Early 1990s
In the early 1990s, the band established a cult following through relentless touring with weekly stops at Virginia clubs known as Trax and Floodzone, an active taping community, and an independent LP, Remember Two Things. (Keyboardist Griesar left the band in 1993, shortly before the release of "Remember Two Things".) After signing to RCA Records, Dave Matthews Band, under the direction of producer Steve Lillywhite, released Under the Table and Dreaming in 1994, a critical and popular smash that firmly established the band's style of pop-rock with improvisational leanings. Under the Table and Dreaming would be the first of three albums released under Lillywhite's direction. This was followed by Crash (1996). For most of America, Crash was the record that put the Dave Matthews Band on the map. Featuring the hit single "Crash Into Me", as well as fan-favorites such as "Two Step", "Tripping Billies", and the Grammy-winning "So Much to Say", Crash would go on to be the band's best selling album.
The Mercy Songfacts reports that Lillywhite lent his skills to their 2012 album Away From The World. Lillywhite hadn't worked with the band since a series of unreleased recordings in 2000, which led to the leaked Lillywhite Sessions.
History
David John Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1967. Two years later, his family moved to Westchester County, NY. His father was a physicist and worked for IBM at the time. He has two sisters (Anne and Jane) and a brother (Peter). After living in New York, his family moved to Cambridge, England in the early '70s. The family returned to New York where his father died in 1977. In 1980, the family moved to South Africa where the young Matthews went to several schools and "got more wise about the evils of government, there and in general." He first played at a club in Charlottesville (Miller's) where he worked as a bartender. He admitted to Playboy magazine that he was really never that good at bartending, but loved getting customers...well..."drunk as hell!" He was first discovered in a demo tape that he recorded with a couple of current band members. This all came about when he decided to put together a demo tape and decided that he needed some musical accompaniment; which ended up as the Dave Matthews Band. In 1994, his sister Anne died in a domestic tragedy at her home in South Africa. The Grammy nominated album "Under The Table and Dreaming" is dedicated to her.
Community
Dave Matthews Band is highly involved in giving a helping hand. In 2003, the Band held a concert entitled, "The Central Park Concert" which was held in New York City's Central Park. The concert helped New York City Public Schools, the band is a big supporter of education.
The band also held a concert that helped victims of Katrina.
Sadly, Leroi Moore passed away in 2008. After being seriously injured in an ATV accident in Virginia, Moore succumbed to his injuries on August 19, 2008. He was replaced by Jeff Coffin, famous for his work with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.
Excerpt taken from Wikipedia.org -- the rest of this article can be found at:
Wikipedia
Official site: www.dmband.com
Dreaming Tree
Dave Matthews Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The old man said to me
Long before these crowded streets
Here stood my dreaming tree
Below it he would sit
For hours at a time
Now progress takes away
What forever took to find
He feels the falling dark
How he longs to be
Beneath his dreaming tree
Conquered fear to climb
A moment froze in time
When the girl who first he kissed
Promised him she'd be his
Remembered mother's words
There beneath the tree
No matter what the world
You'll always be my baby
Mommy come quick
The dreaming tree has died
The air is growing thick
A fear he cannot hide
The dreaming tree has died
Oh
Have you no pity
This thing I do
I do not deny it
All through this smile
As crooked as danger
I do not deny
I know in my mind
I would leave you now
If I had the strength to
I would leave you up
To your own devices
Will you not talk
Can you take pity
I don't ask much
But won't you speak
Please
From the start
She knew she had it made
Easy up 'til then
For sure she'd make the grade
Adorers came in hordes
To lay down in her wake
She gave it all she had
But treasures slowly fade
Now she's falling hard
She feels the fall of dark
How did this fall apart
She drinks to fill it up
A smile of sweetest flowers
Wilted so and soured
Black tears stain the cheeks
That once were so admired
She thinks when she was small
There on her father's knee
How he had promised her
You'll always be my baby
Daddy come quick
The dreaming tree has died
I can't find my way home
There is no place to hide
The dreaming tree has died
Oh
If I had the strength to
I would leave you up
To your own devices
Will you not talk
Can you take pity
I don't ask much
But won't you speak
Please
Take me back
Take me back
Take me back
Take me back
Take me back
Take me back
Take me back
Save me please
The lyrics of Dave Matthews Band's song The Dreaming Tree depict a tale of loss, regret, and the passing of time. In the first verse, an old man reminisces about a tree that once stood where now stands a crowded street. This tree was his "dreaming tree," a place where he would sit for hours and where he experienced a defining moment in his youth—the girl he first kissed promised to be his. Now, progress has taken away what took forever to find, and the old man is falling hard, feeling "the falling dark," longing to be back beneath his dreaming tree.
