Dreams

Track 2 on Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?

Producer

“Dreams” was the first single released by The Cranberries after being signed to Island Records. However, the band’s video for “Linger” was picked up by MTV in 1994 while… Read More

Sep. 29, 19921 viewer353.6K views

Dreams Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Oh, my life
Is changin' every day
In every possible way
And oh, my dreams
It's never quite as it seems
Never quite as it seems

[Chorus]
I know I've felt like this before
But now I'm feelin' it even more
Because it came from you
Then I open up and see
The person fallin' here is me
A different way to be

[Bridge]
Ah
La-ah-ya-ah
La-ya-ya
La-ah-ya-ah
Ya-ah, ah, ah

[Verse 2]
I want more
Impossible to ignore
Impossible to ignore
And they'll come true
Impossible not to do
Impossible not to do

[Chorus]
And now I tell you openly
You have my heart, so don't hurt me
You're what I couldn't find
Totally amazing mind
So understanding and so kind
You're everything to me

[Verse 3]
Oh, my life
Is changin' every day
In every possible way
And oh, my dreams
It's never quite as it seems
'Cause you're a dream to me, dream to me

[Outro]
Ah, la-a-la-ah, la la la
La-a-la-ah, la-ah ah ah
Ah, la-a-la-ah, la la la
La-a-la-ah, la-ah ah ah

About

“Dreams” was the first single released by The Cranberries after being signed to Island Records. However, the band’s video for “Linger” was picked up by MTV in 1994 while they toured with London Suede and that song reached the top 40 in five countries. So, “Dreams” was then reissued and found chart success.

The song was written about “feeling really in love for the first time”.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did The Cranberries say about "Dreams"?

Dolores told Songfacts:

I wrote that about my first love when I was living in Ireland. It’s about feeling really in love for the first time.

Fergal said in an interview given to Hot Press, in a “Cranberries Special” from November 2002:

I remember when we were writing it, Noel brought in the chords and as soon as it started I said, ‘This is different’. The demo isn’t really that different from what ended up on the album, the album version is a bit more poppy, a bit more uptempo. Around that time we were listening to a lot to Peter Gabriel’s Passion album and a lot of world music. That was definitely an influence on that song.

Noel:

‘Dreams’ was one of the early ones, as well. It’s probably, I don’t know, maybe about the fourth or fifth song […] but it was one of the early songs. Again it was just a very simple tune that we came up with and it just kind of came together really quick.

Who sings the alto voice in the chorus

According to Songfacts:

That piercing, bittersweet male vocal is provided by O'Riordan’s then-boyfriend Mike Mahoney singing backup.

What is the underlying meaning behind this song ? Falling in love?

Partly love and partly with Dolores O'Riordan’s Bipolar disorder, this song was dedicated to one of her lover, but as she had bipolar disorder, she went from extreme mania to low, which she discusses later.
In short, this is Dolores’s experience in her “first love”, yes, it’s all about falling in love for the first time!

Who produced “Dreams” by The Cranberries?

When did The Cranberries release “Dreams”?

Who wrote “Dreams” by The Cranberries?