Official sites:
On Bandcamp.com - http://miracleofsound.bandcamp.com
On Escapist magazine - http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/MiracleOfSound
On Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MiracleOfSound
On Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/miracleofsound
On YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/user/miracleofsound
Known interviews:
http://strangera.com/2012/04/05/my-interview-with-miracle-of-sound-eng-version/
http://nightmaremode.net/2011/09/interview-with-gavin-dunne-of-miracle-of-sound-10103/
Dream Of The Sky
Miracle of Sound Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A kingdom to behold
Where the bluest skies they float on by
The streets all paved in gold
Where under the smiles fair and pretty
Are teeth so very white
Into the bones of our burdened necks they bite
You're draining the well
You built up your heaven
On the back of hell
Divine is the daughter
The dream that you sell
You built up your heaven
On the back of hell
Breakin' our backs
On breakin' down stones
Raisin' up buildings
Breakin' down bones
Work all the night
And we work all the day
Don't get a choice man
Don't get a say
Well there's a stormcloud stirrin' now
Revolt!
There's a stormcloud stirrin' now
Revolt!
TEAR IT DOWN!
The filthy streets and the calloused feet
And bloodshot Irish eyes
A floating haven for the craven
Nestled in the skies
Well up and out and away with ya
There's a fight outside your doors
The shining pride of America
Is a nation up for war
Revolt!
Baptised in the water
You're draining the well
You built up your heaven
On the back of hell
Divine is the daughter
The dream that you sell
You built up your heaven
On the back of hell
The hybrid face of time and space
And all that's in between
Dimensions twist and turn amidst
The whims of one foreseen...
Songbird take me home
Home
I am lonely wherever I go
Sanctuary is all that know
And I dream of the sky
Broken clouds drifting by
And I dream of the sky
My utopian lie
And I dream of the sky
Broken clouds drifting by
And I dream of the sky
My utopian lie
I take to the skies
With my only friend
Every angel
Begins at the end
I am lonely wherever I go
I am lonely wherever I go
I am lonely wherever I go
I am lonely wherever I go
The song Dream of the Sky by Miracle of Sound is a commentary on the American dream and the price paid for achieving it. The first stanza sets the scene of a place that is supposed to be a paradise, with blue skies and streets paved in gold, but underneath the surface, there is a dark reality. The happiness is artificial, and the people are crushed under the weight of their burdens. The second stanza uses religious imagery to convey the idea that people are willing to sacrifice their own well-being to achieve the dream of success. They build their heaven on the back of hell, meaning that they gain success through hard work and suffering.
The chorus "Baptised in the water, you're draining the well" reinforces the theme of sacrificing oneself to achieve success. The phrase "divine is the daughter" implies that the American Dream is an ideal that people have been sold, and they worship it like a religious figure. The subsequent line "the dream that you sell," suggests that the dream is not an inherent truth but a product marketed by someone else. The verse following the chorus expresses the idea that the cost of the dream is the hard work that is demanded of those who seek it. The people work tirelessly day and night and rarely get to choose their path. The following lines are a call for a revolt, a revolution to dislodge the current system to create a more equitable society.
Overall, the song is a commentary on capitalism's darker side, where the American Dream is an unattainable goal that demands all of one's labor and consumes them in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh come on away to the city
Come with me to the city, where we'll find a kingdom to behold.
Where the bluest skies they float on by
The blue skies in the city are magnificent, and worth noticing as they pass by.
The streets all paved in gold
The streets gleam in the sunlight, like they are paved with gold.
Where under the smiles fair and pretty
Beneath the friendly smiles of the city's inhabitants, there is something more sinister hiding.
Are teeth so very white
Their pure white teeth are meant to deceive us of their true nature.
Into the bones of our burdened necks they bite
They are taking advantage of our vulnerability, biting into our necks--the most sensitive part of our body.
Baptised in the water
We have gone through a ritual-like baptism in the water.
You're draining the well
This ritual is leaving us thirsty, as it depletes the only source of water we have.
You built up your heaven
We built our own utopia in the city.
On the back of hell
But it came at the cost of the suffering of others.
Divine is the daughter
The creator of our utopia is viewed as holy and important.
The dream that you sell
We are selling a dream to others, convincing them to join us and believe in our utopia.
Breakin' our backs
We are working tirelessly and relentlessly.
On breakin' down stones
We are working towards the destruction of the old structures and traditions.
Raisin' up buildings
We are building up new structures to support our own vision.
Breakin' down bones
Our work is also causing harm and suffering to many people.
Work all the night
We are working continuously, without a break or rest.
And we work all the day
Our work consumes our entire day and night, without giving us any respite.
Don't get a choice man
We are not given any choice in our work or in the direction of our utopia.
Don't get a say
Our opinions and feelings are ignored, as we are expected to work as part of a collective whole.
Well there's a stormcloud stirrin' now
A violent storm of dissent and rebellion is brewing in the city.
Revolt!
People are coming together to protest against the oppression and exploitation present in the city.
The filthy streets and the calloused feet
The city's streets are dirty and ill-maintained, and the people's feet are rough and hardened from life here.
