Michael Feinstein (born September 7, 1956) is an American singer, a pianist… Read Full Bio ↴Michael Feinstein (born September 7, 1956) is an American singer, a pianist, music revivalist, and an interpreter of, and anthropologist and archivist for, the repertoire known as the Great American Songbook. The Library of Congress elected him to the National Sound Recording Advisory Board, an organization dedicated to safeguarding America’s musical heritage.

Long Ago And Far Away
Michael Feinstein Lyrics

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Long ago and far away
I dreamed a dream one day
And now that dream is here beside me
Long the skies were overcast
But now the clouds have passed
You're here at last
Chills run up and down my spine
Aladdin's lamp is mine

The dream I dreamed was not denied me
Just one look and then I knew
That all I longed for long ago was you

Long ago and far away
I dreamed a dream one day
And now that dream is here beside me
Long the skies were overcast
But now the clouds have passed
You're here at last
Chills run up and down my spine
Aladdin's lamp is mine
The dream I dreamed was not denied me
Just one look and then I knew
That all I longed for long ago was you

Just one look and then I knew
(Him, with her humming along)
That all I longed for long ago

Was you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Michael Feinstein's song Long Ago And Far Away describe a dream that has finally come true, with the person the singer longed for now standing beside them. The lyrics are full of imagery, beginning with the idea of a dream that was once far away, and now has become reality. The opening two lines introduce the dream that the singer once had, and how it has now come true. The next two lines describe the sense of persistent hope that the singer held onto, even when the skies were overcast and things seemed like they would never change. However, now everything has changed, and the person the singer dreamed of is finally by their side.

The second verse repeats the same lines as the first, almost verbatim, which underlines the idea of the dream becoming a reality. The lines "Chills run up and down my spine, Aladdin's lamp is mine" describe the singer's elation at finally achieving their dreams, and the fact that anything seems possible now that they have the person they longed for. In the final lines, the singer reiterates that all they ever wanted was the person standing beside them, and that the moment they set eyes on them, they knew that their dream of being together had finally come true. The lyrics are simple yet emotionally charged, and express the idea of a long-held wish finally being fulfilled.

Line by Line Meaning

Long ago and far away
Once upon a time, in a place very far from here

I dreamed a dream one day
I had a vision or goal that I wished to achieve

And now that dream is here beside me
But now that dream has become a reality and is present with me

Long the skies were overcast
For a long time, the world seemed gloomy and bleak

But now the clouds have passed
But now, those negative feelings have disappeared

You're here at last
Finally, you are here with me

Chills run up and down my spine
I am filled with a powerful, thrilling sensation

Aladdin's lamp is mine
I feel as though I have been granted a wish through magical means

The dream I dreamed was not denied me
The vision or goal that I had wished for has come true, and I have not been denied this success

Just one look and then I knew
As soon as I saw you, I immediately realized

That all I longed for long ago was you
That the one thing I truly wanted a long time ago was to be with you