Ostrander began recording under the name Mondo Cozmo in 2016, and his single "Shine" hit #1 on Billboard's Adult Alternative Songs chart in January 2017.
His debut album "Plastic Soul" was released on August 4th, 2017.
Chemical Dream
Mondo Cozmo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh, how did, what did, how did it start?
Well I could tell you how it started
It started out with a look
God bless you American lovers
Holding hands in atomic summers, yeah
Out here in the middle of the forest
Spotlight on the sounds of glory
With a cool 45 and a cigarette hanging from your lips, yeah
And someday bro you will find the man of your dreams
A tall motherfucker with diamonds and things, yeah
I could never call it for you girl, yeah, yeah, yeah
She goes, all my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
And it's honestly (all my life is a chemical dream)
It's all (all my life is a chemical dream ) water under the bridge (all my life is a chemical dream, all my life is a chemical dream)
Yeah, I tried my best (all my life is a chemical dream)
Yeah, forgot them all (all my life is a chemical dream, all my life is a chemical dream)
It's only girl (all my life is a chemical dream)
You will (all my life is a chemical dream)
Find him in your dreams (all my life is a chemical dream, all my life is a chemical dream)
But aren't you his? (All my life is a chemical dream)
Know it all (all my life is a chemical dream)
He screams your name, yeah (all my life is a chemical dream)
I could promise it, yeah yeah yeah
She goes, all my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
Chemical yeah
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
Chemical all
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
All my life is a chemical dream
"Chemical Dream" by Mondo Cozmo is an enigmatic and intriguing song that explores the idea of a chemical dream. Starting with a mysterious sound effect and then the question, "how did it start?" one can interpret the lyrics in different ways. However, the mention of "atomic summers" and "forest" gives a semblance of the song taking place during the Vietnam War era, where people were experimenting with drugs and seeking refuge in nature. The lyrics also mention a gun ("cool 45") and finding a tall man with diamonds and things, which could indicate the singer's search for a better life, free from war and uncertainty. However, the lyrics are not straightforward and also mention a "tall motherfucker" the girl will find in her dream, and whether she knows that she is his or not, remains a mystery. The chorus, "all my life is a chemical dream," could refer to the singer's state of mind, where everything around him/her feels synthetic, and they are caught up in a tempestuous dream sequence.
The song's atmosphere is psychedelic and dreamy, with the reverberating guitars and the vocalist's raw voice complementing each other. The song's subject matter is also reflective of the era of the Hippie movement and can be interpreted in different ways by different listeners. It is a song that invokes a feeling of being adrift, searching for meaning in a world of disillusionment.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold on, let me turn this thing up
The singer wants to turn up the volume of the music
Uh, how did, what did, how did it start?
The singer is curious about how something began
Well I could tell you how it started
The singer has the knowledge of how something began and is willing to share it
It started out with a look
Something began with a simple look or glance
God bless you American lovers
The artist expresses a positive sentiment towards American couples in love
Holding hands in atomic summers, yeah
The American lovers are holding hands during a time of intense heat
Out here in the middle of the forest
The setting of the scene is in a forest or wilderness area
No one hears you and no one calls us
The lovers are isolated and free from the influence of others
Spotlight on the sounds of glory
The artists draws attention to the awe-inspiring sounds around them
With a cool 45 and a cigarette hanging from your lips, yeah
The artist paints a picture of the cool and confident demeanor of the lovers
And someday bro you will find the man of your dreams
The singer directly speaks to a friend and predicts their success in finding a romantic partner
A tall motherfucker with diamonds and things, yeah
The artist imagines that the friend's ideal partner is wealthy and tall
I could never call it for you girl, yeah, yeah, yeah
The singer is uncertain about what the future holds for someone named 'girl'
She goes, all my life is a chemical dream
The singer describes someone who has lived their entire life in a state of artificiality or unreality
And it's honestly (all my life is a chemical dream)
The singer expresses honesty about the condition described in the song
It's all (all my life is a chemical dream ) water under the bridge (all my life is a chemical dream, all my life is a chemical dream)
The artist puts the past behind them and moves forward with their life
Yeah, I tried my best (all my life is a chemical dream)
The artist made an effort but was unable to achieve their goals
Yeah, forgot them all (all my life is a chemical dream, all my life is a chemical dream)
The singer has put their past and their failed attempts behind them
It's only girl (all my life is a chemical dream)
The singer emphasizes the importance of someone referred to as 'girl'
You will (all my life is a chemical dream)
The artist predicts a successful outcome for 'girl'
Find him in your dreams (all my life is a chemical dream, all my life is a chemical dream)
The artist imagines that 'girl' will find her ideal partner in her dreams
But aren't you his? (All my life is a chemical dream)
The singer questions whether 'girl' already has the partner of her dreams
Know it all (all my life is a chemical dream)
The singer suggests that they know something important about the situation
He screams your name, yeah (all my life is a chemical dream)
The artist imagines that 'girl''s ideal partner is passionate and calls out her name
I could promise it, yeah yeah yeah
The singer is confident in their predictions and promises
Chemical yeah
The word 'chemical' is repeated for emphasis
Chemical all
The word 'chemical' is repeated for emphasis
Writer(s): Joshua Keith Ostrander
Contributed by Kennedy S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Joel Knight
on Shine
So true.