Darn That Dream
The Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet Lyrics
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You say you love me and you hold me tight
But when I awake, I find you're out of sight
Oh, darn that dream
Darn your lips and darn your eyes
They lift me high above the moonlight skies
Then I tumble out of paradise
Darn that one-track mind of mine
I can't understand that you don't care
Just to change the mood I'm in
Lord, 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 'cause it won't come true
Oh, darn that dream
Oh, darn that dream
The Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet's song Darn That Dream is a ballad in the style of jazz that speaks to the feeling of being in love with someone who does not reciprocate those same feelings. The first verse conveys the disappointment of waking up to realize that the person you were dreaming about is not with you. The singer dreams each night of their love interest and is comforted by their embrace until they wake and discover that it was all a dream. They are left feeling lonely and longing for the one they love.
The second verse amplifies those feelings of love and loss as the singer acknowledges that even just the thought of their love's touch and gaze is enough to send them soaring to paradise. However, reality comes crashing down as they tumble out of their dreamland and back into their lonely reality. The third verse then takes a turn as the singer chastises themselves for their own one-track mind of hoping for the love of someone who does not feel the same. They express a desire to change their mindset or even welcome a nightmare to break the cycle, but their heart continues to hold onto that dream.
As a whole, Darn That Dream is a poignant expression of unrequited love that speaks to the universal experience of loving someone who does not feel the same. The lyrics are relatable and translate the pain of heartbreak into a beautiful piece of jazz music.
Line by Line Meaning
Darn that dream I dream each night
I can't stop having the same dream every night and it bothers me
You say you love me and you hold me tight
In my dream, I feel loved and close to you
But when I awake, I find you're out of sight
When I wake up, it becomes clear that the dream isn't real and you're not actually there
Oh, darn that dream
The dream is frustrating and disappointing
Darn your lips and darn your eyes
Your physical features in the dream make me feel elated
They lift me high above the moonlight skies
In the dream, I feel like I'm in a higher state of euphoria than I've ever been in
Then I tumble out of paradise
But the euphoria is short-lived, as I eventually realize that it isn't real
Oh, darn that dream
The dream is a let-down
Darn that one-track mind of mine
I'm annoyed with myself for not being able to stop thinking about you even though it only brings me temporary happiness
I can't understand that you don't care
In the dream, it seems like you care about me, but in real life, it's not clear
Just to change the mood I'm in
I wish I could snap out of my feelings for you and move on
Lord, I'd welcome a nice old nightmare
I'd prefer having a scary dream instead of an unattainable happy one
Darn that dream and bless it too
As frustrating as the dream is, I still appreciate it because it brought you into my life
Without that dream, I never would have you
If I never had that dream, I wouldn't have initially fallen for you
But it haunts me 'cause it won't come true
Even though the dream brought us together, I still wish it could actually become a reality
Oh, darn that dream
The dream, no matter how much I appreciate it, still bothers me
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: EDGAR EDDIE DELANGE, JIMMY VAN HEUSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind