Dreaming
loudon Lyrics
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Living's just too hard to do
It's chances not choices
Noises not voices
A day's just a thing to get through
Living's just too hard to do
I'd rather be dreaming than talking
With ears covered mouth closed
The world is opposed
Nothing gets in or away
There's nothing to hear or to say
I'd rather be dreaming than thinking
Thoughts are small comfort to me
Dreams might be pretend
But at least dreams end
And I just can't stop thinking you see
Thoughts are small comfort to me
I'd rather be dreaming than sleeping
Just sleeping you're just as well dead
In dreams I can fly
In dreams I don't die
That's why I lie here in this bed
Just sleeping you're just as well dead
I'd rather be dreaming
Loudon Wainwright III's song Dreaming is a melancholic and reflective ballad that expresses the desire of the singer to escape from the harsh realities of life by indulging in dreams. The opening lines of the song, "I'd rather be dreaming than living, Living's just too hard to do," suggest a sense of hopelessness and dissatisfaction with life. The singer deems living as just a thing to get through and considers dreaming to be a better alternative to escape.
The second stanza of the song further highlights the singer's desire to disconnect from the real world. He believes that there is nothing worth hearing or saying and that the world is just filled with noises that do not matter. The lines "With ears covered mouth closed, The world is opposed, Nothing gets in or away," depict the singer's attempt to shut out the world and isolate himself from the noise around him.
In the third stanza, the singer implies that thoughts and reflections cannot provide much solace to him. He considers that dreams may be pretend, but they hold an appeal as they offer an escape from the troubles of life. The lines "Dreams might be pretend, But at least dreams end, And I just can't stop thinking you see," indicate that the singer is haunted by his own thoughts and that dreams offer an ephemeral escape from the same.
Overall, Wainwright's Dreaming is a poignant expression of how the human desire to escape from reality may sometimes overpower the need to confront it.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd rather be dreaming than living
Living is difficult and I find comfort in my dreams
Living's just too hard to do
Life is challenging and overwhelming
It's chances not choices
Our fate is largely determined by chance not by the decisions we make
Noises not voices
Sounds of the world are louder than our own inner voice
A day's just a thing to get through
Everyday feels like a task that needs to be completed
I'd rather be dreaming than talking
I prefer silence over meaningless conversations filled with empty words
There's nothing to hear or to say
There is no value in the sounds of the world or in speaking
With ears covered mouth closed
I shut out the world by covering my ears and closing my mouth
The world is opposed
The world and I are in opposition
Nothing gets in or away
Nothing enters my mind or distracts me from my inner world
Thoughts are small comfort to me
I find little solace in my own thoughts
Dreams might be pretend
I am aware that my dreams are not reality
But at least dreams end
Unlike reality, dreams have an end
And I just can't stop thinking you see
My mind is constantly racing with thoughts of you, and I cannot escape them
Just sleeping you're just as well dead
Sleeping is no different than being dead, as both are void of consciousness
In dreams I can fly
In my dreams, I am free and unbounded by the physical world
In dreams I don't die
In my dreams, I am immortal and cannot be harmed
That's why I lie here in this bed
I choose to spend my time in bed, between the realms of consciousness and subconsciousness
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: LOUDON WAINWRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kara
I'd rather be dreaming than living
Living's just too hard to do
It's chances not choices
Noises not voices
A day's just a thing to get through
Living's just too hard to do
I'd rather be dreaming than talking
There's nothing to hear or to say
With ears covered, mouth closed
The world is opposed
Nothing gets in or away
There's nothing to hear ot to say
I'd rather be dreaming than thinking
Thoughts are small comfort to me
Dreams might be pretend
But at least dreams end
And I just can't stop thinking, you see
Thoughts are small comfort to me
I'd rather be dreaming than sleeping
Just sleeping you're just as well dead
In dreams I can fly, in dreams I don't die
That's why I lie here in this bed
Just sleeping you're just as well dead
I'd rather be dreaming...
Kara
I'd rather be dreaming than living
Living's just too hard to do
It's chances not choices
Noises not voices
A day's just a thing to get through
Living's just too hard to do
I'd rather be dreaming than talking
There's nothing to hear or to say
With ears covered, mouth closed
The world is opposed
Nothing gets in or away
There's nothing to hear ot to say
I'd rather be dreaming than thinking
Thoughts are small comfort to me
Dreams might be pretend
But at least dreams end
And I just can't stop thinking, you see
Thoughts are small comfort to me
I'd rather be dreaming than sleeping
Just sleeping you're just as well dead
In dreams I can fly, in dreams I don't die
That's why I lie here in this bed
Just sleeping you're just as well dead
I'd rather be dreaming...
Sarah P.
Thank you
Sarah P.
Sweet dreams
Stacey Johnson
just watched 28 Days and this song came on. I can relate totally . I feel like this a lot of the time
Jess Martin
Stacey Johnson yea when her roommate over doses it comes on.
bjtucker5
Great film
Music Love
I find this song every few years and I can just relate even more as the years go by, I don't know why but just hearing how I feel through song makes me feel a little bit better
Scott McGregor
Yes. This song is sad, some would say depressing. I call it truthful.
Willy Turner
Loudon sometimes uses phrases or references that may not be familiar. In this song he cleverly uses the phrase "the world is a post" - from an old expression that talking to certain people is a waste of time - like talking to a fence-post. Awesome song.
Brenda B
I can relate 100% to this song