Returning
Delerium Lyrics


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Could we all be dreaming
Of the suffering forming clouds on our feelings
Could the wars be in our heads
Could our children be safe in their beds
Oh, where will I be when I wake up?

Oh, will I be returning home
Or to the questions burning a hole
In my heart that is turning to stone
When I wake up where will I return?

Could this be our punishment?
The floods and fires, the bombs and liars
For our Mother's discontent
Could production be a slave?
To the devil on a full rampage
Oh where will I be when I wake up?

Oh, will I be returning home
Or to the questions burning a hole
In my heart that is turning to stone
When I wake up where will I return?

Where will I return?

Oh, will I be returning home
Or to the questions burning a hole




In my heart that is turning to stone
When I wake up where will I return?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Delerium's song Returning address several societal issues and concerns. The first verse questions whether our reality is a dream, suggesting that the suffering we witness could be a product of our own imaginations. This leads to the second verse, which questions whether the wars we see are actually in our heads, and whether our children are truly safe. These questions emphasize the importance of examining our own perspectives and perceptions, and how they shape our experiences.


The chorus raises questions about where we will go or what we will face when we wake up. It suggests that we may have to face difficult questions that have been consuming us, and the answers to which have been elusive. The last verse brings up the idea of punishment for our actions and asks if the natural disasters and conflicts we witness are a result of our own actions. The final question in the chorus emphasizes the uncertainty of the future, and the unsettling feeling of not knowing where we will end up.


Overall, the song suggests that we need to examine our own thoughts and beliefs to understand the world around us. It raises questions about our own perceptions and experiences, as well as the state of the world itself.


Line by Line Meaning

Could we all be dreaming
Is it possible that none of this is real?


Of the suffering forming clouds on our feelings
Does our collective pain weigh so heavily on us that it obscures our ability to feel anything else?


Could the wars be in our heads
Are the conflicts we face primarily internal, rather than external?


Could our children be safe in their beds
Are the young and innocent truly protected from the dangers of the world?


Oh, where will I be when I wake up?
What kind of world will I find myself in when my understanding of things is inevitably challenged?


Oh, will I be returning home
Will my experiences change my concept of where or what 'home' even is?


Or to the questions burning a hole
Will I be confronted with difficult truths upon waking?


In my heart that is turning to stone
Will these truths cause me to become desensitized and apathetic?


When I wake up where will I return?
Will I still recognize the reality I once knew?


Could this be our punishment?
Is there some kind of spiritual or karmic retribution being enacted upon us?


The floods and fires, the bombs and liars
Are these natural disasters and man-made atrocities symptomatic of a larger issue?


For our Mother's discontent
Are we destroying the planet that sustains us?


Could production be a slave?
Have we become so obsessed with profit and progress that we are blind to the negative consequences?


To the devil on a full rampage
Is there some malevolent force driving us towards destruction?


Where will I return?
What will be left for me to come back to?




Contributed by Chase A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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