I Have A Dream
Holmes&Watson Lyrics

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FRED
Oh, false one, you have deceived me!

RUTH
I have deceived you?

FRED
Yes, deceived me!

[Duet between FRED and RUTH begins]

FRED
You told me you were fair as gold,

RUTH
—And, master, am I not so?

FRED
And now I see you're plain and old.

RUTH
I'm sure I'm not a jot so!

FRED
Upon my innocence you've played!

RUTH
I'm not the one to plot so!

FRED
Your face is lined, your hair is grey!

RUTH
It gradually got so!

FRED
Faithless woman, to deceive me,
I who trusted so!

RUTH
Master, master, do not leave me!
Hear me ere you go!

FRED
Faithless woman!

RUTH
Master, master!

FRED
Faithless woman!

RUTH
Master, master!

FRED (top), RUTH (bottom)
Faithless woman, to deceive me, I who trusted so!
Master, master, do not leave me. Hear me ere you go!

Faithless woman, to deceive me, I who trusted so!
Master, master, do not leave me. Hear me ere you go!

RUTH (solo)
My love without reflecting, oh do not be rejecting.
Take a maiden tender—her affection raw and green!
At very highest rating, has been accumulating
Summers seventeen—summers seventeen.

FRED (top), RUTH (bottom)
Yes, your former master saves you from disaster.
Don't, beloved master, crush me with disaster.

Your love would be uncomfortably fervid, it is clear.
What is such a dower to the dower I have here?

If, as you are stating, it's been accumulating
My love unabating has been accumulating

Forty-seven years!
Forty-seven years!

FRED
Faithless woman, to deceive me,
I who trusted so!

FRED (top), RUTH (bottom)

Faithless woman, to deceive me, I who trusted so!
Master, master, do not leave me. Hear me ere you go!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Holmes&Watson's song "I Have A Dream" depict a conversation between two characters, Fred and Ruth, who are in a state of disagreement and disappointment. Fred accuses Ruth of deceiving him, while Ruth denies any intention to do so. Fred expresses his frustration by pointing out that Ruth had portrayed herself as fair and young, but now he sees her as plain and old. Ruth defends herself by insisting that she never plotted or intended to deceive Fred, and that any changes in her appearance were gradual and not deliberate.

As the duet progresses, Fred repeatedly calls Ruth a "faithless woman," expressing his hurt and betrayal. Ruth, desperate to salvage the relationship, pleads with Fred not to leave her and begs him to listen to her before making any decisions.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, false one, you have deceived me!
You have betrayed my trust and misled me.

I have deceived you?
Are you accusing me of deception?

Yes, deceived me!
Yes, you have indeed deceived me!

You told me you were fair as gold,
You claimed to be beautiful and precious.

—And, master, am I not so?
And, master, am I not still fair?

And now I see you're plain and old.
But now I see that you are ordinary and aged.

I'm sure I'm not a jot so!
I assure you, I am not at all so!

Upon my innocence you've played!
You have taken advantage of my innocence.

I'm not the one to plot so!
I am not the one to scheme in such a way!

Your face is lined, your hair is grey!
Your face has wrinkles, and your hair has turned gray!

It gradually got so!
It happened slowly over time!

Faithless woman, to deceive me, I who trusted so!
You untrustworthy woman, to betray my trust!

Master, master, do not leave me! Hear me ere you go!
Master, please don't abandon me! Listen to me before you leave!

My love without reflecting, oh do not be rejecting.
My love is genuine and impulsive, please do not reject it.

Take a maiden tender—her affection raw and green!
Accept a young and inexperienced woman with her raw and inexperienced love!

At very highest rating, has been accumulating summers seventeen—summers seventeen.
Her love, at its highest level, has been growing for seventeen summers.

Yes, your former master saves you from disaster.
Yes, your previous master rescues you from misfortune.

Don't, beloved master, crush me with disaster.
Please, my beloved master, don't overwhelm me with calamity.

Your love would be uncomfortably fervid, it is clear.
Clearly, your love would be excessively passionate.

What is such a dower to the dower I have here?
What difference does your dowry make compared to the wealth I have here?

If, as you are stating, it's been accumulating.
If, as you claim, it has been accumulating.

My love unabating has been accumulating.
My unwavering love has also been growing.

Forty-seven years!
For a total of forty-seven years!

Faithless woman, to deceive me, I who trusted so!
You deceitful woman, to betray the trust I had in you!

Master, master, do not leave me. Hear me ere you go!
Master, please don't abandon me. Listen to me before you depart!

Lyrics © Skip Wilson Media
Written by: Adrian D. Holmes, Arthur Sullivan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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