worked with that team for many years concurrently with their double-act career.
Flanagan and Allen's songs featured the same, usually gentle, humour for which the duo were known in their live performances, and during the Second World War they reflected the experiences of ordinary people during wartime. Songs like 'We're Gonna Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line' mocked the German defences (Siegfried Line), while others like 'Miss You' sang of missing one's sweetheart during enforced absences. Other songs, such as their most famous, 'Underneath the Arches' (which Flanagan co-wrote with Reg Connelly), had universal themes such as friendship. The music was usually melodic, following a binary verse, verse chorus structure, with a small dance band or orchestra providing the accompaniment. The vocals were distinctive because while Flanagan was at least a competent singer and sang the melody lines, Allen used an almost spoken delivery to provide the harmonies.
The recordings of Flanagan and Allen remain popular, and the duo are frequently impersonated by professionals and amateurs. Royal Variety Performances often feature people 'doing a Flanagan and Allen', notably Roy Hudd and Christopher Timothy, Bernie Winters and Leslie Crowther.
The later comedy team Morecambe and Wise, who often expressed their admiration for Flanagan and Allen, recorded a tribute album, Morecambe and Wise Sing Flanagan and Allen (Phillips 6382 095), in which they performed some of the earlier team's more popular songs in their own style, without attempting to imitate the originals. Fans of either comedy team may be slightly disappointed by this album, since all of the selections are performed absolutely straight, with no comedy except for a brief amount of banter after one of the songs.
Dreaming
Flanagan and Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it's where I find release
I've been in and out of hard times so long it's killing me
I guess I could give up drinking but then what would I do
A new vice would surely find me beaten down and blue
With all this time on my hands
I could build a bridge to take me back
But the clock don't work when it's rolling back
And a train can't roll when it's off the track
Hell I must be dreaming
It's hard to understand
If you weren't dealt my hand
I'm far from the keeper of the cards
Ain't no ace up my sleeve
I don't mean to talk about misery
But the only way to sing the blues is to live'm and man I live'm
With all this time on my hands
I could build a bridge to take me back
To a time when things were simple and I was free
But the clock don't work when it's rolling back
And a train can't roll when it's off the track
Hell I must be dreaming
With all this time on my hands
I could build a bridge to take me back
To a time when things were simple and I was free
But the clock don't work when it's rolling back
And a train can't roll when it's off the track
Hell I must be dreaming
The lyrics to Flanagan and Allen's song "Dreaming" tell the story of a person who is struggling with addiction, trying to find release from their problems but unable to escape their circumstances. The lines "Well all this smoke chokes me, But it's where I find release" suggest that the person is using smoking as a coping mechanism, despite the negative effects it may be having on them. The lyrics go on to acknowledge the difficulty of trying to break free from addiction, with the line "I guess I could give up drinking but then what would I do, A new vice would surely find me beaten down and blue."
The second half of the song reflects on the idea of trying to go back to a simpler time, a time when life was easier and the person was free from their current struggles. However, the lyrics acknowledge that time cannot be rolled back and the person cannot simply escape their problems. The lines "The clock don't work when it's rolling back, And a train can't roll when it's off the track" convey the idea that life does not move backwards and once off track, it is difficult to get back on the right path. The repeated line "Hell I must be dreaming" could be interpreted as a recognition that the situation the person finds themselves in is so challenging, it may seem like a dream.
Overall, the lyrics to "Dreaming" tell a story of someone struggling with addiction and trying to find a way to escape their problems, but coming to the realization that the only way to move forward is to face their struggles head-on.
Line by Line Meaning
Well all this smoke chokes me
The smoke is suffocating and distressing, but I find solace in it.
But it's where I find release
Even though the smoke is causing discomfort, it provides a sense of relief.
I've been in and out of hard times so long it's killing me
I have gone through a never-ending cycle of tough times, which is slowly deteriorating me.
I guess I could give up drinking but then what would I do?
I am aware that I should stop drinking, but I fear that I might replace it with another detrimental addiction.
A new vice would surely find me beaten down and blue
If I quit my current vice, I would eventually find another one and it would take a toll on my emotional and physical state.
With all this time on my hands
I have a lot of free time at the moment.
I could build a bridge to take me back
I could create something that would transport me back to a simpler time.
To a time when things were simple and I was free
I yearn to go back to a time when things were less complicated.
But the clock don't work when it's rolling back
It is impossible to turn back time, no matter how much one wishes it.
And a train can't roll when it's off the track
It is impossible for things to work when they are not in the right place or order.
Hell I must be dreaming
The idea of going back to simpler times is far-fetched, and it feels like a dream that can never come true.
It's hard to understand
It is not easy for people to grasp the situation I am in.
If you weren't dealt my hand
If you did not experience my difficulties, you would not be able to relate to them.
I'm far from the keeper of the cards
I do not have control over the events that happen to me.
Ain't no ace up my sleeve
I do not have any hidden advantages or solutions to my problems.
I don't mean to talk about misery
I do not intend to dwell on my misfortunes.
But the only way to sing the blues is to live'm and man I live'm
I have had many challenging experiences that have given me a true insight into the essence of blues music.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Blake Lillard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind