Very early on, Stéphane was fascinated by different kinds of music, listening to pop, rock and new wave. The real trigger happened in the late 80s, when he discovered house. One day in 1997 in Paris, when he was already a fairly famous DJ, he met up with Jean-Louis Costes, who asked him to mix music at his hotel restaurant. Very soon they had the idea of a compilation which could spread worldwide the spirit of the Hôtel Costes, this mythic glamorous place. The first compilation quickly became an undeniable reference. Over a dozen more successful and intense compilations followed.
Then he was asked to deejay everywhere in the world by haute couture designers such as Gucci, actresses like Cameron Diaz, and eventually remixed "What It Feels Like for a Girl" for Madonna… Yet Stéphane Pompougnac is not only a DJ - he is also an accomplished musician, composing and producing his own songs, which he proved in 2003 with the release of his first album Living On The Edge that featured several talented artists, notably Michael Stipe from REM. Today, Stéphane Pompougnac remains one of the most recognized DJs in the world.
Pompougnac released his second album Hello Mademoiselle in early 2006 after his eighth Hôtel Costes compilation.
The Hôtel Costes series of compilations:
Hôtel Costes, Volume 1: France et Choiseul - (16 tracks) (FR, 1999)
Hôtel Costes, Volume 2: La Suite - (15 tracks) (FR, 1999)
Hôtel Costes, Volume 3: Etage 3 - (15 tracks) (FR, 2000.10.23)
Hôtel Costes, Volume 4 - (14 tracks) (FR, 2001.11.12)
Hôtel Costes, Volume 5 - (15 tracks) (FR, 2002.10.22)
Hôtel Costes, Volume 6 - (14 tracks) (FR, 2003.09.29)
Hôtel Costes, Volume 7 - (16 tracks) (FR, 2004.09.27)
Best of Costes - (16 tracks) (FR, 2004.12)
Hôtel Costes, Volume 8 - (16 tracks) (FR, 2005.09.26; US 2005.09.27)
Hôtel Costes, Volume 9 - (16 tracks) (FR, 2006.09.25)
Hôtel Costes, Volume 10 - (14 tracks) (FR, 2007.09.24)
Hôtel Costes, Volume 11 - (17 tracks) (FR, 2008.09)
Hôtel Costes, Volume 12 - (16 tracks) (FR, 2009.09.21)
Hôtel Costes: A Decade 1999-2009 - (2 CDs, 28 tracks) (FR, 2009.11.16)
- Hôtel Costes: A Decade 1999-2009 (disc 1) - (14 tracks)
- Hôtel Costes: A Decade 1999-2009 (disc 2: Bonus Mix) - (14 tracks)
Dream Machine
Stéphane Pompougnac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What are you doing
What do you think you can do
What you are
What you do
Looking out at
Ripples on the dance floor
What do you mean
Did you forget to know
What the end is
To begin
Clearing
Looking out
At ripples on the dance floor
Dream machine
Did you get
Everything you asked for
Dream machine
Rattlesnake
A charm on the dance floor
Love's rage
Broken page
Electric lights
And glass bone nights
Electric lines run
Through your minds
Distractions with radio contraptions
Night glasses
Pipe ashes
Tick tock
Hear the wind lick
The window
Ignited
You're invited
Grow wings
Sprouting from the backbone
Dream machine
Mister jones
You don't know what you came for
Dream machine
Rattlesnake
A charm on the dance floor
We are like those two
Mirrors
Steaming in the rain
We are those two
Lovers
Holding each other's hands
Dream
With me
Rattlesnake
A charm on the dance floor
The lyrics of Stéphane Pompougnac's song "Dream Machine" are shrouded in a veil of mystery, yet hidden meanings and metaphors can be extracted from them. The song seems to be talking about the ephemeral nature of our lives, where we are constantly searching and yearning for something that we cannot grasp. “What are you thinking of/What are you doing/What do you think you can do,” the opening lines of the song suggest that we are always questioning our motives and limitations. The line "What you are/What you do" might hint that we are defined by our actions, and in turn, these actions shape our reality.
The song also touches on the themes of escapism and indulgence, where the dream machine is the means to reach a higher level of consciousness, taking us away from our mundane existence. The ripples on the dance floor signify a hypnotic state brought on by the music, where we are lost in the moment, and nothing else matters. The use of metaphors such as electric lights, glass bone nights, and radio contraptions creates an otherworldly vibe, implying that we are in a dreamlike state. The repeated lyrics of "dream machine," "rattlesnake," and "charm on the dance floor" further emphasize the idea of an alluring, but possibly dangerous, escape from reality.
Line by Line Meaning
What are you thinking of
Asking the listener about their current thoughts
What are you doing
Asking the listener about their current actions
What do you think you can do
Questioning the listener's capability and potential
What you are
Questioning the listener's identity
What you do
Questioning the listener's actions and behaviors
Looking out at
Describing the act of observing
Ripples on the dance floor
Referring to the movements and patterns created by dancers
What do you mean
Asking the listener to explain their intention or purpose
Is what you get
Implying that one's actions have consequences
Did you forget to know
Questioning whether the listener has forgotten to consider something important
What the end is
Questioning the ultimate outcome or consequence of one's actions
To begin
Implying that one must understand the end goal before starting the process
Clearing
Describing a space with little to no obstruction
Dream machine
Describing a hypothetical device that can make one's dreams come true
Did you get
Asking whether the listener has achieved their desires or goals
Everything you asked for
Asking whether the listener has obtained everything they wanted
Rattlesnake
Referring to a dangerous and unpredictable creature
A charm on the dance floor
Describing how the presence of danger can add excitement to a dance party
Love's rage
Referring to the intense emotions involved in a romantic relationship
Broken page
Referring to a incomplete or damaged piece of writing
Electric lights
Referring to the illumination created by artificial lighting
And glass bone nights
Describing fragility and beauty at the same time
Electric lines run
Describing the network of electrical infrastructure that powers society
Through your minds
Imagining a connection between electrical infrastructure and human thought
Distractions with radio contraptions
Describing the many things that can distract us from our true intentions and goals
Night glasses
Referring to a tool for night vision
Pipe ashes
Referring to the remnants of smoking tobacco
Tick tock
Imagining the sound of a clock ticking
Hear the wind lick
Describing the sound of the wind and its effects
The window
Referring to a physical window through which the wind can be heard
Ignited
Referring to something that has been set on fire or sparked into existence
You're invited
Inviting the listener to participate or join in
Grow wings
Encouraging the listener to explore new possibilities and take risks
Sprouting from the backbone
Metaphorically describing the emergence of new capabilities or insights
Mister jones
Referring to an anonymous person or character
You don't know what you came for
Suggesting that the listener may be uncertain or unclear about their purpose
We are like those two
Drawing a comparison between the listener and another entity
Mirrors
Referring to a reflective surface that can show a person's appearance or reflected environment
Steaming in the rain
Describing steam that arises from a person or object in the rain
We are those two
Further emphasizing the comparison with the other entity
Lovers
Referring to two people who are romantically involved or deeply attached
Holding each other's hands
Describing a physical connection between two people
Dream
Encouraging the listener to imagine or conceive of something
With me
Inviting the listener to share the imagination or experience
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind