Dreamtime
Hall Daryl Lyrics


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I saw you standing and I felt your rage
like a dark cloud on a crowded stage
You were talking through the smoke in your fantasy
I know you girl I know what to believe

Maybe things ain't been so good at home
And the people that you love never cared at all
You want to run away don't care where you go
You want to run away that's all you know
Believe it's alright to fantasize
And say the words you think will satisfy me
But you know better than that
'Cause you know what's a lie

You're living in Dreamtime Baby
It's time to wake up
You're living in Dreamtime Baby
It's time to shape up

In your dream it's overcast
Rain comes down movin' your way fast
You want to run away don't care where you go
You want to run away that's all you know
Turn a corner then you see a door
Walk on through throw yourself on the floor
When you're looking up it's no surprise
Standing there is a man with Movie Star Eyes
Think he's gonna take care of you
The man with the plan that'll see you through
I say there ain't no way
'Cause I know he's a lie

You're living in Dreamtime Baby
It's time to wake up
You're living in Dreamtime Baby
It's time to shape up

I never saw anybody fall apart so fast
Living in Dreamtime you know it ain't gonna last
Never saw anybody think she's so right and be so wrong




Living in Dreamtime
It's hard to carry on

Overall Meaning

"Dreamtime" by Daryl Hall is a song that speaks about the dangers of living in false realities and fantasy worlds. The lyrics start with the singer observing a woman who appears to be angry and lost, as if standing on a crowded stage in the midst of a dark cloud. She speaks through the smoke of her fantasies, maybe because things haven't been good for her at home or because nobody she loves has ever cared for her. She wants to run away, without much thought about where she's going. The singer knows that it's alright to fantasize, but some words are just meant to deceive, as they're coming from the woman's dreamtime.


The woman's dreamtime is a world where everything is overcast and rain is impending, and she's always on the run. She's not sure where she's heading until she comes across a door and walks right through it. Suddenly, she finds herself on the floor, and there's a man with "movie star eyes" standing next to her. He seems well-intentioned and the woman thinks he will take care of her, but the singer interjects, knowing that he's part of the dreamworld, a lie.


The message is clear that dreaming can be good, but too much can cause someone to lose touch with their reality. It's a reminder to stop and face the truth, to wake up and face life as it is. The song also highlights how some people cling to false realities, which only make it harder for them to keep going.


Line by Line Meaning

I saw you standing and I felt your rage
I observed you standing there, and I could sense the anger inside of you.


like a dark cloud on a crowded stage
Your anger was just like a dark cloud hovering over you, in spite of all the people surrounding you.


You were talking through the smoke in your fantasy
It seemed like you were communicating and expressing yourself in a make-believe world, amidst all the smoke around you.


I know you girl I know what to believe
Despite your apparent confusion and frustration, I know you well enough to understand your true beliefs and values.


Maybe things ain't been so good at home
Perhaps your personal life hasn't been going very well lately.


And the people that you love never cared at all
It's possible that the individuals you care about haven't shown enough concern or tenderness towards you.


You want to run away don't care where you go
You feel an urge to escape, regardless of where you end up.


You want to run away that's all you know
Escaping is the only thing you can think of as a solution to your problems.


Believe it's alright to fantasize
You might believe that it's acceptable to daydream and lose yourself in illusions.


And say the words you think will satisfy me
You might say things you believe will please me without thinking about whether they're true or not.


But you know better than that
You are well aware of the fact that that's not the right approach.


'Cause you know what's a lie
You understand what's true and what's false better than anyone else.


You're living in Dreamtime Baby
You're currently living and thinking in a fanciful world of imagination.


It's time to wake up
It's high time you came out of that dream world and started facing reality.


In your dream it's overcast
In your imagination, it's currently dark and gloomy.


Rain comes down movin' your way fast
Imaginary rain is approaching and will be here soon.


Turn a corner then you see a door
You find a door around a corner, which seems to provide an opportunity for escape.


Walk on through throw yourself on the floor
You enter through the door and throw yourself on the floor, hoping to escape/recharge.


When you're looking up it's no surprise
When you glance upwards from your spot on the floor, you're not shocked by what you see.


Standing there is a man with Movie Star Eyes
There's a striking gentleman with captivating features in front of you.


Think he's gonna take care of you
You believe, in your imagination, that he'll take care of all your needs and problems.


The man with the plan that'll see you through
You believe that he is the one with all the perfect answers to your problems.


I say there ain't no way
In contrast to your fantasy, I'm telling you that this is simply not possible.


'Cause I know he's a lie
Based on my own knowledge and understanding, I know that he's not trustworthy or reliable.


It's time to shape up
It's important that you start focusing on what's really relevant and make meaningful progress.


I never saw anybody fall apart so fast
You seem to be falling apart at an incredibly rapid rate, according to my observations.


Living in Dreamtime you know it ain't gonna last
Your current world of fantasy and imagination are not long-term solutions to your problems.


Never saw anybody think she's so right and be so wrong
I've never come across anyone who thinks so highly of themselves, but is as misguided as you.


It's hard to carry on
It's difficult for you to continue functioning under the weight of your present situation.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLIE HALL, LOL HAMMOND

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@america5283

This anthem was written by the great John beeby who passed away last night. Thanks for being a friend John. I'm proud to have known you. Love you mate. Rip

@66marshallandrew

Thank you John for this epic song. RIP

@michaellyons2637

What a great song! I can’t believe it’s not played on 80s stations. Daryl Hall was an early influence on my own music and performance. He was the reason I could visualize being a keyboardist and lead singer simultaneously, which I’ve done in a few bands over the years. This song is simply a wonderful composition!

@erikakarafa-chin2710

Couldn’t agree 👍 more about this incredible song 🎶! He’s one of the best recording artist 👩‍🎨 of all time! And this song 🎶 was officially a wonderful composition and a great 👍 masterpiece for his album 💿, as well! Without a doubt 👍! Yeah 👍! Well Done 👍, Mr. Daryl Hall! Great 👍 job 👏!

@mariapaz213

✨️💖🎶💯🎶🎶🎶🎶👏👏👏👏✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️🙏🎵🎵💃✨️✨️✨️​@@erikakarafa-chin2710

@jennytressler978

He sings with such conviction in every song he sings, and his performance in the video is right in sync with that conviction. This song's theme is similar to "Everything Your Heart Desires," which came out around the same time. It makes me wonder what Daryl was going through at that time in his life, if anything, or if the similar themes are just a coincidence. Either way, great tune!

@eightiesmusic1984

Both epic songs.

@paulaloud65

Love Daryl's voice. A genuine Legend

@mikewarden57

One of the most under rated songs of the 80's. The drums kick ass!

@norfolksouthernrailfan2006

Under rated how, because this song peaked at #5 on the Billboard hot 100 in the summer of 1986.

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