The band broke up in the fall of 1996 after Smith's solo work began gaining popularity. Gust went on to play in the band No. 2. Coomes carried on as half of Quasi, as well as playing as a guest musician for Built to Spill and Sleater-Kinney. Lash currently keeps himself busy as a producer. He helped with the production of Death Cab for Cutie's first two studio albums (Something About Airplanes and We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes).
Dirty Dream
Heatmiser Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
After I woke up from a really dirty dream
But it didn't sound quite right
Under an unforgiving light
So I forgot about it and went back to sleep
Don't want to tell you everything
Have it come out sounding like a joke
Don't wanna know what I look like
And I swore I was gonna enjoy the summer
But you gave me too much time to kill
I didn't ask for it
You took off and I stood still
There's no one coming over tonight
What an unforgiving night
What an unforgiving night
What an unforgiving night
What an unforgiving night
The fingers were blue and waved
Like paper, the water was so cold I got stars
In my eyes
I figured it out when I was in the bathroom
Just before I turned off the light
Don't want to tell you anything
Have it come out sounding like a joke
Don't wanna know what I look like
Under a microscope
I woke up from another dirty dream
The lyrics to Heatmiser's Dirty Dream describe the aftermath of a dream that left the singer feeling unsettled and uncomfortable. The song opens with the singer reflecting on the dream in question, which was apparently quite graphic and erotic, but did not feel right in the light of day. Though the singer tries to forget about the dream and go back to sleep, they find themselves unable to fully shake the feelings of unease it has caused. As they lie in bed, they think of the person they would normally confide in, but are hesitant to do so for fear of being judged or not taken seriously.
The second verse switches to a lament about the passing of time, and the singer's frustration with how slow the summer is going. They express a desire for someone to spend time with, but with no one coming over that night, things feel especially lonely and unforgiving. This leads into a repetition of the chorus as a sort of refrain, emphasizing the singer's sense of isolation and discomfort. The third verse returns to the imagery of the dream, with the singer's fingers turning blue and the water being uncomfortably cold. As they prepare to go back to sleep again, they find themselves still fixated on the dream and unable to fully shake it from their mind.
Overall, the song seems to be about the difficulty of processing complex or ambiguous emotions, and the feeling of being trapped in one's own head. The singer is struggling to come to terms with the implications of the dream they had, but is also trying to shut it out in order to maintain some sense of normalcy. Similarly, their thoughts about the slowness of the summer and the lack of company hint at a deeper dissatisfaction with their life, but they are unable to articulate or explore these feelings fully. The song creates a sense of claustrophobia and loneliness, emphasizing the one-on-one confrontation that the singer is having with their own thoughts and feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
It all came back to me in the bathroom
The memory of a dirty dream surfaced while I was in the bathroom.
After I woke up from a really dirty dream
I had a sexually explicit dream from which I woke up.
But it didn't sound quite right
Something about the dream was off and didn't align with reality.
Under an unforgiving light
When I thought about it more, I realized the dream didn't hold up in the harshness of reality.
So I forgot about it and went back to sleep
I chose to disregard the dream and went back to sleep.
Don't want to tell you everything
I am hesitant to share all the details of the dream.
Have it come out sounding like a joke
I fear that sharing it may make it seem like a comical story.
Don't wanna know what I look like
I am afraid of being analyzed or scrutinized for my thoughts and desires.
Under a microscope
It feels like my privacy and inner thoughts are exposed and magnified.
And I swore I was gonna enjoy the summer
I had made prior commitments to have a fun-filled season.
But you gave me too much time to kill
With nothing to keep me occupied, my mind wandered and led to the dirty dream.
I didn't ask for it
It wasn't a conscious decision or intention to have that dream.
You took off and I stood still
My lack of busyness and your absence left me idle, leading to my wandering thoughts.
There's no one coming over tonight
I am alone and there will be no social interaction for the night.
What an unforgiving night
The night feels lonely and harsh.
The fingers were blue and waved
My hands were cold and trembling.
Like paper, the water was so cold I got stars in my eyes
The coldness of the water was so intense that it caused discomfort and visual disturbances.
I figured it out when I was in the bathroom
I connected the dots and realized the cause of the dream while in the bathroom.
Just before I turned off the light
The realization came moments before I went to bed.
I woke up from another dirty dream
I had another sexually explicit dream from which I woke up.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dan Relayer
The fact that the single hasn't seen a digital release is a crime
Troy Murphy
Neil Gust is a great song writer
Sacred Rhetoric
so great thanks for uploading this!!!
Dylan
awesome
Danielle
Cavity Search Records? Lol, someone has a sense of humor.
Joshua Knudsen
Beginning sounds like One by metallica
Amargado
Chill
Wesley Heermann
whuh?
Jane Doe
Amanda?