Born in Tennessee but raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Martin gained notice as a back-up singer for such artists as Stevie Nicks, Joe Walsh, Don Henley, Tom Petty and Kenny Loggins, touring with Nicks and Walsh. She became a protegee of Doug Morris, then the head of Atlantic Records, who had heard her backing up Nicks on the Rock a Little album and was impressed enough to ask for a demo. He then signed Martin to a two album contract and connected her with Phil Collins for "Separate Lives," part of the soundtrack for the 1985 film White Nights. The song was a number one hit in the U.S. and a Top 5 hit in the United Kingdom.[1]. Her self-titled debut album was released in January 1986, with the single "Night Moves" reaching number 28 on the U.S. charts.[2]. Her second album, 1988's This Is Serious, was notable for containing the song "Possessive Love" written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard. However, neither the single or the album was successful and Atlantic released Martin from her contract, although she continued her career as a back-up vocalist into the 1990s.
The Dream Is Always the Same
Marilyn Martin Lyrics
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Tell me what we're headed for
Tomorrow we'll be oceans apart
I'll be flyin' high with half a heart
The dream is always the same
But we make our plans obligations
If I could you know that I'd stay
Maybe someday I'll have that house and garden
But for now the wheels just keep turnin'
I'll go Silently in the mornin'
With my dreams and demands for the day
The dream is always the same
But we make our plans obligations
If I could you know that I'd stay
But we make the bed that we lie in
Hold me, oh hold me
For one more night
let me feel you across the miles
The dream is always the same
But we make our plans obligations
If I could you know that I'd stay
But we make the bed that we lie in
The dream is always the same
But we make our plans obligations
If I could I'd stay, ooh darlin'
The song "The Dream Is Always the Same" by Marilyn Martin is a ballad about a couple who are facing separation due to circumstances out of their control. The lyrics express the frustrations and longing of the singer who is torn between the desire to stay with her beloved and the obligations that force her to leave. The opening lines, "Darling, darling, lovely boy, Tell me what we're headed for, Tomorrow we'll be oceans apart, I'll be flyin' high with half a heart" convey the sense of despair and sadness that fills the singer's heart as she prepares to leave her lover.
The chorus, "The dream is always the same, But we make our plans obligations, If I could you know that I'd stay, But we make the bed that we lie in" highlights the central theme of the song- of how our choices and decisions shape our lives, and how we must face the consequences of those decisions. The singer is aware that if she could, she would stay, but she is bound by her obligations, and must leave behind her dreams of a house and garden, and the love of her life.
The final lines, "Hold me, oh hold me, For one more night, let me feel you across the miles," are a poignant plea to her lover to hold on to their memories and love, even as she embarks on a new journey. Overall, the song is a emotive portrayal of loss and separation, and how we must learn to accept the consequences of our choices.
Line by Line Meaning
Darling, darling, lovely boy
Addressing a person, asking them to describe the future together
Tell me what we're headed for
Asking for direction or purpose of the relationship
Tomorrow we'll be oceans apart
Acknowledging separation due to circumstances outside of their control
I'll be flyin' high with half a heart
Despite excitement for the future, there's still a feeling of incompleteness or heartache
The dream is always the same
There's a consistent idea or vision for the future, regardless of circumstances
But we make our plans obligations
Despite aspirations, life's responsibilities and commitments can alter or limit what's possible
If I could you know that I'd stay
Expressing a desire to remain together, if possible
But we make the bed that we lie in
Acknowledging that past choices and actions shape and limit the present
Maybe someday I'll have that house and garden
Holding onto a future hope or aspirations
But for now the wheels just keep turnin'
Not being able to stop the forward momentum of life
I'll go Silently in the mornin'
Leaving quietly or without notice, without wanting to cause a fuss
With my dreams and demands for the day
Heading off with plans or goals for the future
Hold me, oh hold me
Asking for physical comfort and closeness
For one more night
Asking for temporary relief or postponement of impending separation
Let me feel you across the miles
Wishing to maintain or recapture emotional connection despite physical distance
If I could I'd stay, ooh darlin'
Repeating the desire to stay together if possible
Contributed by Brooklyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.