ThouShaltNot have built strong fanbases through their national tours and their work with acts such as The Dresden Dolls, VNV Nation, Alphaville and David J (of Bauhaus). Their club hits "Cardinal Directions," "Without Faith," "Last Comfort," and "Inside of You, In Spite of You," have been played at nearly every dark alternative and goth venue in America, while their more organic "True Love" and "When Everyone Forgets" have appeared to acclaim on high profile compilations that exceed the limits of genre.
ThouShaltNot's music, throughout its thoughtful subject matter, is hook-laden and complex in its emotional and intellectual architecture. With their latest releases, Land Dispute and the New World EP, ThouShaltNot is poised to change the way you think and feel about music.
The band consists of: Alex Reed (vocals, keyboards, guitars, programming, samples), Aaron Fuleki (percussion, programming, samples, guitars, backing vocals) and Jeremy David (guitars, backing vocals, piano, keyboards, programming).
A Dream
ThouShaltNot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me how I might refract
For I am one and one life in one time's
A mirror that I've been dying to crack
And let the world be more
Though I know in each act I open up a door
I wonder still at the labyrinths before
I could swear that I've lived as long as you
That I can imitate anything you do
But your hands are hundreds, I've just two
Spun from the clock's relentless core
I could move like blown air
Everywhere, omniscient and wild
I would be your brother, lover, father, and child
I'd find a way to be foolish and be wise
And trace all of the seams in time's disguise
And at the end of the day, I could blink my eyes
To reload another self once more
Now I'm hearing your footsteps in the halls
While your singing is arching over walls
Tell me, can it be really you at all
In skies and on the ocean floor?
Last night I had a dream that you adored me
Last night I had a dream that I shone bright
The more I am at once to everybody
The more I'll be like you, the more I can rewrite
Here outside it's raining, It's wailing
I'm soaked to the blood
Somehow I know that you did this
It's your kiss on my head, your dry ground under the flood
And if I learn to swim
Then you're still the sea that I'm writhing in
Defining all that I am and that I've ever been
And all whom I will never be
Is there a way I might drink of you, not drown?
Is there a way I might find the pipeline out
Or diffuse my body into sound
Becoming waves, becoming free?
Last night I had a dream that you adored me
Last night I had a dream that I shone bright
The more I am at once to everybody
The more I'll be like you, the more I can rewrite
I dreamt I was the air, that I was so strong
I dreamt I was a promise I could keep
I dreamt I was a film, I was a novel
A prayer for the impossible, a dire and desperate leap
I dreamt about a car of grease and metal
I dreamt I was the moment of its crash
I dreamt I was a fire, a shrieking kettle
A cradle and a coffin and a wolf among the sheep
I dreamt I was a priest without forgiveness
I dreamt I was a thief who see God
I turned away my eyes to keep them human
And waking up I find that they've been stolen in my sleep
I dreamt that I had never loved another
I dreamt her heart was safe behind her ribs
That I could stop this war, that I could save her
That I was just a dream returning to the deep
The song "A Dream" by ThouShaltNot is a deep and introspective piece that explores themes of identity, interconnectedness, and the search for meaning in life. The lyrics start with a plea for honesty and vulnerability: the singer asks their partner to share their innermost secrets so that they can better understand them. The singer feels like a mirror, reflecting their partner's experiences and emotions, but desperately wants to break through their own limitations and explore uncharted territories.
The middle section of the song is the most musically and emotionally intense, with a lot of vivid imagery and metaphors packed into a few lines. The singer dreams of being able to embody every possible role - brother, lover, father, child - and to see through the façade of time's disguise. They long to transcend the limitations of their physical body and become one with the universe, but also feel a sense of unease and uncertainty about whether they can truly handle such power and freedom.
The last part of the song shifts back to a more grounded and personal perspective. The singer realizes that their partner is always with them, even when they are physically apart or going through difficult times. They express a mix of gratitude and confusion about this connection, wondering if it is a blessing or a curse. The final stanza ends with a poignant admission of regret and longing for something that may never be: the idea of a perfect love that can transcend all barriers and heal all wounds.
Overall, "A Dream" is a complex and thought-provoking piece of music that invites listeners to explore their own hopes and fears. It offers no easy answers or solutions, but instead encourages introspection, empathy, and perseverance.
Line by Line Meaning
Open up your secret
Reveal to me your innermost thoughts
Tell me how I might refract
Teach me how to see things from a different perspective
For I am one and one life in one time's
I am an individual with one life during this period in time
A mirror that I've been dying to crack
I am eager to break free from my own limitations and better understand myself
And let the world be more
Encourage the world to be more open and accepting
Though I know in each act I open up a door
Despite the fact that every action I take opens a new door
I wonder still at the labyrinths before
I am still intrigued by the mysteries that lie ahead
That now lie unwandered and ignored
Mysteries that haven't been explored or given thought to
I could swear that I've lived as long as you
I feel like I've experienced just as much as you have
That I can imitate anything you do
I am confident that I can mimic your actions
But your hands are hundreds, I've just two
However, you are capable of doing so much more than I am
Spun from the clock's relentless core
Born from the never-ending cycle of time
I could move like blown air
I could be as free as the wind
Everywhere, omniscient and wild
I could be anywhere and know everything
I would be your brother, lover, father, and child
I could be everything to you
I'd find a way to be foolish and be wise
I would be both silly and smart
And trace all of the seams in time's disguise
I would understand all the hidden aspects of time
And at the end of the day, I could blink my eyes
And at the end of each day, I could restart
To reload another self once more
Rejuvenating to start anew
Now I'm hearing your footsteps in the halls
I hear your presence around me
While your singing is arching over walls
Even your voice echoes throughout the space
Tell me, can it be really you at all
I question if it's truly you or just my imagination
In skies and on the ocean floor?
In all realms of existence?
Last night I had a dream that you adored me
I dreamed of feeling your love for me
Last night I had a dream that I shone bright
I dreamed of being radiant and brilliant
The more I am at once to everybody
The more I am able to be everything to everyone
The more I'll be like you, the more I can rewrite
The more I become like you, the more I can change and adapt
Here outside it's raining, It's wailing
The weather outside is tumultuous
I'm soaked to the blood
I am completely drenched in the rain
Somehow I know that you did this
In some way I feel like you are responsible for this situation
It's your kiss on my head, your dry ground under the flood
It's as if you gave me a kiss of blessing before the storm hit
And if I learn to swim
If I learn to navigate through this difficult situation
Then you're still the sea that I'm writhing in
You are still the force behind these challenges
Defining all that I am and that I've ever been
Defining all of my experiences and who I have become
And all whom I will never be
As well as all of the things I will never experience
Is there a way I might drink of you, not drown?
Is there a way to learn from you without being overwhelmed?
Is there a way I might find the pipeline out
Is there a path to follow to escape this difficult situation?
Or diffuse my body into sound
Or, can I transform myself into a form that can navigate freely?
Becoming waves, becoming free?
Becoming as fluid and unrestricted as waves
I dreamt I was the air, that I was so strong
I dreamed of being powerful and free like the air
I dreamt I was a promise I could keep
I dreamed of being dependable and fulfilling my commitments
I dreamt I was a film, I was a novel
I dreamed of telling stories through various mediums
A prayer for the impossible, a dire and desperate leap
A yearning for the impossible and taking risky chances
I dreamt about a car of grease and metal
I dreamed of a greasy, metal vehicle
I dreamt I was the moment of its crash
I dreamed of the chaotic moment of impact
I dreamt I was a fire, a shrieking kettle
I dreamed of being fiery and loud
A cradle and a coffin and a wolf among the sheep
Being seen as both nurturing and deadly
I dreamt I was a priest without forgiveness
I dreamed of being a priest who couldn't forgive
I dreamt I was a thief who see God
I dreamed of being a thief who witnesses a divine presence
I turned away my eyes to keep them human
To remain humble and connected to my human nature
And waking up I find that they've been stolen in my sleep
And upon waking up, I feel like I've lost a part of myself
I dreamt that I had never loved another
I dreamed of a life where I had never loved anyone
I dreamt her heart was safe behind her ribs
I dreamed that my love's heart was protected
That I could stop this war, that I could save her
I dreamed that I could end conflict and protect my love
That I was just a dream returning to the deep
That I was nothing more than a dream, returning to the depths of my subconscious
Contributed by Oliver O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.