Franks grew up in southern California with his father Gerald, his mother Betty and younger sister Christine who is the mother of Connor Sullivan (The lead singer of The Royal Nonesuch). Although no one in his family played music, his parents loved swing music and his early influences included Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Johnny Mercer. At age 14 Franks bought his first guitar, a Japanese Marco Polo for $29.95 with six private lessons included - the only music education that he received.
At University High in Irvine, Franks discovered the poetry of Theodore Roethke with his off-rhymes and hidden meter. In high school, he began singing folk-rock, accompanying himself on guitar. Studying English at UCLA Michael discovered Dave Brubeck, Patti Page, Stan Getz, João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Miles Davis. He never studied music in college or later, but earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA in comparative literature in 1966 and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Oregon in 1968. He had a teaching assistantship in a Ph.D. program in American literature at the University of Montreal before returning to teach part-time at UCLA.
During this time Franks started writing songs, starting with the antiwar musical Anthems in E-flat starring Mark Hamill. He also composed music for the films Count Your Bullets, Cockfighter, and Zandy's Bride, starring Liv Ullmann and Gene Hackman. Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee recorded three of his songs, including "White Boy Lost in the Blues" on their album Sonny & Brownie. Franks played guitar, banjo and mandolin on the album and joined them in touring. In 1973, he recorded an eponymous album, later reissued as Previously Unavailable, which included the minor hit "Can't Seem to Shake This Rock 'n Roll".
In 1975 Franks released his second album The Art of Tea, beginning a long relationship with Warner Brothers Music. The Art of Tea featured Joe Sample, Larry Carlton and Wilton Felder of The Crusaders and included the hit song "Popsicle Toes". His third album, Sleeping Gypsy (1977), which includes the song "The Lady Wants to Know", was partially recorded in Brazil. Around this time, percussionist Ray Armando gave Franks a cabasa, which became a signature instrument for him to play on stage when he was not playing guitar. Burchfield Nines (1978), which includes the song "When the Cookie Jar Is Empty", reflects his move to New York City and features more of an East Coast sound. Since then, Franks has recorded more than 15 albums.
His best known works include "When I Give My Love to You", "Popsicle Toes", "Monkey See, Monkey Do", "Tiger in the Rain", "Rainy Night in Tokyo", and "Tell Me All About It". His biggest hit came in 1983 with "When Sly Calls (Don't Touch That Phone)" from the album Passionfruit. Radio hits include "Your Secret's Safe With Me" from 1985's Skin Dive, and "Island Life" from 1987s The Camera Never Lies.
The Dream
Michael Franks Lyrics
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In which I swam with dolphins
In open sea a transparent blue
(Maybe you dreamt it too)
And on the earth
The trees grew heavy with blossoms
The rainforests had not died
And the Amazon shined like an emerald
Somewhere, somehow, some way
We must hold back the dawn
While there's still time to try
Keep the faith, keep the dream alive
I had this dream
That we were all one family
Which war and famine could not undo
(Maybe you dreamt it too)
Our family name
Was either Kindness or Compassion
We recognized each other
And we recognized the light inside us
Somewhere, somehow, some way
We must hold back the dawn
While there's still time to try
Keep the faith, keep the dream alive
Somewhere, somehow, some way
We must hold back the dawn
While there's still time to try
Keep the faith, keep the dream alive
Listen, the cry for freedom
Echoes from Red Square to Soweto town
The barricades are broken now
The walls are tumbling down
Somewhere, somehow, some way
We must hold back the dawn
While there's still time to try
Keep the faith, keep the dream alive
Somewhere, somehow, some way
We must hold back the dawn
While there's still time to try
Keep the faith, keep the dream alive
I woke up to find it was just a dream
Why must it only be just a dream?
I woke up to find it was just a dream
Why must it only be just a dream?
I woke up to find it was just a dream
Why must it only be just a dream?
The song "The Dream" by Michael Franks is a poignant ballad about a dream he had where he swims with dolphins in a transparent blue sea and where the rainforests have not died, and the Amazon shined like an emerald. He also dreams of a world where all people are one family that war and famine could not destroy, and their family names were either Kindness or Compassion. However, he wakes up to find that it was just a dream, and he wonders why it must only be a dream.
The lyrics of the song are a call to action, urging listeners to keep the faith and to keep the dream alive. The dream is a vision of a better world, one where humanity has found a way to live in harmony with one another and with nature. Franks is aware that this dream may seem impossible, yet he encourages everyone to keep trying nonetheless. The cry for freedom in the song echoes from Red Square to Soweto town, and the barricades are broken, and the walls are tumbling down – giving hope that change is possible.
The song is a reminder of how powerful dreams can be, and how they can inspire us to envision a better future for ourselves and for the world. It encourages us to hold onto hope, to never give up on our dreams, and to work towards creating a better future for all people.
Line by Line Meaning
I had this dream
In his mind's eye, the singer envisioned something that seemed too good to be true.
In which I swam with dolphins
During the dream, the singer experienced a moment of joy and connection with nature.
In open sea a transparent blue
The singer encountered a visually stunning and peaceful ocean environment in the dream.
(Maybe you dreamt it too)
The artist imagines that others may have had similar dreams of finding peace and connection in nature.
And on the earth
The scenery shifted to the land, where another beautiful sight awaited the artist.
The trees grew heavy with blossoms
Amidst the dream landscape, the singer encountered a symbolic representation of renewal and growth.
The rainforests had not died
In the dream, the natural world was still thriving and in balance despite real-world destruction and degradation.
And the Amazon shined like an emerald
The artist saw one of the world's most valuable natural resources in all its glory, untouched and unspoiled.
Somewhere, somehow, some way
The artist recognizes what he saw in the dream may be out of reach, but he still has hope that it can be achieved.
We must hold back the dawn
The dawn here symbolizes the harsh reality of a world that is not yet in line with the beauty the artist saw in his dream.
While there's still time to try
The singer urges his listeners to act while there's still a chance to make a positive change in the world.
Keep the faith, keep the dream alive
The artist urges people to remain optimistic and committed to making their vision of a better world come true.
That we were all one family
The singer imagines a future where people are united and share a common bond, even if they come from diverse backgrounds.
Which war and famine could not undo
In this utopian vision, people are resilient enough to overcome the world's most pressing problems, such as war and famine.
Our family name
The term 'family' here is used figuratively to describe a group of people who look out for each other's well-being and do not discriminate based on race, nationality, or other factors.
Was either Kindness or Compassion
The artist suggests that empathy and care for others should be the guiding principles of the imagined, utopian society he dreamed of.
We recognized each other
In this dream society, people find connection and commonality with others rather than division and estrangement.
And we recognized the light inside us
The 'light' here could refer to the best and brightest parts of human nature, including kindness, creativity, and compassion.
Listen, the cry for freedom
Drawing on real-world struggles for human rights and freedom, the singer points to ongoing fights for justice and dignity around the globe.
Echoes from Red Square to Soweto town
Soweto was a township in South Africa, and Red Square was a center of political and social upheaval in Russia. Both serve as symbols of larger global movements for freedom and justice.
The barricades are broken now
The artist sees hope in the fact that some of the barriers and obstacles that have held people back from achieving equality and liberation are beginning to crumble.
The walls are tumbling down
The end of the previous line is reiterated to highlight the artist's belief in the potential for transformative change in the world.
I woke up to find it was just a dream
The singer laments the fact that the beautiful and wondrous world he dreamt of does not exist in reality.
Why must it only be just a dream?
The artist implies that there is no reason why the vision of a better world he saw in his dream could not become a reality if people work collectively toward it.
Contributed by Violet Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.