Darn That Dream
Reeves Dianne Lyrics
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You say you love me and you hold me tight
But when I awake, you're out of sight
Oh, darn that dream
Darn your lips and darn your eyes
They lift me high above the moonlit skies
Then I tumble out of paradise
Oh, darn that dream
I can't understand that you don't care
Just to change the mood I'm in
I'd welcome a nice old nightmare
Darn that dream and bless it too
Without that dream, I never would have you
But it haunts me and it won't come true
Oh, darn that dream
The song "Darn That Dream" by Reeves Dianne is a classic jazz standard that speaks to the inability to let go of a dream, despite its unsatisfying reality. The lyrics lament the frustration of a love that only exists in the dream world. The opening line establishes the pattern for the song, with the singer expressing her annoyance at the recurring dream that taunts her each night. The lyrics then play with the paradox of the dream, bringing in the idea that it is both a blessing and a curse. The dream brings the singer to a state of intense passion and bliss, but it also causes her great pain and disappointment when she wakes up to find that it was not real.
The lyrics further explore the conflict between the dream world and reality by personifying the dream, as if it were a separate entity from the dreamer. The dream is characterized as beguiling and seductive, lifting the singer up to great heights of emotion before dropping her back down to reality. The bridge of the song adds another layer of complexity to the story, pointing out the singer's own role in perpetuating the dream. She acknowledges that her own one-track mind is responsible for her inability to let go of the dream, even though she knows it is not realistic. The final stanza expresses a mixture of resignation and acceptance, with the singer recognizing that the dream is both a source of frustration and a reminder of the love that she does have in her life, despite its imperfections.
Line by Line Meaning
Darn that dream I dream each night
I'm so frustrated with this dream that keeps recurring every night
You say you love me and you hold me tight
In my dream, you express your love for me and we embrace tightly
But when I awake, you're out of sight
Unfortunately, when I wake up, you're gone and I'm left feeling empty
Oh, darn that dream
I'm so annoyed with this fantasy that can never come true
Darn your lips and darn your eyes
I'm angry with myself for being so endlessly drawn in by your mouth and your eyes, which are the driving forces of my dream
They lift me high above the moonlit skies
Your lips and eyes manage to elevate me to a euphoric place where nothing else matters
Then I tumble out of paradise
Eventually, though, that wonderful feeling of euphoria vanishes completely
Oh, darn that dream
Again, I'm so frustrated with this dream that teases me yet never lets me in
Darn that one-track mind of mine
I hate my mind for being so singularly focused on you, even when you don't reciprocate my feelings
I can't understand that you don't care
It's hard for me to accept that you don't feel the same way about me as I do about you
Just to change the mood I'm in
To take my mind off you, I'd welcome something as unpleasant as a nightmare
I'd welcome a nice old nightmare
I'm desperate for anything that will interrupt my obsession with you
Darn that dream and bless it too
While my dream causes me agony, it's also the reason why we met, so I have to acknowledge its value
Without that dream, I never would have you
If not for my dream about you, we might never have met, so I have to be grateful for it
But it haunts me and it won't come true
Still, it's hard to shake the feeling of disappointment that my dream's idealized version of you will never become a reality
Oh, darn that dream
Ultimately, I'm just so irritated with this unattainable fantasy that takes up so much of my thoughts
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edgar Eddie Delange, Jimmy Van Heusen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind