While You Dream
Sam Bisbee Lyrics


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Open the door, pick up the paper
Throw it down on the kitchen table
6 AM, you're still sleeping
But you left the coffeemaker ready to brew
All I have to do is turn it on

Nothing ever happens
Nothing ever happens here
While you dream
While you dream

On the train feel my cellphone vibrate
In my pocket against my leg
I don't stop it, 'cause I know that it's you
On the other end and I like it
I'm never going to press send

Nothing ever happens
Nothing ever happens here
While you dream
While you dream




While you dream
While you dream

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the song "While You Dream" by Sam Bisbee are about a person who is living in a stagnant, uneventful life. The opening lines describe the mundanity of their morning routine, with the singer waking up early while their partner is still asleep. The coffeemaker is ready to go, which is the only small pleasure the singer can look forward to. This mundane existence is further emphasized in the repetition of "nothing ever happens" throughout the song. However, there is a brief moment of hope when the singer receives a call from their loved one. This interaction offers a brief moment of connection and excitement, but it ultimately leads nowhere. The singer is resigned to their uneventful life, and the song ends on a haunting note.


Overall, "While You Dream" is a melancholy meditation on the mundanity of everyday life. It highlights the ways in which we can become trapped in routines and the difficulty of breaking out of them. The brief burst of hope that comes from the phone call is a reminder of how much we crave connection, even in the midst of our routine lives.


Line by Line Meaning

Open the door, pick up the paper
I entered the house and grabbed the morning newspaper from the front step


Throw it down on the kitchen table
I casually dropped the newspaper onto the table


6 AM, you're still sleeping
It was early in the morning and you were still sound asleep


But you left the coffeemaker ready to brew
You had thoughtfully prepared the coffee maker the night before so that it would be ready to go in the morning


All I have to do is turn it on
All I needed to do was to turn on the coffee maker and wait for it to brew


Nothing ever happens
There is typically nothing of great interest or excitement that occurs in our daily lives


Nothing ever happens here
Our current location and situation are generally unremarkable and routine


While you dream
These mundane times exist in the midst of your peaceful and restful slumber


On the train feel my cellphone vibrate
As I rode on the train, I sensed the vibration of my phone in my pocket


In my pocket against my leg
My phone was located inside my pocket and was pressing against my leg


I don't stop it, 'cause I know that it's you
I chose not to silence or ignore the incoming call because I knew it was coming from you


On the other end and I like it
After answering the call, I was happy to hear your voice on the other end of the line


I'm never going to press send
I don't plan to initiate contact myself and will wait for you to reach out to me again


While you dream
As you remain in a deep sleep, I am enjoying my peaceful train ride with my thoughts and recollections


While you dream
Despite the humdrum and unremarkable nature of everyday life, you are able to escape to a world of serenity and tranquility while you dream




Contributed by Alyssa H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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