“It’s my favorite song I’ve ever written. My voice doesn’t sound perfect, but it’s a really emotional song. It’s two live takes, and I think I was crying on one of them. It’s about my friend who passed away. I find it difficult to think of writing music as therapy because it’s not therapeutic for me to confront certain things. I have to play this song every night on tour and sometimes I don’t want to think about her being dead. Maybe it’s really nice that I get to think about her every day. It’s therapy but it’s also emotional torture.”
– Amber Bain of The Japanese House
"It’s about someone I was really close with when I was younger. But a couple of years ago they died. A bit after that I saw them in this dream and it was quite a weird situation, because I’d never experienced something like that before. So with this event I just sat down and was like, ‘right, I’m gonna write a song about this’. I think that’s why it’s one of my favourite songs that I’ve done just because it’s quite blatant. Even if you didn’t know the context for it, it would still make sense because it’s still a love song – a heart-break song.
I wrote a verse and a chorus for it about a year ago [2016]. Usually I write a verse or a chorus and then I just kind of force myself to finish it and sometimes it feels quite forced. But with this song I just waited until I felt I was in the right frame of mind to finish writing. And it worked, I’m more excited about this single than anything I’ve done before."
VIA NME.com
Saw You in a Dream
The Japanese House Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were beckoning me, said that I had changed
Tried to keep my eyes closed, I want you so bad
Then I awoke and it was so sad
Haven't talked to you in months
And I thought that I might cry
But I'm not that kind of guy
I saw you in a dream, you came to me
You were the sweetest apparition, such a pretty vision
There was no reason, no explanation
The perfect hallucination
All good things come to an end
But I thought that this might last
But you came and left so fast
And when I'm awake, I can't switch off
It isn't the same but it is enough
(It isn't the same but it is enough)
I saw you in a dream, then it came to an end
I wonder if you'll come and visit me again
You're taking your time to reappear
I'm starting to believe that when I call your name
You just don't hear me anymore
And I know that I shouldn't even try
It's a waste of time
And when I'm awake, I can't switch off
It isn't the same but it is enough
(It isn't the same but it is enough)
And when I'm awake, I can't switch off
It isn't the same but it is enough
It isn't the same but it is enough
The lyrics to The Japanese House's song "Saw You in a Dream" describe the aftermath of a dream in which the singer sees someone they haven't talked to in months. The dream takes on a surreal quality as the person appears to have stayed the same, while the singer feels that they have changed. The singer tries to hold onto the dream, but when they wake up, they are overcome with sadness. Throughout the song, the singer grapples with the idea of whether or not to try and reach out to the person, ultimately coming to the conclusion that it's probably not worth it.
There is a deep sense of longing and nostalgia in the lyrics, as the singer yearns to experience the connection they had with the person again. There is also a sense of resignation to the fact that the dream might have been the closest thing they'll ever get to that connection. The line "All good things come to an end, but I thought this might last" encapsulates this sentiment.
Overall, the lyrics to "Saw You in a Dream" are poignant and relatable, depicting the bittersweet nature of longing for something that may never come to fruition.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw you in a dream, you had stayed the same
In my dream, I saw you just the way you were when we last met
You were beckoning me, said that I had changed
In the dream, you were inviting me to come to you but told me that I am not the same anymore
Tried to keep my eyes closed, I want you so bad
I tried to prolong the dream as I longed to be with you again
Then I awoke and it was so sad
But when I woke up from the dream, I felt sad that it was not real
Haven't talked to you in months
We have not spoken to each other for a long time
And I thought that I might cry
I almost cried thinking about you
But I'm not that kind of guy
But I am not the kind of person who easily cries
I saw you in a dream, you came to me
In the dream, you appeared to me
You were the sweetest apparition, such a pretty vision
You looked so sweet and beautiful in the dream
There was no reason, no explanation
There was no clear reason why you appeared in the dream
The perfect hallucination
It felt like a perfect but unreal experience
All good things come to an end
But unfortunately, even good things have to end
But I thought that this might last
I had hope that the dream would continue
But you came and left so fast
But the dream ended so abruptly and quickly
And when I'm awake, I can't switch off
Even when I am awake, my mind keeps fixating on you
It isn't the same but it is enough
Although reality is not the same as the dream, just the thought of you is enough to make me happy
I wonder if you'll come and visit me again
I am curious if I will dream of you again
You're taking your time to reappear
If you do appear again, I hope it will be soon
I'm starting to believe that when I call your name
I am beginning to think that you cannot hear me when I try to call out to you
You just don't hear me anymore
It seems like you do not respond to me anymore
And I know that I shouldn't even try
I know that trying to connect with you is pointless now
It's a waste of time
Any effort I put into trying to reach you now is futile
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Amber Mary Bain
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hanswurst2820
I saw you in a dream
You had stayed the same
You were beckoning me
Said that I had changed
Tried to keep my eyes closed
I want you so bad
Then I awoke and it was so sad
Haven't talked to you in months
And I thought that I might cry
But I'm not that kind of girl
I saw you in a dream
You came to me
You were the sweetest apparition, such a pretty vision
There was no reason, no explanation
The perfect hallucination
All good things come to an end
But I thought that this might last
But you came and left so fast
When I'm awake I can't switch off
It isn't the same but it is enough
I saw you in a dream
Then it came to an end
I wonder if you'll come visit me again
You're taking your time to reappear
I'm starting to believe that when I call your name
You just don't hear me anymore
And I know that I shouldn't even try
It's a waste of time
When I'm awake I can't switch off
It isn't the same but it is enough
When I'm awake I can't switch off
It isn't the same but it is enough
It isn't the same but it is enough
@TheAnhedonicOne
I know a lot of people interpret this song as a love song due to the video, but it's about Amber's close friend dying, and having to come to terms with never seeing them again.
@martinaj4571
yes^^ thank you for bringing this up. It's quite more resonating with grief than just a breakup
@ghostyFPV
I heard this song for the first time the day I found out someone close to me was terminally ill. It's exactly how I interpreted the lyrics, but I 100% thought it was due to the circumstances when I first heard the song.
@paul1780
That's somehow more beautiful than a traditional love story, it's the love of a friend-ship cut short.
@celesterenee9869
When I first listened to this song, I thought about my brother who passed away 🥺
@zeeisforzeebra1804
Yeah, that’s what I got from reading the lyrics. My grandma passed away at the beginning of the year, and this song is exactly how I feel when I see her in my dreams. It’s a beautiful song.
@gabbytorres.
Thanks H&M, I didn't buy anything but I got this song✊🏼💁🏻♂️
@nickname3116
what h&m had to do with this song
@eightOHeightgirl
@@nickname3116 probably they heard the song and then found it.
@oliviax3073
that's how i found dua lipa back in 2015