Bad Dreams
Jimmy Destri Lyrics
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Yesterday's theory.
All alone in a nightmare.
Come on daytime!
And don't you cry cry cry cry cry all alone.
Allistar is on the banister making friends with the walls.
If you cry cry cry cry cry like a baby.
Make you die die die die die.
Say goodbye bye bye bye bye.
All alone.
Your so young.
Like a baby.
All alone.
Hey, you're so young.
Just like a baby.
And you cry.
Ride away on the milky way.
Fly away on a cloud. I know bad dreams.
To make you cry.
To make you cry.
To make you cry cry cry cry cry.
To make you cry cry cry cry.
To make you cry cry cry cry cry.
All alone.
Hey to make you cry cry cry cry cry.
To make you die die die die.
To make you cry cry cry cry cry.
All alone.
The lyrics of Jimmy Destri's song "Bad Dreams" evoke a feeling of loneliness and despair. The opening line, "Roll away, talleys, alleyway," sounds like a command to leave a place, perhaps a rundown alley where one might find themselves in a nightmare. The second line, "Yesterday's theory," suggests that something was believed to be true in the past but is now proven false, leaving one feeling lost and confused. The line "Come on daytime!" seems to be a plea for relief from the darkness of bad dreamscapes.
The following lines are a repetition of "cry cry cry" and "die die die," which could be interpreted as the feelings of hopelessness and helplessness that one experiences in a bad dream. The line "Allistar is on the banister making friends with the walls" could be seen as a reference to a character in the nightmare, someone who is losing touch with reality in a surreal and frightening way.
The final verse of the song is a repetition of earlier lines, with the added phrase "Hey, you're so young" in the background, emphasizing the vulnerability of the subject. The song overall is a haunting portrayal of the experience of being lost in a bad dream and feeling isolated in that experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Roll away, talleys, alleyway.
Leave behind the troubles of the past and take a different path forwards.
Yesterday's theory.
The beliefs and assumptions of the past may not be applicable to the present or future.
All alone in a nightmare.
Feeling isolated and trapped in a frightening experience.
Come on daytime!
Hope and optimism for a better future, free from the darkness of the night.
And don't you cry cry cry cry cry all alone.
Encouragement to overcome difficult challenges without giving up or feeling helpless.
Allistar is on the banister making friends with the walls.
Observation of someone in an altered state of consciousness or mental instability, disconnected from reality.
If you cry cry cry cry cry like a baby.
Expressing vulnerability and helplessness in the face of adversity.
Make you cry cry cry cry cry.
Possible intention to cause emotional pain or distress to someone else.
Make you die die die die die.
Extreme and intense emotional suffering or psychological distress.
Say goodbye bye bye bye bye.
Final farewell or departure from a situation or relationship.
All alone.
Feeling isolated and disconnected from others.
Your so young.
Addressing someone who may lack experience or knowledge of certain challenges.
Like a baby.
Comparing the person to a newborn who is innocent and vulnerable.
Hey, you're so young.
Reinforcement of the idea that the person has much to learn and experience in life.
Ride away on the milky way.
Escaping from present reality and entering a fantasy world or imaginary realm.
Fly away on a cloud. I know bad dreams.
Acknowledging the existence of nightmares or negative experiences that can haunt one's thoughts or dreams.
To make you cry.
Suggesting that something or someone has the potential to cause emotional pain or distress.
To make you cry cry cry cry cry.
Intensifying the potential for emotional pain or distress to the point of overwhelming, uncontrollable crying.
To make you die die die die.
The emotional pain or distress can feel so intense that it may feel like a form of psychological or spiritual death.
All alone.
An experience of feeling isolated, unsupported, and helpless in the face of overwhelming challenges.
Contributed by Eli N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Slymukk
This is good stuff. Great that you have published it so I don't have to dig up and rip my cassette with this album.
@allenterhune4452
Hey, if you have time, would you please upload the Little Metal Drummer Boy Intro that ends side one? This is one of my top five albums of all time. Thanks!
@jonmanuel8245
Let's face it at this stage Mr. Destri was still using his 'Vocal training wheels' so to speak...although the songwriting craftsmanship IS there...too bad Deborah Harry got tired of him and pursuaded Chris and Clem that he didn't really belong in the band anymore...Poor Jimmy, sigh....