Tommy and the Whale started in Nashville, TN in early 2007. It's members ar… Read Full Bio ↴Tommy and the Whale started in Nashville, TN in early 2007. It's members are Tommy Hans, Kai Welch, Jamie Dick, Thomas Samuel, and Nathan Hughes. Almost every member of Tommy and the Whale is a multi-instrumentalist which has given the band a reputation for having a very "eclectic" sound.

The band released it's first EP "the Arthouse Sessions" soon after forming. The record was made during a one day session at the Arthouse in Bellevue, TN. It was produced by Grammy award winning producer, Charlie Peacock and engineered by the infamous Richie Biggs.

The band's debut full-length album was released on Oct. 28th, 2008. It was released on the independent record label, Esperanza Plantation (Colour Revolt, Bear Colony, Questions In Dialect).

I Can
Tommy and the Whale Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Dream on, dream on)
I can see
No matter how near you'll be
You'll never belong to me

But I can dream, can't I?
Can't I pretend that I'm locked in the bend of your embrace?
For dreams are just like wine

And I am drunk with mine

I'm aware
My heart is a sad affair
There's much disillusion there
But I can dream, can't I?

Can't I adore you
Although we are oceans apart?
I can't make you open your heart
But I can dream, can't I?

I'm aware
My heart is a sad affair
There's much disillusion there
But I can dream, can't I?

Can't I adore you
Although we are oceans apart?
I can't make you open your heart
But I can dream, can't I?

(Dream on, dream on, dream on)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tommy and the Whale's song "I Can" are about an unrequited love. The singer of the song is aware that the person they love will never belong to them and that their heart is a sad affair with much disillusionment. Despite this, the singer continues to dream, pretending to be locked in the bend of the person's embrace. The dreams are like wine, and the singer is drunk with them. They cannot make the person open their heart, but they can dream and adore them, even if they are oceans apart.

The lyrics of "I Can" capture the feeling of hopeless romanticism that is common to many people. It is a song about the difficulty of letting go of love, even when it is clear that it cannot be reciprocated. The dreamlike quality of the song reinforces this sense of romantic longing, as the singer describes being intoxicated by their dreams.

Line by Line Meaning

I can see
I am fully aware of the situation

No matter how near you'll be
Even if you're close to me physically

You'll never belong to me
You will never be mine emotionally

But I can dream, can't I?
But I can wish and daydream, can't I?

Can't I pretend that I'm locked in the bend of your embrace?
Can't I imagine that I am in your arms and loved by you?

For dreams are just like wine
Dreams are intoxicating and addicting like wine

And I am drunk with mine
I am completely absorbed in my dream and its effect on me

My heart is a sad affair
My heart is unhappy and unfulfilled

There's much disillusion there
I have experienced a lot of disappointment and loss in love

Can't I adore you
Can't I love and worship you from afar?

Although we are oceans apart?
Even though we are physically very far away from each other?