Born in Cleveland, Ohio,U.S., Tracy Chapman began playing guitar and writing songs as a child. She received a scholarship through A Better Chance that allowed her to attend Wooster School in Connecticut, and was eventually accepted to Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.
Tracy Chapman helped restore songwriters to the spotlight in the '80s. The multi-platinum success of Chapman's eponymous 1988 debut was unexpected, and it had lasting impact. Although Chapman was working from the same confessional songwriter foundation that had been popularized in the '70s, her songs were fresh and powerful, driven by simple melodies and affecting lyrics. At the time of her first album, there were only a handful of artists performing such a style successfully, and her success ushered in a new era of songwriters that lasted well into the '90s. Along with 10,000 Maniacs and R.E.M., Chapman's liberal politics proved enormously influential on American college campuses in the late '80s.
Official Website: http://www.tracychapman.com
Fansite: http://www.tracychapmanonline.com
Dreaming on a World
Tracy Chapman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a world
That may never be
But I'll keep on wishing
No matter how hopeless
Or foolish
It may seem
I'll keep on wishing
I'll toss my coins in the fountain
Look for clovers in grassy lawns
Search for shooting stars in the night
Cross my fingers and dream on
I know I may be dreaming
Of a world
Far from present day reality
But I'll keep on dreaming
No matter how unrealistic
Or naive
It may seem
Always keep dreaming
And toss your coins in the fountain
Look for clovers in grassy lawns
Search for shooting stars in the night
Cross your fingers and dream on
We must always be thinking
Of a world
As a place of infinite possibilities
And always keep thinking
No matter how hopeless
Or foolish
It may seem
Always keep thinking
And toss our coins in the fountain
Look for clovers in grassy lawns
Search for shooting stars in the night
Cross our fingers and dream on
I'll keep on wishing
We must always keep dreaming
Of a world
With equality and justice
Thinking
There could be a world
Without poverty and sickness
Wishing
Of a world
Without hunger and homelessness
Dreaming
Of a world
Where all people live in peace
Dreaming
Of a world
Dreaming
On a world
Tracy Chapman's "Dreaming on a World" is a song about hope and optimism for a better world. The lyrics express the desire for a world that is free of poverty, sickness, hunger, and homelessness. Chapman acknowledges that this may seem like a foolish or unrealistic dream, but insists that we must keep dreaming and wishing, no matter how hopeless it may seem.
The song encourages us to keep looking for signs of hope and to keep thinking positively about the future. It encourages us to keep our eyes and ears open to the infinite possibilities that surround us, and to continue to believe in the power of our dreams.
The imagery used in the song is of a childlike nature - tossing coins into a fountain, looking for clovers in grassy lawns, searching for shooting stars in the night sky - conveying a sense of innocence and wonder. Chapman's message is clear: we must preserve this sense of wonder, optimism, and childlike faith in the possibility of a better world, no matter how jaded or cynical we may become.
Overall, "Dreaming on a World" is a powerful call to action, reminding us that we must continue to hope, dream, and work towards a better future, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
I know I may be wishing
I acknowledge that my wish is uncertain
On a world
To the possibility of a better world
That may never be
That possibility is difficult to achieve
But I'll keep on wishing
Regardless, I'll keep hoping
No matter how hopeless
Even when success appears unlikely
Or foolish
Even when others may view it as silly
It may seem
Despite the way it appears from the outset
I'll keep on wishing
I'll continue to hope
I'll toss my coins in the fountain
I'll invest in the dream
Look for clovers in grassy lawns
I'll search anywhere for hope
Search for shooting stars in the night
I'll find ways to seek out the impossible
Cross my fingers and dream on
I'll keep on believing, even if I need to be lucky
I know I may be dreaming
I know that my dream is unlikely
Of a world
To the possibility of a better world
Far from present day reality
One that is vastly different from our current existence
But I'll keep on dreaming
Still, I'll keep on believing
No matter how unrealistic
Even if it seems impossible
Or naive
Even if it seems foolish
It may seem
Regardless of how it looks
Always keep dreaming
Continually hold onto the hope
And toss your coins in the fountain
Invest in the improbable
Look for clovers in grassy lawns
Find hope wherever it may lurk
Search for shooting stars in the night
Pursue the unlikely
Cross your fingers and dream on
Keep believing, regardless of the odds
We must always be thinking
It is crucial to never stop considering
Of a world
To the possibility of a better world
As a place of infinite possibilities
One that has endless potential
And always keep thinking
Never cease contemplating
No matter how hopeless
Even in the face of an unlikely outcome
Or foolish
Even if others view it as irrational
It may seem
Even when it appears fruitless
Always keep thinking
Never stop pondering the possibilities
And toss our coins in the fountain
Invest in the dream together
Look for clovers in grassy lawns
Search for hope together
Search for shooting stars in the night
Together, pursue the unlikely
Cross our fingers and dream on
Believe together, no matter the odds
I'll keep on wishing
I'll hold onto that wish
We must always keep dreaming
We must persist in our hope
Of a world
To the possibility of a better world
With equality and justice
One that is fair and just for all
Thinking
Reflecting on
There could be a world
A possibility exists for a world
Without poverty and sickness
A world free of destitution and illness
Wishing
Hoping for
Of a world
To the possibility of a better world
Without hunger and homelessness
A world where no one goes without food or shelter
Dreaming
Believing in
Of a world
To the possibility of a better world
Where all people live in peace
A world where everyone gets along
Dreaming
Believing in
Of a world
To the possibility of a better world
Dreaming
Believing in
On a world
To the possibility of a better world
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TRACY L CHAPMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind