Judy and the Dream of Horses
Ofln - Belle & Sebastian Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Judy wrote the saddest song
She showed it to a boy in school today
Judy, where did you go wrong?
You used to make me smile when I was down
Judy was a teenage rebel
She did it with a boy when she was young
She gave herself to books and learning
She gave herself to being number one
Judy, I don't know you if you're gonna show me everything
Judy, I don't know you if you're gonna show me everything

Judy got a book at school
She went under the covers with her torch
She fell asleep till it was morning
She dreamt about the girl who stole a horse
Judy never felt so good except when she was sleeping
Judy never felt so good except when she was sleeping

Judy, let's go for a walk
We can kiss and do whatever you want
But you will be disappointed
You will fall asleep with ants in your pants
Judy, you're just trying to find and keep the dream of horses
And the song she wrote was Judy and the Dream of Horses
Dream of Horses, Dream of Horses
You dream of horses

The best looking boys are taken
The best looking girls are staying inside
So Judy, where does that leave you?
Walking the street from morning to night
With a star upon your shoulder lighting up the path that you walk
With a parrot on your shoulder, saying everything when you talk
If you're ever feeling blue




Then write another song about your dream of horses
Write a song about your dream of horses
Call it Judy And The Dream Of Horses
Call it Judy And The Dream Of Horses
You dream of horses

Overall Meaning

The song “Judy and the Dream of Horses” by Belle & Sebastian tells the story of a girl named Judy who seems to be struggling with finding her place in the world. The song opens with the lines “Judy wrote the saddest song, she showed it to a boy in school today”. Here we learn that Judy is a songwriter who may be seeking approval or recognition from others, maybe even looking for someone to share her dreams with. While the song doesn’t detail what the saddest song is about, it is clear that she is searching for someone to understand her.


Going on, we learn that Judy was “a teenage rebel” who gave herself to books and learning, but also gave herself to a boy when she was young. Here we see the complexities of Judy’s character. She may have had some youthful rebellion in her, but perhaps she also understands the importance of education and self-improvement. The song concludes by admitting that Judy may be searching for something that’s hard to find in real life. She may be seeking a dream, a longing for something that can’t be had, maybe even falling asleep during the day, dreaming of horses.


Overall, the song is a poignant vignette of a young girl who is trying to find her way in the world. Judy is a relatable character, someone who yearns to be understood by others while also searching for her own identity. Through the lyrics, the listener can understand that life can be difficult and complicated, but maybe with the help of our dreams - even if they remain unattainable - we can find solace.


Line by Line Meaning

Judy wrote the saddest song
Judy poured her heart out and wrote a particularly emotional song.


She showed it to a boy in school today
She shared her song with someone she liked or trusted, hoping for feedback.


Judy, where did you go wrong?
Judy's behavior appears to be changing and perhaps she's not living up to expectations.


You used to make me smile when I was down
You were always there for me, bringing happiness to my life and lifting my spirits when I was sad.


Judy was a teenage rebel
Judy was a bit of a wild child or nonconformist in her youth.


She did it with a boy when she was young
She had sex with someone when she was younger, perhaps before she was ready.


She gave herself to books and learning
Judy became dedicated to her studies, putting in a lot of effort and time to improve herself academically.


She gave herself to being number one
Judy aimed to be the best and worked tirelessly to achieve her goals.


Judy, I don't know you if you're gonna show me everything
I'm not sure I want to know everything about you if you're going to reveal everything openly.


Judy got a book at school
Judy borrowed or obtained a book from school.


She went under the covers with her torch
She got into bed at night, bringing her flashlight with her to read.


She fell asleep till it was morning
Judy ended up dozing off while reading, only to wake up the next day.


She dreamt about the girl who stole a horse
Judy had a dream where a girl she imagined stole a horse.


Judy never felt so good except when she was sleeping
Judy only felt truly content when she was sleeping and dreaming.


Judy, let's go for a walk
Let's go outside and spend some time together.


We can kiss and do whatever you want
We can be intimate and do as you please.


But you will be disappointed
However, you'll eventually end up feeling let down or dissatisfied.


You will fall asleep with ants in your pants
You'll either be too restless or uncomfortable to sleep well.


Judy, you're just trying to find and keep the dream of horses
You're just searching for that one thing that brings you happiness or contentment.


And the song she wrote was Judy and the Dream of Horses
The song she penned encapsulated the theme of her dreams about horses.


Dream of Horses, Dream of Horses
Judy's mind is occupied with the idea of horses, and it keeps returning to it.


The best looking boys are taken
Attractive guys are hard to come by and usually already spoken for.


The best looking girls are staying inside
Similarly, good-looking girls are less commonly found out and about.


So Judy, where does that leave you?
So where does that leave someone like Judy, who doesn't fit into either of these categories?


Walking the street from morning to night
Judy is wandering around aimlessly for hours on end.


With a star upon your shoulder lighting up the path that you walk
Judy is figuratively shining bright, steering her own path and becoming a guide for others.


With a parrot on your shoulder, saying everything when you talk
Judy is outspoken and unafraid to share what's on her mind with others.


If you're ever feeling blue
If you're ever feeling sad or down,


Then write another song about your dream of horses
Judy should create and write another song on the topic of her happy thoughts around horses.


Call it Judy And The Dream Of Horses
Name it as 'Judy And The Dream Of Horses' to solidify the horse connection with her.


You dream of horses
Judy dreams about horses, and this dream brings her joy and comfort.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHRISTOPHER GEDDES, ISOBEL CAMPBELL, MICHAEL COOKE, RICHARD COLBURN, SARAH MARTIN, STEPHEN JACKSON, STUART MURDOCH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions