The band's initial line-up consisted of singer/bassist Julian Cope, Mick Finkler on guitar, Gary Dwyer on drums and Paul Simpson on keyboards. They were managed by Bill Drummond and signed to his Zoo label. An early version of the band, which included Ian McCulloch on vocals, was known as A Shallow Madness.
The band released their first single, Sleeping Gas in February of 1979. Soon after, Simpson left the band and was replaced by Zoo label co-owner, David Balfe. Their next single Bouncing Babies inspired a tribute song of its own: I Can't Get Bouncing Babies by the Teardrop Explodes - an ode to the difficulty of obtaining a copy of the song.
Finkler was fired by Cope during the recording of their debut album Kilimanjaro and was replaced by Dalek I Love You guitarist Alan Gill. The LP was a moderate success; it reached number 24 on the British pop charts.
In 1981, the group was at the height of its popularity. In January, they hit # 6 on the British charts with the Reward single and in April they broke the top 20 with Treason. During this period, there were numerous line up changes: Alfie Agius was brought in on bass, Jeff Hammer replaced Balfe on keyboards and Troy Tate replaced Gill on guitar.
Expectations were high for the band's second album, Wilder. The first single Passionate Friend performed reasonably well (#25 UK), but the album itself was unsuccessful, limping to 29 on the charts, disappearing shortly afterwards.
When the band reconvened to record their third album, they were reduced to the trio of Cope, Dwyer and a reinstated Balfe. Tensions were high – Cope wanted to write ballads and quirky pop songs, while Balfe was more interested in recording synth-based dance music. Cope eventually dissolved the band in 1982 in the middle of the sessions. The material was later released in 1990 under the title Everybody Wants to Shag .... The outtakes show a mix of synth/dance pop, dominated by Balfe's keyboards on songs like Count to Ten and Run for Cover and more gentle pop on songs like Soft Enough For You, that prefigure the direction of Cope's early solo career.
When I Dream
The Teardrop Explodes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hope that you've been thinking about me
I've been talking about you
I've been talking about you in my sleep
And when I dream, I dream about you
And when I scream, I scream about you
I go ba ba ba ba oh oh
I've been sad and ever sadder
I've been living, living far away
Now it's you I think it's true
And I'm running, running back to stay
And now I'm counting, I'm counting for two
And when I shout, I shout about you
I go ba ba ba ba oh oh, I go ba ba ba ba oh oh
Oh I go
Here you come again
Playing with my feelings
There you go again, playing with my heart
And when I dream I dream about you
And when I scream I scream about you
I go ba ba ba ba oh oh, I go ba ba ba ba oh oh
Well, I'm going
The Teardrop Explodes's song "When I Dream" is a love song that depicts how the singer thinks, talks, dreams, and screams about their love interest. The recurring line "And when I dream, I dream about you / And when I scream, I scream about you" highlights the deep longing of the singer for their love interest. The song begins with the singer expressing their thoughts about how they hope their love interest is thinking about them too. They also confess to talking about their love interest even in their sleep.
The second verse of the song depicts how the singer has been living far away and feeling sad. However, when they think of their love interest, they feel like they need to go back to them and stay with them. The line "Now it's you I think it's true / And I'm running, running back to stay" shows how the singer is convinced of their love for their interest and is willing to go to any length to be with them.
The last verse of the song talks about how the love interest keeps playing with the singer's feelings and heart. Despite this, the singer cannot stop thinking and dreaming about their love interest. The song's intense emotions and the dreamy melody complement each other, creating a beautiful love song that captures the essence of unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been thinking about you
I have been devoting my thoughts to you
I hope that you've been thinking about me
I am anticipating that you have been thinking of me in return
I've been talking about you
I have been expressing my emotions towards you vocally
I've been talking about you in my sleep
You are on my mind even when I am not consciously thinking of you
And when I dream, I dream about you
You are the central focus of my dreams and desires
And when I scream, I scream about you
The intensity of my emotions towards you is so strong that I can feel it even in my nightmares
I go ba ba ba ba oh oh
My feelings are so overwhelming that all I can do is express them through nonsensical sounds
I've been sad and ever sadder
My emotional state has been constantly deteriorating and becoming more melancholic
I've been living, living far away
I have been physically and emotionally distant from you
Now it's you I think it's true
I have come to the realization that you are the one who is constantly on my mind
And I'm running, running back to stay
I want to come back to you and stay by your side
And now I'm counting, I'm counting for two
I am now including you in my plans and decisions
And when I shout, I shout about you
My emotions towards you are so intense that they come out as loud screams
Here you come again
You have re-entered my life and thoughts
Playing with my feelings
You are affecting and manipulating my emotions in some way
There you go again, playing with my heart
You are causing a turmoil in my feelings towards you that I cannot control
Well, I'm going
I am now taking action based on my emotions towards you
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY ANDREW DWYER, JULIAN COPE, MICHAEL NEIL FINKLER, NEIL FINKLER MICHAEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@struthadragon8656
I've introduced my son to Teardrop Explodes... he now loves them too... what a good mother I am...
@brightstar1212
You're an excellent Mother! Teaching your child very important musical taste. I've done the same with mine, and we deserve to be congratulated!! 😃
@martincowley6500
Incredible mum ,at that !!🙏🙏🙏
@breadpitt970
I heard this track on the radio only once, when I was a very young lad being sick at home. It has since never left my head (I go pahpahpah...) but could not find the song again as the only thing I knew was that the band was from Liverpool. No bandname, no title, no lyrics. And now today, 42 years later I have found it! MAGIC.
@binniemod
Glad you found this magical track.
@TheAnalPunisher
Great metrics, Julian rules!!!
@gilbosavannah
59yrs old now....summer in ibiza, good times
@kevinhart3555
I actually have the Original single on 45rpm vinyl.
@thetriumphofthethrill2457
Not bad. The late '70s - early '80s Post-Punk era is among the greatest in musical history.
@moorovitch
Julian Cope - a supreme pop technician at heart. Check out his superb 1984 solo album 'Fried'.