Hathe mada tawila
Wa ana nahos ana wahala ghzalti
Wa ana nahos ana wahala ghzalti
Wa ana nahos ana wahala ghzalti

I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in vain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of fire
Those dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire
And in the flames
Her shadows play in the shape of a man's desire

This desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this

And as she turns
This way she moves in the logic of all my dreams
This fire burns
I realize that nothing's as it seems

I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in vain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of rain
I lift my gaze to empty skies above
I close my eyes
The rare perfume is the sweet intoxication of her love

Aman aman aman aman aman

I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in vain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

Sweet desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this

Sweet desert rose
This memory of Eden haunts us all
This desert flower
This rare perfume, is the sweet intoxication of the fall

Ya lili ah ya leel


Lyrics submitted by anieloo

Desert Rose Lyrics as written by Mohammed Khelifati Gordon Sumner

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Desert Rose song meanings
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54 Comments

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  • +6
    General Comment

    In this song, the speaker is Adam (from the Adam and Eve story in the Bible). He's tortured by the memory of Eve and the Garden of Eden.

    "Gardens in the desert sand" and "the memory of Eden haunts us all." It makes sense. And the "desert rose" he refers to is, of course, Eve. (The garden was in a desert, and Eve was his rose).

    omgpenguinsyayon March 25, 2006   Link
  • +5
    Song Meaning

    this song, in my opinion, is from the perspective of Paul Atreides from the book Dune. As you may or may not know, Sting played a character in one of the Dune movies and is a huge fan of book. In the book, Paul Atreides is the a legendary prophet who dreams of bringing rain and gardens to the desert planet of Arrakis. There's more to it than that but that's the part that pertains to the song.

    The Desert Rose, I think, would be Chani, Paul's lover and wife. There's a pretty powerful love between them that is still present even over the course of the 5,000 years of their lives. Brings a tear to my eye.

    Anyways, just thought you should be aware of where this song came from. Then again, I could be completely wrong so you should still come up with your own ideas and interpretations. That's just mine.

    Zarkovagis9on June 04, 2010   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    Love this song. I think as many people above it's about finding the right one. How often does a rose grow in the desert? Exactly...It's about finding that unique and special person. Amazing song. <3

    MusicMayhemon March 08, 2011   Link
  • +3
    Memory

    Reminds me of my dad`s driving back from vacation, across Turkey. It was sunset. It was so hot and swelter. I was 10 years old :)

    bumbar7on May 11, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Actually i disagree with you guys. From what i have heard Sting dosen't refer to girls and such but the novel Dune. Dune was a desert planet and the indigeous people from there, the fremen (sandpeople) dreamed that one day water will flow on their barren and harsh world. And it's about the main character from Dune, meaning Paul Muad'Dib Atreides. Sting states in an interview that he is a big Dune fan and he also played in the movie Dune (from 1984 or something) as Feyd Rautha who was an opponnent of Paul. I dream of rain I dream of gardens in the desert sand

    Both the Fremen and Paul's dream that one day the terraforming of Dune will end and it will be a green planet with lots of water, thus transforming the desert into gardens :). I dream of love as time runs through my hand Now, in my opinion this is more complex than it seems. First of al Paul could see the future. And he saw that he had to loose his humanity in order to save the human race which eventually would be extinct.But he didn't ask for his prescient abilities he just wanted a normal life with his wife Chani and his kids. So as time ran trough his hand (seeing all possible futures and choices) he dreamed of love with his wife ( who had to die later on in the same grand plan to save humanity). And now she turns This way she moves in the logic of all my dreams This fire burns I realize that nothing's as it seems

    Paul saw how his wife had to die in order for his plan to save humanity to continue and becouse he couldn't see any other solution in all the possible futures that tortured him ( like the searing pain of the fire-eg. this fire burns) and realizing how all had to turn up in order to succed. (as she turnes in the logic of my dreams meaning in his prescient visions)

    Sweet desert rose Each of her veils, a secret promise This desert flower, No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this

    tremendous love for his wife and how he could not bear loosing her.

         Sweet desert rose

    This memory of Eden haunts us all This desert flower, this rare perfurme Is the sweet intoxication of the fall

    Memory of Eden-clearly in my opinion a reference to the green paradise, that all the fremen dreamed about their planet but on top of all of this , his undying love for Chani.

    I actually think its a tribute to the Dune novel and universe, and if you actually read and understand the book i think those references would pass trough your mind also, as it did with me. But that's just my opinion :). BTW think that seeing the future is the worse curse one could ever ask for.

    sardaukarpwron December 24, 2009   Link
  • +2
    My Opinion

    It has always reminded me of the origins of desire and suffering through original sin. We are not allowed in Eden to walk with God. We are mortal and have a limited time here. We have to work hard to provide for ourselves. According to Christianity, it wasn't always like this for us. We have the memory of this and the hope of returning to "Eden" someday. Other religions have similar themes... we weren't meant to have this physical condition of ours and there is something better if we can break free of the desire.

    What I love is the idea of how desire plays out in lust here. It is through sex that some seek that feeling of connectedness, to ease suffering. I think Paradise Lost said the first thing Adam and Eve did after they realized they have interlocking parts was have sex. But... it's still earthly, it's still desire, and will still cause pain.

    But it is a sexy song, and I love it!

    baxtificationon June 10, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "i dream of love as time runs through my hand"

    this line really strikes a chord in me, because i find myself feeling like my life is running away from me. i want to seize the day while i've still got breath within me, but it seems like i find myself waiting for things rather than doing them. dreaming of things rather than actually having them, and watching time pass me by.<p><b><i>Edited by delial on May 28 2008, at 03:14AM</i></b></p>

    delialon July 31, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I believe this song was inspired by the novel Dune Sting also played in the movie adaptation

    wyyveon November 07, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    one of my favorite songs....to me its about me dream girl that i know is out there but is only in my dreams.....Jenn you're beautiful

    TwistedJezsteron June 12, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is a beautiful song. One of my favorites! To me this song is about that one person out there for everybody. This song always reminds me of my boyfirend! X

    RedRosesForABlueladyon March 11, 2003   Link

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