And bloodshot Irish eyes
One person is described as having eyes that are bloodshot, which is indicative of their tiredness and exhaustion.
A floating haven for the craven
The city is meant to be a haven for those who are timid and afraid of the outside world.
Nestled in the skies
It is high up in the sky, as if soaring over the struggles and problems in the reality below.
Well up and out and away with ya
The rebellion is calling for people to rise up and leave the city.
There's a fight outside your doors
The rebellion is happening right outside our doors, and we cannot close our eyes to it.
The shining pride of America
America, a country known for its national pride and success, is being tarnished by what's happening in the city.
Is a nation up for war
The country's citizens are being pushed to resort to violent revolution, fuelled by their anger and frustration.
The hybrid face of time and space
The concept of time and space is being altered and distorted.
And all that's in between
Everything that exists in the world, tangible or abstract, is affected by the distortion of time and space.
Dimensions twist and turn amidst
The twisted dimensions cause chaos and turmoil, and no one understands or controls what's happening.
The whims of one foreseen...
These changes are being caused by a single entity, whose intentions remain unknown.
Songbird take me home
The singer is feeling lost and alone, and is asking for help from a higher power or an external source.
I am lonely wherever I go
The artist feels a sense of loneliness no matter where they go or what they do, and is seeking comfort and companionship.
Sanctuary is all that know
The only thing the singer finds comfort in is the idea of a sanctuary or a safe haven, a place where they can feel secure and free from danger.
And I dream of the sky
The singer has a vision and an idea of what the sky represents to them, an escape from their troubles and their reality.
Broken clouds drifting by
Even this vision they have is marred by the harsh reality of the clouds being broken and drifting aimlessly, signifying chaos and uncertainty.
My utopian lie
The artist's vision of a utopian world is a lie, a falsehood that they cannot make real.
I take to the skies
The artist decides to physically follow their vision and escape their problems by taking to the skies.
With my only friend
The one true companion that the singer has in this mission is themselves; they are alone in their journey.
Every angel
All the higher powers, who are believed to guide and rescue people from their sins or problems.
Begins at the end
The artist has reached the end of their rope, and every help or hope must start from this unfortunate place.
Contributed by Mila W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@braniacc
Wait, I totally get this song's format. It's the five stages of grief!
0:01 -1:28: Denial. The song is slow and sounds good natured even as it talks about the bigamy and horrid underside of Columbia, as if the song wants to deny that such a reality exists.
1:22 - 2:42: Anger. Rapidly, the song's nature grows harsher, more ominous, and more warlike, ultimately climaxing to the word "Revolt!"
2:43 - 3:54: Bargaining. The song begins to shift back to denial before following up with generic rhythms and inflections, as if it is trying to pander to its listeners.
3:55 - 5:04: Depression. After a moment of just sad tempo, the song repeats the same chorus over and over again, growing slower and less emphasized as it goes on, as if that reality has finally sunk in.
5:05 - 6:11: Acceptance. Despite repeating the same thing it has been since 3:55, it does so in a much more normalized, emphasized, and casually cheerful attitude, now that the shock of reality has faded and the song realizes that life goes on.
@UnfunnyJ0CK
Just realised. When the female vocalist sings "Songbird take me home." It's C-A-G-E which is incredibly clever. You sir, are a genius.
@miracleofsound
UnfunnyJ0CK Nicely spotted ;)
@rubyrowley9003
He really is a genius. All 5 notes are C-A-G-E-D, which describes Elizabeth perfectly
@ssnappa9000
Ruby Rowley I thought it was like that because c-a-g-e-d was songbirds sound based protocol to find her and take her
@rubyrowley9003
yeah it is, quite a coincidence it spells caged, which is essentially what Elizabeth was in that statue
@navyseel9223
Ruby Rowley Pretty sure that was done on purpose, very little in infinite was accidental.
@braniacc
Wait, I totally get this song's format. It's the five stages of grief!
0:01 -1:28: Denial. The song is slow and sounds good natured even as it talks about the bigamy and horrid underside of Columbia, as if the song wants to deny that such a reality exists.
1:22 - 2:42: Anger. Rapidly, the song's nature grows harsher, more ominous, and more warlike, ultimately climaxing to the word "Revolt!"
2:43 - 3:54: Bargaining. The song begins to shift back to denial before following up with generic rhythms and inflections, as if it is trying to pander to its listeners.
3:55 - 5:04: Depression. After a moment of just sad tempo, the song repeats the same chorus over and over again, growing slower and less emphasized as it goes on, as if that reality has finally sunk in.
5:05 - 6:11: Acceptance. Despite repeating the same thing it has been since 3:55, it does so in a much more normalized, emphasized, and casually cheerful attitude, now that the shock of reality has faded and the song realizes that life goes on.
@TheInfiniteSheldon
If this was intentional on their part, I am even more impressed than I was before. And if not, good on you all the same for making this connection! I never would have thought of it.
@TheZaphod88
Dude, I think you are overthinking stuff a bit. Although as more of an engineering type I'm usually ignorant to these kind of subtleties in music so who knows:)
@lytherael2309
Alouitious Teapot Nice idea, I like it.