Combining elements of jazz, pop and funk, this New York City-based group creates a singular sound with memorable melodies and unique, sophisticated harmonies. Fronted by the clear sultry voice of singer songwriter Elizabeth Ziman, they are attracting a buzz from the music press.
Ziman wrote her first song at age six, banging out melodies on an old upright in a Greenwich Village laundry room. A born romantic, Ziman transformed the music of Debussy, molding it to the driving rhythms of the washer and dryer. With Debussy and Bach on her left and the Beatles just to her right, Elizabeth quickly developed a sound all her own. Her “Baroque” pop songs have frequently been compared to those of Rufus Wainright, Fiona Apple and Laura Nyro. Elizabeth received the ASCAP Leiber and Stoller award in 2001 for her song “Like Water is to Sand”. From two years, she toured across the U.S. with soul queen Patti Austin, who kicked off her tour at Lincoln Center in 2003. Ziman has also performed with Enya, singing with her on Regis and Kelly as well as the CBS Morning Show. Comprised of Elizabeth Ziman (vocals, keys), Danny Molad (drums), and Peter Lalish (guitar), Elizabeth and the Catapult came into existence in 2004.
Ziman has performed extensively in New York City and Boston (The Knitting Factory, The Living Room, Rockwood Music Hall, The Cutting Room, The Middle East, T.T. The Bears). They completed their S-T EP and promoted the album on ‘soundcheck’ with John Shaefer(WNYC) in April. They have opened for national headliners like Jessie Harris, Kirk Kirkwood (of Meat Puppets fame), The Wood Brothers (featuring Chris Wood of Medeski, Martin, and Wood), and Amanda Palmer. They were spotlighted in the fall issue of Northeast Performer and the featured Billboard Underground Artist in October 2006.
Dreamcatcher
Elizabeth & The Catapult Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Won’t you give me something, something worth dreaming of?
I am fading faster than a new born babe in his mothers loving arms.
Softly close my eyes follow you into the dark
With the safety of your moon beams and your plastic carbon stars
I’m content to drink you up
Oh my sweet dream catchers give me something worth dreaming of.
Oh my sweet dream catcher wont you steal my memories once more
Yeah my old collection has gathered dust and scattered cross the floor
All the lessons I have learned just to be forgotten
Wore me down so many times that I no longer want them
Wont you please paint me a picture of a king and queen in love
Oh my sweet dream catcher wont you give me something worth dreaming of
Oh my sweet dream catcher wont you cradle me tonight
I am waiting for you like a baby sparrow ready to take flight
Shoot me like a cannonball flying through the sky
Angel move the fetter as the lullaby unwinds
Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum are making Alice cry
While lovers spin like pendulums on the telephone line
I’m afraid I’ve learned too much today I’m ready to let go
Disregard the details of this strange elusive world.
I’m ready to be green again I’m ready to forget
Shake me like a puppet I’ll be your marionette
And don’t wake me up until I reach that mountain top
Oh my sweet dream catchers give me something worth dreaming of.
Something worth dreaming of
Something worth dreaming of
Give me something, something worth dreaming
Give me something, something worth dreaming
Give me something, something worth dreaming
Give me something, something worth dreaming
Something worth dreaming of
The song "Dreamcatcher" by Elizabeth & The Catapult is a yearning for a peaceful escape from reality into a world of dreams. The dream catcher is invoked as a prayer to be caught and suspended in the ephemeral world of dreams. The song starts with a plea to the dream catcher to provide something worth dreaming of. The singer feels lost and is willing to surrender themselves to the dream catcher's power to lead them into an unknown world. The dream catcher is imagined as a safe haven, and the singer wants to follow it into the dark.
The singer continues to plead with the dream catcher to take away their memories so that they could be replaced with something new. The idea of forgetting the past and starting anew is emphasized multiple times throughout the song. The singer wants to be like a baby bird, waiting to take flight, and be cradled by the dream catcher. The dream catcher is personified as an angel that moves the singer while they're asleep. In the last verse, the singer asks to be shaken like a puppet and wake up only after they've reached the mountain top. The song concludes with a final plea to the dream catcher to give them something worth dreaming of.
Overall, the song is a lullaby to oneself, a prayer for something more, and an escape from the mundane world into the dream world.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my sweet dream catcher
Addressing the dream catcher as a source of solace and hope
Won’t you give me something, something worth dreaming of?
Asking the dream catcher to provide something that can take away from the harshness of reality
I am fading faster than a new born babe in his mothers loving arms.
Feeling helpless and vulnerable in the face of hardships
Softly close my eyes follow you into the dark
Seeking comfort and protection by surrendering to the dream state
With the safety of your moon beams and your plastic carbon stars
The dream catcher is viewed as a safe haven, providing imaginary luminescence
I’m content to drink you up
The dream world is something to be savored and enjoyed, like a delicious drink
Oh my sweet dream catchers give me something worth dreaming of.
Reiterating the plea for a more positive and fulfilling dream experience
Oh my sweet dream catcher wont you steal my memories once more
Hoping for a chance to relive and perhaps even improve upon past memories
Yeah my old collection has gathered dust and scattered cross the floor
Realizing that previous memories have been neglected and misplaced through the course of life
All the lessons I have learned just to be forgotten
Feeling like life's hard-earned lessons have not been retained
Wore me down so many times that I no longer want them
Discouraged by a sense of futility and inability to hold onto personal growth
Wont you please paint me a picture of a king and queen in love
Envisioning a beautiful dream scenario that could bring happiness
Oh my sweet dream catcher wont you cradle me tonight
Asking the dream catcher to provide safety and nurturing
I am waiting for you like a baby sparrow ready to take flight
Desiring to be supported like a fledgling bird being cared for by its mother
Shoot me like a cannonball flying through the sky
Yearning for a dream experience that is full of excitement and adventure
Angel move the fetter as the lullaby unwinds
Asking for divine guidance and protection in the dream state
Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum are making Alice cry
Referencing a classic story to portray the chaos of the real world and the need for a dream escape
While lovers spin like pendulums on the telephone line
Painting a vivid dream image of romance and passion
I’m afraid I’ve learned too much today I’m ready to let go
Feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges and wanting to give in to surrender
Disregard the details of this strange elusive world.
Longing for a simpler, more carefree perspective
I’m ready to be green again I’m ready to forget
Desiring a return to a more innocent, naive state of mind
Shake me like a puppet I’ll be your marionette
Willing to let the dream state take over and direct the course of the dream experience
And don’t wake me up until I reach that mountain top
Not wanting to be disturbed until the dream has achieved its purpose and brought a sense of fulfillment
Something worth dreaming of
A persistent desire for an enriching and worthwhile dream experience
Give me something, something worth dreaming
Reiterating the plea for a fulfilling dream
Give me something, something worth dreaming
Continuing to seek the ideal dream experience
Give me something, something worth dreaming
The song's refrain provides a sweet, melancholic reminder that dreaming is an important escape from reality
Something worth dreaming of
The final plea is a yearning for a sense of purpose and hope in life
Contributed by Kylie Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.