No Dream
Mike Oldfield Lyrics


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An empty chair,
Is someone sitting there?
Footsteps on the ground.
Can you hear that sound?
Like a wild goose crying
On a lonely wind.
Whispering leaves
In the branches that bend.

[ Chorus 1 ]
This ain't no dream, babe.

Alone in the night.
Turn on the light, this ain't no dream.
This is no dream.
You didn't read this is no book.
Go take a look, this ain't no dream.
A restless flame,
Someone calls your name.
Through the empty hall,
Casting shadows on the wall.
In the sound of emptiness,
Isolation.
Nowhere left to run,
Now the time has come.

[ Repeat Chorus 1 ]

An open door,
Glass all on the floor.
Hands have turned to white
In the cold breeze of the night.
There's a face at the window.
Someone who you know
Or who you used to be.
Could that somebody be me?

[ Chorus 2 ]
Dream, babe,
Alone in the night.
Turn on the light, this ain't no dream.
This is no dream.
This ain't no book.
Go take a look, this ain't no dream.

[ Repeat Chorus 2 ]
[ Repeat Chorus 2 ]

Dream, babe.
Dream, babe.
This ain't no dream.
Go take a look!
Dream, babe.
Dream, babe.





[ Repeat Chorus 2 ]

Overall Meaning

The song "No Dream" by Mike Oldfield depicts a surreal situation where the singer feels the presence of someone else in the room despite being physically alone. The song opens with the singer describing an empty chair and wondering if someone is sitting there. They can hear footsteps and sounds of leaves rustling in the wind, but can't see anyone around. The chorus repeatedly emphasizes that this situation is not a dream, urging the singer to turn on the light and see for themselves that it is indeed happening.


As the song progresses, the singer senses a restless flame and hears someone calling their name through an empty hall. They feel isolated and trapped, with nowhere left to run. In the second verse, the singer encounters an open door and broken glass on the floor. They see a face in the window that may belong to someone they know or used to be, adding to the surreal and unsettling nature of the situation.


The repeated lines of "Dream, babe" in the chorus further emphasize the idea that this is not a dream, almost as if the singer is trying to convince themselves of it. The song ends with an urgent plea to "go take a look" and see that this is not just a figment of their imagination.


Line by Line Meaning

An empty chair,
There is an unoccupied chair in the room.


Is someone sitting there?
Is there really someone sitting in the chair?


Footsteps on the ground.
The sound of someone walking on the ground can be heard.


Can you hear that sound?
Can you perceive that sound?


Like a wild goose crying
It sounds like the cry of a goose in the wind.


On a lonely wind.
The sound of the goose cry is carried by a lonely wind.


Whispering leaves
The leaves on the tree are rustling softly.


In the branches that bend.
The rustling leaves are in the branches that are swaying.


[ Chorus 1 ]
This situation is not a dream.


Alone in the night.
Being by oneself in the dark.


Turn on the light, this ain't no dream.
If you turn on the light, you will find out that this situation is not a dream.


This is no dream.
Reassuring the listener that this is not an imaginary situation.


You didn't read this is no book.
This is not a fictional story that one would only read in a book.


Go take a look, this ain't no dream.
One should check for themselves to confirm that this is not a dream.


A restless flame,
A flame that is not steady.


Someone calls your name.
You can hear someone calling your name.


Through the empty hall,
The sound travels through an empty hallway.


Casting shadows on the wall.
The hallway shadows are cast on the wall.


In the sound of emptiness,
The sound of the empty surroundings.


Isolation.
Being alone and cut off from others.


Nowhere left to run,
There is no place to escape to.


Now the time has come.
It is time to face the situation.


[ Repeat Chorus 1 ]
This situation is not a dream.


An open door,
There is a door that is open.


Glass all on the floor.
Broken glass is scattered on the floor.


Hands have turned to white
One's hands are now white.


In the cold breeze of the night.
Due to the chill of the nighttime air.


There's a face at the window.
There is a face appearing at the window.


Someone who you know
The person at the window is someone you recognize.


Or who you used to be.
Or it may be someone who you used to be.


Could that somebody be me?
The person at the window could be the singer themselves.


[ Chorus 2 ]
This situation is not a dream.


Dream, babe,
The singer addresses the listener as 'babe' and mentions the word 'dream.'


Alone in the night.
Being by oneself in the dark.


Turn on the light, this ain't no dream.
If you turn on the light, you will find out that this situation is not a dream.


This is no dream.
Reassuring the listener that this is not an imaginary situation.


This ain't no book.
This is not a fictional story that one would only read in a book.


Go take a look, this ain't no dream.
One should check for themselves to confirm that this is not a dream.


[ Repeat Chorus 2 ]
This situation is not a dream.


[ Repeat Chorus 2 ]
This situation is not a dream.


Dream, babe.
The singer addresses the listener as 'babe' and mentions the word 'dream.'


Dream, babe.
The singer addresses the listener as 'babe' and mentions the word 'dream.'


This ain't no dream.
Reassuring the listener that this is not an imaginary situation.


Go take a look!
Encouraging the listener to check for themselves.


Dream, babe.
The singer addresses the listener as 'babe' and mentions the word 'dream.'


Dream, babe.
The singer addresses the listener as 'babe' and mentions the word 'dream.'


[ Repeat Chorus 2 ]
This situation is not a dream.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MIKE OLDFIELD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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