River of Dreams
Hayley Westenra Lyrics


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River of dreams take me with you tonight
Lying in your arms we'll drift to
Islands of wonder that gleam and glow under the stars
As we glide through the dark
To the heart of the night

River of dreams gently hold me again
I remember all you told me
All of the secrets you whispered as we crept away
From the daylight and melted back into the night

Was I awake
Or did I dream
The kiss of waves
The silver slipstream
That tumbles as it turns again towards the sea

River of dreams softly flowing away
Let me follow where you are going
And make me a part of you
Deep in the heart of you
Let my reflection be clear
In the water of life
That tumbles as it turns again towards the night





That tumbles as it turns again towards the night

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Hayley Westenra's "River of Dreams" evoke imagery of going on a nocturnal journey along a mystical river that flows towards the stars. The first stanza gives the impression of dreamy escapism, as the singer desires to be taken away on this river of dreams to experience the wonders of surrounding islands that glow under the stars. The second verse is more introspective and reflective, tying in elements of memory and secrets shared in the night. The singer wonders whether this journey along the river was a dream, playing with the idea of the power of thoughts and the tangibility of fleeting moments. Ultimately, the song ends with a plea to be a part of the river, to see one's reflection in its life-giving waters as it flows towards the night.


One interpretation of "River of Dreams" is that it speaks to the idea of nostalgia, yearning for memories of the past that are now lost in the mists of time. It feels like a longing for a return to those moments of magic and innocence where life was light and free. This theme is reinforced in the bridge where the singer references the "kiss of waves," a metaphor for the passing of time, as memories ebb and flow away like waves against the shore.


Overall, the lyrics of "River of Dreams" suggest a craving for escapism and connection to something larger than oneself. It encourages the listener to let go of the mundane and embrace the unknown possibilities of the night, while simultaneously reminding them to hold onto the precious memories that make up our lives.


Line by Line Meaning

River of dreams take me with you tonight
I long for the journey of dreams to take me on its enchanting ride tonight


Lying in your arms we'll drift to
We'll be embraced by the dreams as we drift away


Islands of wonder that gleam and glow under the stars
The islands in my dream are filled with wonders and glittering lights shining under the stars


As we glide through the dark
We travel through the dark on this dream journey


To the heart of the night
We're heading to the deepest part of the nighttime world


River of dreams gently hold me again
I want to be wrapped in the comforting embrace of my dreams again


I remember all you told me
I have beautiful memories of the things my dreams have revealed to me


All of the secrets you whispered as we crept away
The secrets of my subconscious were whispered to me as I was carried away by the dream world


From the daylight and melted back into the night
We slip away from the real world and are immersed once again in the mysterious darkness of the dream world


Was I awake
I question whether I was really awake or if I was still dreaming


Or did I dream
I wonder if it was all just a dream


The kiss of waves
The waves of my dream world gently caressed me


The silver slipstream
The shining path of my dream carries me away


That tumbles as it turns again towards the sea
The dream world keeps moving and swirling, always heading towards new experiences and discoveries


River of dreams softly flowing away
The dream river is gently carrying me away on its current


Let me follow where you are going
I want to go wherever my dream river leads me


And make me a part of you
I want to be completely immersed in my dream world and become one with it


Deep in the heart of you
I want to explore the deepest parts of the dream world


Let my reflection be clear
I want to see my true self reflected in the waters of my dream world


In the water of life
The dream river is the source of life and vitality for me


That tumbles as it turns again towards the night
The dream river keeps flowing and turning, always heading towards the darkness of the night




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RONAN HARDIMAN, NEIL CHRIS, CHARLIE DORE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@jochet123

River of dreams take me with you tonight
Lying in your arms we'll drift to
Islands of wonder that gleam and glow
Under the stars
As we glide through the dark
To the heart of the night

River of dreams gently hold me again
I remember all you told me
All of the secrets you whispered as we crept away
From the daylight and melted back into the night

Was I awake or did I dream
The kiss of waves
The silver slipstream
That tumbles as it turns again towards the sea

River of dreams softly flowing away
Let me follow where you are going
And make me a part of you
Deep in the heart of you
Let my reflection be clear
In the water of life
That tumbles as it turns again towards the night



All comments from YouTube:

@sandragammack4890

My radio alarm woke me to the beautiful voice of Hayley Westerna singing River of Dreams. I was totally blown away...
What a way to start my day. I was in Heaven on a cloud with my recently deceased partner. XXX

@bradcowan1642

Unreal vocals, seriously, what an underrated talent. I could listen to her forever....time to buy some of her music...

@shereekendall1003

Brad Cowan....Hayley is not underrated...far from it...she's a huge international success! You Need to go see her international concerts...she's magnificent to say the least.

@satinbarbi

I could never get tired of her voice.

@user-pm8cz1ij2l

Hayley Westenra, she is beautiful and her voice is very beautiful.
And this song makes me comfortable.

@William2020a

I've been addicted to Ms. Westerna since seeing her tour with Celtic Woman. Incredible that a singer can actually 'make it' these days without dancing around in her underwear, having wardrobe malfunctions or being carried to award shows in an egg. Of course, it helps that Ms. Westerna has talent and dedication to sustain her career and not a PR firm.

@kenbooker5739

Hayley is a lovely singer .she has the voice of an angel .

@user-pm8cz1ij2l

I agree with you.

@pattimuse1

You are an angel from heaven with your gorgeous voice! Love this song and you!🎶

@user-pm8cz1ij2l

I agree with you.

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