I Must Be Dreaming
The Coasters Lyrics
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Oh-oh-oh-oh, ooh!
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ooh!
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ooh!
Well, I met her in a dancehall (c'mon let's go)
In Tennessee (c'mon, let's go)
I smiled at her, she smiled at me (c'mon, let's go)
If could could dance with you, she said (c'mon, let's go)
Anything that moves you, daddy, 's gonna move me too
I said I must be dreaming
I said I must be dreaming
I said I must be dreaming
Life never been this good to me
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ooh!
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ooh!
Well, let's jump this old dancehall (c'mon let's go)
Get out in the sun (c'mon let's go)
Let's go someplace we can have some fun (c'mon let's go)
I've got twenty dollars, mama, what you wanna do?, she said (c'mon let's go)
Anything that moves you, daddy, 's gonna move me too
I said I must be dreaming
I said I must be dreaming
I said I must be dreaming
Life never been this good to me
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ooh!
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Well, let's go down to the river (c'mon let's go)
Moon is shinin' bright (c'mon let's go)
Me and you, baby, let's have a ball tonight (c'mon let's go)
I'm going to love you (c'mon let's go)
Teach you something new, she said (c'mon let's go)
Anything that moves you, daddy, 's gonna move me too
I said I must be dreaming
I said I must be dreaming
I said I must be dreaming
Life never been this good to me
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ooh!
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ooh!
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ooh!
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ooh!
"I Must Be Dreaming" is a song by The Coasters/The Robins, a group formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1947. The lyrics describe the singer's encounter with a woman in a Tennessee dancehall. The woman reciprocates the singer's advances and they head out to have some fun with the singer's twenty dollars. The singer can hardly believe that life has never been this good to him and feels like he must be dreaming. They end up at the river where the moon is shining bright, and the woman promises to teach the singer something new.
The lyrics of "I Must Be Dreaming" are essentially about the feeling of disbelief and jubilation that comes with finding someone who reciprocates your advances. The lyrics paint a picture of a carefree night of fun and adventure with someone who is on the same wavelength. It's a celebration of the joys of being young and carefree, feeling alive, and living in the moment. The refrain of "I Must Be Dreaming" is an expression of the singer's disbelief that such a wonderful thing is happening to him - he can hardly believe his good fortune.
Interestingly, the song could also be interpreted to be about the African-American experience during the time it was written (1958). During this time, African Americans were facing racism and segregation in the United States, and the idea of finding someone who accepts you for who you are could be seen as a dream come true.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I met her in a dancehall (c'mon let's go)
I encountered her at a lively club
In Tennessee (c'mon, let's go)
In the southern state of Tennessee
I smiled at her, she smiled at me (c'mon, let's go)
We exchanged friendly, flirty looks
I said baby it would move me (c'mon, let's go)
I told her if I could dance with her, it would excite me
If could could dance with you, she said (c'mon, let's go)
She responded that she'd feel the same way if we danced together
Anything that moves you, daddy, 's gonna move me too
She expressed that her enjoyment was tied to mine
Life never been this good to me
I marveled at how lucky I was feeling in the moment
Well, let's jump this old dancehall (c'mon let's go)
Let's leave this dance joint behind
Get out in the sun (c'mon let's go)
Let's go bask in some sunshine
Let's go someplace we can have some fun (c'mon let's go)
Let's find somewhere where we can enjoy ourselves
I've got twenty dollars, mama, what you wanna do?, she said (c'mon let's go)
She responded that she was up for anything within our budget
Well, let's go down to the river (c'mon let's go)
Let's head to the riverbank
Moon is shinin' bright (c'mon let's go)
It's a clear, bright night
Me and you, baby, let's have a ball tonight (c'mon let's go)
Let's have a great time together tonight
I'm going to love you (c'mon let's go)
I vowed to show her plenty of affection
Teach you something new, she said (c'mon let's go)
She asked me to share interesting experiences with her
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ooh!
Vocalization without a clear meaning
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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