He became widely known for his version of "Wind Beneath My Wings" (1982), as well as his own compositions "Durham Town (The Leavin')" (1969) and "I Don't Believe in If Anymore" (1970), his 1970 hit "New World in the Morning" and his 1975 hit "The Last Farewell" (his only single to hit the US Billboard Hot 100, making it to the Top 20).
Whittakers first chart success came in 1969 when "Durham Town (The Leavin')" was his first UK Top 20 hit. In 1970 came two follow-up hits, "I Don't Believe In If Anymore" (Top 10) and "New World In The Morning" (Top 20), and 1971 brought two smaller hit singles "Why" and "Mamy Blue".
Whittaker was absent from the UK singles chart until 1975, when "The Last Farewell" went Top 3, after which it was another eleven years until "Skye Boat Song" returned him to the Top 10 of the singles chart.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Whittaker had success in Germany, with German language songs produced by Nick Munro (unable to speak German at that time, Whittaker sang the songs phonetically). In time he became more fluent in German and sang and was interviewed in German on Danish television in November 2008. Whittaker retired from touring in 2013.
SWEET DREAMS
Roger Whittaker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your face in every book.
Still feel your lying here beside me,
But I don't dare to look.
For life is never what it seems
And fate has left me only dreams.
Sweet dreams of you,
Memories that make me blue.
Sweet dreams, sweet dreams,
Be kind to me tonight.
Sweet dreams, sweet dreams,
Please, stay away tonight.
Sweet dreams, sweet dreams.
Still see you smiling in the morning,
No sun could be as bright.
Still hear your whispering: "I love you".
You made my world so right.
But life is never what it seems
And fate has left me only dreams.
Sweet dreams of you,
Memories that make me blue.
Sweet dreams, sweet dreams,
Be kind to me tonight.
Sweet dreams, sweet dreams,
Please, stay away tonight
Sweet dreams, sweet dreams.
Sweet dreams, sweet dreams,
Be kind to me tonight.
Sweet dreams, sweet dreams,
Please, stay away tonight
Sweet dreams, sweet dreams.
Sweet dreams.
The lyrics to Roger Whittaker's song Sweet Dreams speaks of a person's longing and nostalgia for a past lover. The song is sung from the perspective of someone who clearly hasn't gotten over the relationship, as they recall the moments spent with the lover, from seeing their head on the pillow to hearing their whispering words of love. The individual confesses to still feeling the presence of the lover, despite the fact that they are no longer together, and they express the pain of knowing that they can only revisit these memories in their dreams.
The lyrics suggest that the person has accepted that they will only be able to relive these moments of joy with their past lover through dreams. The repetition of the phrase "Sweet dreams" emphasizes the importance of these dreams, as they offer a chance to be reunited with the lover. The lyrics convey the melancholy and nostalgia that the person feels, as they lament that life is never as it seems, and fate has left them with nothing but memories that make them blue.
Overall, Roger Whittaker's Sweet Dreams is a thought-provoking song that speaks to the heart of loss and longing. The lyrics seem to suggest that the only solace that the person has is in their dreams, as it allows them to feel once again the joys of a relationship that once was.
Line by Line Meaning
Till see your head upon your pillow,
I still imagine you sleeping peacefully, resting your head on a pillow as I used to see you every night.
Your face in every book.
I can't help but see your face in every book, magazine or newspaper I read, reminders of our time together.
Still feel your lying here beside me,
I still feel as if you are lying next to me, even though I know you're not, and I miss the comfort of your presence.
But I don't dare to look.
I am afraid to turn and look as I know you are not really there, and it would hurt to realize it once again.
For life is never what it seems
Life can take unexpected and painful turns even when everything seems fine on the surface.
And fate has left me only dreams.
Fate has taken you away from me, and all I am left with are sweet dreams that bring both joy and sorrow.
Sweet dreams of you,
My mind is filled with sweet dreams of our time together, the love we shared and the happiness we felt.
Memories that make me blue.
These sweet dreams also make me feel sad, reminding me of the loss and the fact that you are no longer there.
Sweet dreams, sweet dreams,
I pray for sweet dreams to comfort me at night and help me cope with your absence.
Be kind to me tonight.
Please let me dream of you and find solace in those memories tonight.
Please, stay away tonight.
I also pray for the memories that make me miss you so much to stay away tonight and give me a break.
Sweet dreams.
May I have sweet dreams once again tonight, and may they bring me a sense of peace and love.
Contributed by Reagan M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nigel
on Jenny
I'm not sure by any means, but I wonder whether taking the midnight train is ultimately a metaphor for a more final journey. I also wonder if RW had someone specific in mind whose fate prompted this powerful song. I like it very much.