The band released their debut album, Good Feeling (1997), to moderate success where it debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and was later awarded a silver certification from the BPI in January 2000. The band gained greater success with their second album, The Man Who (1999), which spent nine weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart, totalling 134 weeks in the top 100 of the chart. In 2003, The Man Who was certified 9× platinum by the BPI, representing sales of over 2.68 million in the UK alone. Following this success, the band released their third effort, The Invisible Band (2001) album. The Invisible Band went on to match the success found with their previous album, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spent a total of four weeks at the top spot, fifteen weeks in the top ten, and a total of fifty-five weeks in the top 100 chart, as well as peaking at thirty-nine on the US Billboard 200 album chart, spending a duration of seven weeks in the Billboard 200 chart. A year following the release of The Invisible Band, the BPI awarded Travis with a 4× platinum certification for the album.
In recent years, the band's discography has included studio albums 12 Memories (2003), The Boy with No Name (2007), Ode to J. Smith (2008), Where You Stand (2013), Everything at Once (2016) and 10 Songs (2020). In 2004, the band released their first greatest hits album, Singles, which spent nineteen weeks in the top 100 of the UK albums chart. Travis have twice been awarded best band at the BRIT Awards and were awarded the NME Artist of the Year award at their 2000 ceremony, and in 2016 were honoured at the Scottish Music Awards for their outstanding contribution to music. The band are widely said by the media to have paved the way for other bands such as Keane and Coldplay to go on to achieve worldwide success throughout the 2000s, particularly with the success of The Man Who.
Craft Recordings celebrated the 20th anniversary of Travis' breakthrough year with two simultaneous releases: Live at Glastonbury '99, plus expanded editions of The Man Who – both of which were released on 21 June 2019.
A Midsummer Nights Dreaming
Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do it to me
Do it again
Takin' me high
Takin' me low
Takin' ma friends
Think I'm a fool
Bending them rules
But do it to me
Do it to me
Do it again
Mid summer nights dreamin'
You might treat me right i
Had too much to drink
Don't ask me now
Head in the sink
Do it to me
Do it to you
Do it to them
So much to see
So much to do
So little time
You're breakin' ma heart
You're makin' me cry
You're stealin' ma soul
You don't even try
But do it to me
Do it to you
Do it to them
Mid summer nights dreamin'
You might treat me right i
Had too much to drink
Don't ask me now
Head in the sink
The lyrics to Travis's song A Midsummer Nights Dreaming are somewhat cryptic and ambiguous, leaving room for interpretation. However, it appears to be a song about feeling intoxicated - both literally and figuratively - by someone or something. The repetitive line "do it to me, do it to me, do it again" suggests an addictive, cyclical behavior or pattern. The singer is being taken "high" and "low" by a force beyond their control, leaving them feeling foolish or like they're bending the rules. The second verse seems to describe a moment of physical intoxication, with the singer's head in the sink after having had too much to drink.
The titular phrase "mid summer nights dreamin'" could be interpreted in a few ways. It may refer to the classic Shakespeare play A Midsummer Night's Dream, which is about love, illusion, and the supernatural. The dreamlike nature of the play could be reflected in the hazy, unclear state that the singer finds themselves in. Alternatively, it could be a play on words - "mid summer" is a time of year associated with warmth, relaxation, and freedom, while "dreamin'" suggests a state of unreality or fantasy.
Overall, the song paints a picture of someone who is in over their head, unable to resist the intoxicating pull of something or someone that ultimately leaves them feeling heartbroken and drained. It's a cautionary tale about the dangers of giving in to temptation, and the consequences that can follow.
Line by Line Meaning
Do it to me
Asks the other person to continue doing what they are doing and to do it for the singer
Do it again
Wants the other person to repeat their actions, as it brings pleasure to the singer
Takin' me high
Feeling happy and excited due to the other person's actions
Takin' me low
Feeling sad and upset due to the other person's actions
Takin' ma friends
The other person may be influencing the artist's social circle, causing concern or jealousy
Think I'm a fool
The singer may be aware that they are being manipulated or taken advantage of, but still desires the other person's actions
Leavin' the school
The singer is willing to break rules and abandon old routines for the sake of the other person
Bending them rules
Continuing to disregard established norms and expectations to maintain the pleasurable experience
Mid summer nights dreamin'
The pleasurable experience feels surreal and dreamlike, occurring in the summer season
You might treat me right i
The artist has hope that the other person will treat them well and continue the pleasurable experience
Had too much to drink
The singer may be intoxicated or impaired, adding to the surreal experience and making them more susceptible to the other person's actions
Don't ask me now
The artist may not be able to fully comprehend or explain the experience due to their mental state
Head in the sink
Out of control, possibly vomiting and experiencing physical discomfort from the experience
So much to see
The world is full of possibilities and experiences to be had
So much to do
Desires to navigate life and engage with as many experiences as possible
So little time
The artist feels limited and aware of their own mortality, causing urgency to explore and engage with experiences while they can
You're breakin' ma heart
The other person is causing emotional pain and discomfort by manipulating and using the artist for their own pleasure
You're makin' me cry
The other person's actions are causing the singer to experience emotional distress and cry
You're stealin' ma soul
The other person's actions are taking away the singer's sense of self and identity, causing a loss of control
You don't even try
The other person is not putting in any effort to care for or respect the artist's feelings and well-being
Do it to you
The artist is trying to express that they are also willing to engage in actions to please the other person
Do it to them
The artist may feel that the other person is using them for pleasure and wants them to do the same to others, possibly seeking revenge or equality
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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