The initial line-up for the debut album, entitled The Lilac Time, released in November 1987 was the two Duffys and keyboardist Michael Weston. Subsequent line-ups have revolved around the two brothers and included drummer Michael Giri, bassist Micky Harris, multi-instrumentalist Caroline Radcliffe, pianist Cara Tivey. Nick Duffy briefly left in 1990 and was replaced by guitarist Sagat Guirey. Later members post '91 split include backing vocalist & keyboardist Claire Worrall and pedal steel guitarist Melvin Duffy (no relation!).
The band's activity is intertwined with Stephen's solo career, waxing and waning as his time and attention permit. The longest gap between Lilac Time records was 8 years - 1991's Astronauts to 1999's Looking for a Day in the Night.
Now, Stephen Duffy is perhaps best known as the co-songwriter and producer for Robbie Williams, and after many years of obscurity, a series of reissues now means that the entire Lilac Time back catalogue is available to buy in the UK for the first time ever. His three later solo albums (1993's Music in Colors, 1995's Duffy & 1998's I Love My Friends) have also been reissued with extra tracks.
From 2003 to 2009 the band released records as Stephen Duffy & The Lilac Time and has stabilised with the permanent line-up of Stephen Duffy, Nick Duffy and Claire Worrall (who married Stephen Duffy in 2008). Michael Giri, Micky Harris and Melvin Duffy supplement the line-up on rare occasions they play live.
April 2015 sees the return of The Lilac Time name in the form of a new album, entitled No Sad Songs.
Dreaming
The Lilac Time Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I believe it, though you never made me want to laugh
Believe it or not I was falling down apart
You never got a grip upon my heart
Dreaming, only dreaming
Love is only dreaming
And telling you I loved you couldn't rescue you
Before I forgot I was soaking in your dreams
I thought because I loved you, you must love me too?
Dreaming, only dreaming
Love is only dreaming
I cannot believe that I loved you too hard
You have loves like assassins have their guns
Do you believe I was born to torment you?
Daughters become mothers but fathers selfishly stay...
Dreamers only dreaming
Love is only dreaming
In "Dreaming," The Lilac Time began by playing with verbal irony. The lyrics read "Believe it or not I was joking, 'ha ha'," but the beginning guitar riff hints that maybe the singer isn't joking. The lines that follow suggest that the singer's relationship with their partner wasn't light-hearted, despite their attempts to make it so. The singer professes to have loved their partner deeply, stating "Believe it or not I was drowning in your love" and "I thought because I loved you, you must love me too?" Yet despite the intensity of the singer's emotion, it appears the love was not requited. The chorus reflects on the nature of love, concluding that it is only a dream.
The tone of "Dreaming" is bittersweet. The music and melody are upbeat, with acoustic guitar and tambourine keeping time. The vocal delivery, on the other hand, is pensive and melancholy. The lyrics are heavily metaphorical, and while they project sadness and loss, they are also open to interpretation. The closing lines, "Dreamers only dreaming, love is only dreaming" suggest that while the singer may not have found true love with their partner, they may still believe in it.
Line by Line Meaning
Believe it or not I was joking, 'ha ha'
I pretended that I was happy, but I was actually very sad
I believe it, though you never made me want to laugh
I did try to believe that I was happy, but you were never able to make me truly happy or bring joy to my life
Believe it or not I was falling down apart
I was slowly breaking apart on the inside, even if it wasn't visible on the outside
You never got a grip upon my heart
You were never able to truly capture my heart or make me feel love towards you
Dreaming, only dreaming
I was only dreaming of love, but it wasn't a reality in our relationship
Love is only dreaming
The love that we had was only a dream, and not a real, substantial emotion
Believe it or not I was drowning in your love
I felt overwhelmed and consumed by the love that you had for me
And telling you I loved you couldn't rescue you
Despite saying that I loved you, it wasn't enough to bring you out of your own emotional struggles
Before I forgot I was soaking in your dreams
At first, I believed in and was invested in the dreams that you had for our future together
I thought because I loved you, you must love me too?
I assumed that my love for you would be reciprocated, but that wasn't the case
I cannot believe that I loved you too hard
I now realize that I loved you too much, and it wasn't healthy for me
You have loves like assassins have their guns
Your love was like a weapon and it hurt me in the end
Do you believe I was born to torment you?
I wonder if it was my fate or purpose to cause pain or distress in your life
Daughters become mothers but fathers selfishly stay...
While daughters grow up and become mothers, fathers often remain selfish and focused on their own needs or desires
Dreamers only dreaming
We were both just dreaming of love, but it wasn't actually real in our relationship
Love is only dreaming
The love that we had wasn't a reality or genuine emotion, just a dream or illusion
Contributed by Hannah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@elizabethbell4697
I totally love this tune from 1991. This song made most of that year for me. Still adore this song then as I do now.
@elizabethbell681
Totally gorgeous song from 1991 . Was used for a seat Ibiza commercial.
@heaventaste
OMG I LOVE THIS! I remember...back in the day!