl" is a song about a man's obsession with his dreamgirl. The lyrics are vivid and illustrate his desires as he sings about digging a hole to China or stealing the wind from the sails of the greedy men who rule the world. He is inebriated and wakes up with his best friend next to him, but his mind is still consumed with the dreamgirl in his subconscious. He watches her sleep in the middle of a park in the afternoon, and as she lies there half-naked, he fantasizes about the fall of her sweat down her spine. He is caught by the wave with his back to the ocean, and just as he finds his footing, his dreamgirl appears again in his mind.


The repeated use of "dreamgirl" in the lyrics reinforces the man's fixation on this woman. The song is a representation of the human mind's fixation on the idealized version of people or things, which can lead to unhealthy obsessions. The individual is so consumed by the idea of his dreamgirl that he is willing to dig a hole to China or steal the wind to get to her. The sexual desires he expresses when he watches her sleep are an illustration of the physical manifestation of his obsession.


Interestingly, the song was not initially meant to be included in Dave Matthew Band's 2005 album "Stand Up." The band recorded it as a demo and released it on a bonus disc for the "The Best of What's Around Vol. 1" album. However, the song became so popular that it was re-released as a single and added to the "Stand Up" tracklist.


Line by Line Meaning

Yeah, ya, yeah
A playful opening line with no particular meaning, just setting the tone of the song.


Yeah, ya, yeah oh
Another playful line without much meaning, just repeating the opening line.


I would dig a hole all the way to China
Expressing a desire to escape from the world or go to great lengths to achieve something, even if it's impossible.


Unless of course I was there
An acknowledgment that going to China would be unnecessary if they were already there.


Then I'd dig my way home
The idea of home being so important that even in China, they would dig their way back rather than stay there.


If by digging, I could steal
An expression of how important the idea of stealing something is to them, even if it means going to great lengths to achieve it.


The wind from the sails of the greedy men who ruled the world
An allusion to wanting to take power away from those who are greedy and corrupt, and restore balance to the world.


Still you my best friend
No matter how far they go, their best friend remains an integral part of their life and identity.


And after a good good drunk
Perhaps suggesting that alcohol is a way to escape reality and let loose for a while.


You and me
An expression of the closeness they share with their friend, and perhaps a suggestion that they have a romantic relationship.


Wake up and make love after a deep sleep
Relishing in the satisfaction of being able to rest and relax with their friend, and then enjoying physical intimacy.


Where I was dreaming
An acknowledgment that all of this is taking place in a dream or a fantasy.


I was dreaming of a dreamgirl, dreamgirl, dreamgirl, dreamgirl
A playful repetition of the word 'dreamgirl' to emphasize how central this person is to their fantasy.


Well I was feeling like a creep
Acknowledging that the scenario they are fantasizing about is perhaps creepy or inappropriate in reality.


As I watched you asleep
Continuing the description of the fantasy with voyeuristic undertones.


Face down in the grass
Painting a vivid picture of the scene in the fantasy.


In the park in the middle of a hot afternoon
Further setting the stage for the fantasy with specifics about the location and time of day.


Your top was untied
A suggestive detail that contributes to the underlying sexual tension in the fantasy.


And I thought 'how nice it'll be the fall of your sweat down your spine'
A borderline explicit description of what the fantasizer expects to happen in their dream.


Caught by the wave my back to the ocean
Using a metaphor to describe the feeling of being overwhelmed or swept away by something unexpected.


It knocks me off my feet, just as I find my footing
Continuing the metaphor and emphasizing how difficult it is to maintain stability in uncertain situations.


Here you come again, dreamgirl, oh dreamgirl
Returning to the central figure of the fantasizer's dream, emphasizing how enchanting and elusive they are.


That's all dreamgirl, but a dreamgirl, dreamgirl, oh wait dreamgirl
Repeating the word 'dreamgirl' and acknowledging that this person exists only in a fantasy and is probably unattainable.


In my dreams dreamgirl, I'm dreaming dream girl
A playful and somewhat nonsensical repetition of 'dreamgirl' to close out the song.


Deep in, deep in
An ambiguous way of ending the song, perhaps suggesting that the fantasizer is lost in their own thoughts or desires.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BOYD C. TINSLEY, CARTER A. BEAUFORD, DAVID JOHN MATTHEWS, LEROI H. MOORE, MARK CHRISTOPHER BATSON, STEFAN K. LESSARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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