In the second verse, a woman who once had it all, adorers who followed her every step, and was sure she would make the grade, now feels the fall of dark. Treasures slowly fade, and she is falling hard, drinking to fill the void left behind. She thinks back to when she was a child, on her father's knee, where he promised her she would always be his baby. Now, the dreaming tree has died, and she can't find her way home.
The song goes back to the refrain, where Matthews sings about having the strength to leave this sadness behind, to be left to their own devices. He asks them to talk, take pity, speak, and save him.
Overall, the lyrics of The Dreaming Tree represent the loss of something that once was essential but has become nothing more than a memory. However, this memory can be a source of refuge and strength, helping the lost to overcome their current tragedies.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing here
The singer is currently present in a certain place
The old man said to me
An elderly man spoke to the singer and shared a story with them
Long before these crowded streets
The narrative long predates current times and urbanization
Here stood my dreaming tree
The old man has fond memories of a tree that used to stand in this spot
Below it he would sit
The old man would often find himself sitting underneath the tree
For hours at a time
He would sit there for extended periods
Now progress takes away
Modernization has come along and erased the place where he used to escape
What forever took to find
He had searched for this place and finally found it, only to have it taken away by progress
And now he's falling hard
The old man is experiencing emotional struggles/burdens and/or approaching death
He feels the falling dark
The old man's emotional or physical fall is approaching its climax
How he longs to be
The old man wishes to go back to where he was before and escape his current reality
Beneath his dreaming tree
The old man wants to be back under his tree, free and happy
Conquered fear to climb
The climb beneath the dreaming tree was dangerous but he got it done
A moment froze in time
The memory of climbing beneath the dreaming tree is a moment he preserved
When the girl who first he kissed
A reminiscence about the girl who gave the old man his first kiss
Promised him she'd be his
The girl promised herself to the old man as his beloved
Remembered mother's words
He recalls a message from his mother
There beneath the tree
The memory takes place under the dreaming tree
No matter what the world
Regardless of all that is happening in the world
You'll always be my baby
The mother reassures the old man that he is still her child and will always be so
Mommy come quick
The old man calls out to his mother
The dreaming tree has died
The tree that serves as a sanctuary to the old man has been destroyed
The air is growing thick
The situation is becoming more precarious and suffocating
A fear he cannot hide
The old man is scared of the future and does not know how to conceal it
Have you no pity
The singer asks if anyone has any sympathy/empathy for him/her
This thing I do
The singer is doing a specific thing, or going through a particular experience
I do not deny it
The singer accepts what he/she is going through
All through this smile
Despite everything, the artist puts on a happy face
As crooked as danger
The smile is like danger, deceptive and hiding something beneath it
I do not deny
The singer confirms once again that they are going through the experience in question
I know in my mind
The singer is aware and conscious of the fact
If I had the strength to
If the artist had the willpower
I would leave you now
The artist would abandon someone or something
To your own devices
The person or situation would have to survive on their own without the artist's help
Will you not talk
The singer requests for someone to speak
Can you take pity
Please feel sympathy for me
I don't ask much
The singer doesn't demand much, just some empathy
But won't you speak
The singer urges someone to speak up
From the start
Things started well at the beginning
She knew she had it made
A female character was confident and achieved success
Easy up 'til then
Things were simple and hassle-free in the past
For sure she'd make the grade
She was certain she would succeed
Adorers came in hordes
Many people became her supporters/fans
To lay down in her wake
People were inspired by her and followed in her path
She gave it all she had
She gave her all to reach her goals and share her success with others
But treasures slowly fade
Her success and fame slowly decline and deteriorate
She drinks to fill it up
She drinks to lighten the sorrow and pain she is feeling
A smile of sweetest flowers
She once had a joyful and innocent smile
Wilted so and soured
Her smile, like flowers, has lost its beauty and appeal
Black tears stain the cheeks
She is emotionally weakened and saddened by her situation
That once were so admired
People admired her cheeks that are now stained with black tears
She thinks when she was small
The female character reminisces about her childhood
There on her father's knee
She was with her father when she was young
How he had promised her
Her father made a promise to her
You'll always be my baby
Her father promises to love her unconditionally and protect her
Daddy come quick
She calls out for her father in distress
The dreaming tree has died
The sanctuary that gave her peace and serenity is gone
I can't find my way home
The female character is lost and desperate
There is no place to hide
Her hopelessness and sadness is overwhelming
Take me back
The artist wishes to return to a happier time
Save me please
The singer pleads for someone to help them out of their situation
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID JOHN MATTHEWS, STEFAN K. LESSARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind