A House Of Hopes And Dreams
Peter Sinfield Lyrics


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Across the floor lie broken bowls of pride
Unlatch the door and scratch holes in the night
She'll be there someday, tides turn, winds change
You know, oh you know

A house of hopes and dreams I built one too
Drunk on gypsy violins like you
Ran naked through the flames and burnt like you

Unbuttoned times when two laid down as one
Eyes on eyes where catherine wheels spun
Now every stale day is a haywire highway
Alone, so alone

A house of hopes and dreams I built one too
Danced upon the tables just like you
Swam the sea of dreams and drowned like you

The cave of tears you choked and almost cried
Emotions horse's roped and staked inside
Never could show her but somehow hoped to know her
Again, again, again to build
A house of hopes and dreams upon
a pack of painted cards;
To build a house of hopes and dreams
with bricks of loaded dice;
To build a house of hopes and dreams
with roulette wheels for stairs;
To build a house of hopes and dreams
Secured and bound with love,




With love, with love, with love, with love
Build strong and sure with love…

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Peter Sinfield’s song “A House of Hopes and Dreams” explore themes of love, loss, and hope. The first verse alludes to the fragility of pride and the transience of things once thought permanent. The following lines suggest that even though hope might seem lost, its return is inevitable as life’s tides and winds change. The second verse tells the story of a romantic relationship that once burned hot, but now lies cold and forgotten. The couple’s passion and intimacy are described through evocative metaphors, such as “danced upon the tables” and “swam the sea of dreams,” but now, the singer is left “Alone, so alone.”


The chorus of the song expresses the desire to build a “house of hopes and dreams” with bricks loaded with life’s uncertainties, but secured with love. The final line is repeated four times, emphasizing the importance of love as the foundation upon which one can hope to build a lasting relationship or a stable life.


Interesting facts about the song “A House of Hopes and Dreams” include its inclusion on Peter Sinfield’s debut solo album, “Still,” which was released in 1973. The album was produced by ex-King Crimson bassist and composer, Gordon Haskell. Peter Sinfield is best known for his work as King Crimson’s lyricist during the 1970s. The song was covered by Japanese artist and composer Tatsuro Yamashita on his 1978 album “For You.” It has also been covered by other artists, including the Italian progressive rock band Le Orme. The song has been described as a deeply personal work for Sinfield, who has been open about the struggles he had with depression and addiction during the 1970s. The song has been praised for its poetic lyrics and evocative imagery, which showcase Sinfield's talent as a wordsmith.


Chords (as played by Peter Sinfield):
Verse: Em, Am, D, G
Chorus: C, D, G, Em, Am, D, G


Line by Line Meaning

Across the floor lie broken bowls of pride
There are broken remnants of arrogance scattered on the ground.


Unlatch the door and scratch holes in the night
Open the door and create an escape in the dark.


She'll be there someday, tides turn, winds change
One day she will arrive, as the ebb and flow of life shifts.


You know, oh you know
You know deep down that it's true.


A house of hopes and dreams I built one too
I also constructed a place of aspirations and desires.


Drunk on gypsy violins like you
Intoxicated by the music, captivated like you.


Ran naked through the flames and burnt like you
Ran recklessly and got hurt like you.


Unbuttoned times when two laid down as one
Intimate moments of two people becoming one.


Eyes on eyes where catherine wheels spun
Gazing intently while the world spins around them.


Now every stale day is a haywire highway
Every monotonous day feels chaotic and off course.


Alone, so alone
Lonely, and left to face the world alone.


Danced upon the tables just like you
Danced freely and recklessly, like you did.


Swam the sea of dreams and drowned like you
Dove deep into a fantasy world and was overwhelmed, as you were.


The cave of tears you choked and almost cried
You were on the verge of tears and felt trapped in the cave of your emotions.


Emotions horse's roped and staked inside
Your emotions are like a wild horse that has been tethered and contained within you.


Never could show her but somehow hoped to know her
You could never fully express yourself to her, but you yearned to understand her.


Again, again, again to build
With each cycle, you are driven to rebuild and try again.


A house of hopes and dreams upon
A dwelling place of aspirations and desires on top of


a pack of painted cards;
Shaky and unstable like a deck of cards.


To build a house of hopes and dreams
To create a place where aspirations and desires can thrive.


with bricks of loaded dice;
Even with deceitful and risky materials.


with roulette wheels for stairs;
Using chance and risk in order to move forward.


Secured and bound with love,
Tightly bonded with the force of love,


With love, with love, with love, with love
Repeatedly emphasizing the power of love.


Build strong and sure with love…
Erect it firmly and confidently with the strength of love.




Contributed by Mackenzie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Shirley Pena

An absolutely exquisite song; one of Peter Sinfield's very best! The lyrics to this beautiful song are pure poetry; you really need to read them to fully realize how beautiful they truly are. I wish that Greg Lake had recorded this song; I think if he had then he would have enjoyed a major hit with it!

tarkus9669

by the way Greg Lake plays guitar on this nice little tune

C R

brilliant isnt it? Even 40 years on. God, is it really 40+ years. time flies when you're dying to have fun.

HegeKr

Thank you for sharing!

Anthony Creach

very thank you man ! i love you ! one of my favorite song of him....the live version on you tube it's not perfect.(quality of sound.....but i love the sax even........(A day, a friend is gone with the cd and i forgot to copy it...i' ve never found this sound in cd quality...and in the album version...) Thanks again, again, again...to build...........

Soory fooor the misstakes...i'm french !

OpIUm AddIct

sometimes sounds like " while my guitar gently weeps" :O.. well most of the time hahaha

Anthony Creach

re-listen....it's ok...

very Thanks.......ohh shit this music.......

C R

So obviously this is House of Nights and Dreams from Still - an album by Pete Sinfield. and yes some of the conjecture is correct, some not.

tarkus9669

MR.MacCraary what are these accusations you are making about Pete. It makes it hard to like this man if these accusations are true or are trying to get publicity.

Shirley Pena

+Painkiller DCXVI Don't believe anything that MacCraary claims that Sinfield did or said. MacCraay has SERIOUS mental issues and runs around all over Youtube making the most BIZARRE claims about a number of music artists...and every word is a LIE! If you want to read MacCraay's blog I'll be all too happy to give it to you. After you read the utterly BIZARRE bullshit stories he posts on it, you will fully realize he is making up every word! By his own admission he is a fiction writer, and if you talk to him and try to pin him down for details (to back his bullshit claims) he turns tail and runs!

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