Once Upon a Time
Donna Summer Lyrics


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Once upon a time
There was a girl
Who lived in the land
Of dreams unreal

Hiding from reality
Treated like a stranger
Living in her fantasies
Trapped within their world

Once upon a time
Her hopes had died
No one there to hear
Her futile cries

Living in a house of stone
No one on her side
Family in name alone
No place left to hide
Aah!

Once upon a time
Once upon a time
Once upon a time
Once upon a time

Once upon a dream
A man will come
And give her everything
She wants and loves

But in the morning
She'll awake
To face the room around her
It's just another lonely day,

And bitterness surrounds her




Bitterness surrounds her
Aah!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Donna Summer's song "Once Upon a Time" tell the story of a young girl who lives in a world of her own imagination. This girl has withdrawn from reality and seeks refuge in her fantasies. She feels like an outsider in the real world and is not able to connect with people around her. The lyrics suggest that the girl has suffered some kind of emotional trauma that has led her to retreat into a world of her own making, which offers her a sense of security and comfort. However, her dream world is not a permanent solution to her problems, and she still feels isolated and alone.


The second part of the song reveals the girl's yearning for love and acceptance. She believes that a man will come and make everything better, fulfilling all her wishes and desires. It is as if she wants to escape from her real life by finding a kind of fairy-tale romance. However, the singer reminds us that this fantasy is only temporary, and the girl will awaken to a harsh reality. She will be forced to face the room around her and the bitter truth that no prince charming is coming to rescue her. The song concludes on a sorrowful note, highlighting the girl's sense of isolation and despair.


Overall, the lyrics of "Once Upon a Time" touch on themes of loneliness, alienation, and the search for love and purpose. The song encourages the listener to reflect on their own feelings of isolation and disconnection and to find ways to connect with others in the real world.


Line by Line Meaning

Once upon a time
At some point in the past


There was a girl
A female person


Who lived in the land
Resided in a place


Of dreams unreal
Of impossible fantasies


Hiding from reality
Avoiding real life


Treated like a stranger
Receives the treatment of an outsider


Living in her fantasies
Existing in her daydreams


Trapped within their world
Confined to her own illusion


Once upon a time
At some point in the past


Her hopes had died
Her aspirations were extinguished


No one there to hear
No one present to listen


Her futile cries
Her helpless wailing


Living in a house of stone
Existing in a cold and barren home


No one on her side
Nobody backing her up


Family in name alone
Family in label only


No place left to hide
Nowhere left to escape


Aah!
Exclamation of distress


Once upon a time
At some point in the past


Once upon a time
At some point in the past


Once upon a time
At some point in the past


Once upon a dream
During a dream


A man will come
A male person will appear


And give her everything
And offer her complete satisfaction


She wants and loves
The things she desires and values


But in the morning
However, in the morning


She'll awake
She will become conscious


To face the room around her
To confront the reality of her surroundings


It's just another lonely day,
It is yet another day of solitude


And bitterness surrounds her
And bitterness is all about her


Bitterness surrounds her
Bitterness is all around her


Aah!
Exclamation of distress




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DONNA SUMMER, DONNA A. SUMMER, GIORGIO MORODER, PETE BELLOTTE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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