This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Bang, goes another kanga
On the bonnet of the van
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
Many an Aborigine's mistaken for a tree
'Til you near him on the motorway
And the tree begin to breathe
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
(Coming in with the golden light)
In the morning
(Coming in with the golden light)
Is the New Man
(Coming in with the golden light)
Is my dented van
(Woomera)
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
I-i-i-i-i
Me-me-me-me-me
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a (woomera)
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
I-i-i-i-i
Me-me-me-me-me
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
The civilized keep alive
The territorial war
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
Erase the race that claim the place
And say we dig for ore
Or dangle devils in a bottle
And push them from the (pull of the bush)
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
You find them in the road
(See the light bounce off the rocks to the sand)
In the road
(Coming in with the golden light)
In the morning
(Coming in with the golden light)
With no warning
(Coming in with the golden light)
We bring in the rigging
(Dig, dig, dig, dig away)
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
I-i-i-i-i
Me-me-me-me-me
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a (woomera)
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
I-i-i-i-i
Me-me-me-me-me
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti (woomera)
I-i-i-i-i
Me-me-me-me-me
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
I-i-i-i-i (woomera)
Me-me-me-me-me
Ma-ma-many an Aborigine's mistaken for a tree
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
You near him on the motorway
And the tree begin to breathe
Erase the race that claim the place
And say we dig for ore
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
Dangle devils in a bottle
And push them from the pull of the bush
(See the sun set in the hand of the man)
Bang, goes another kanga
On the bonnet of the van
(See the light bounce off the rocks to the sand)
You find them in the road
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
In the road
(See the light)
(Push 'em from the)
Pull of the Bush
(See the light bounce off the rocks to the sand)
(Push 'em from the)
Pull of the Bush
(See the sun set in the hand of the man)
(Oh, re Mikayina)
On the bonnet of the van
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
Many an Aborigine's mistaken for a tree
'Til you near him on the motorway
And the tree begin to breathe
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
(Coming in with the golden light)
In the morning
(Coming in with the golden light)
Is the New Man
(Coming in with the golden light)
Is my dented van
(Woomera)
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
I-i-i-i-i
Me-me-me-me-me
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a (woomera)
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
I-i-i-i-i
Me-me-me-me-me
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
The civilized keep alive
The territorial war
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
Erase the race that claim the place
And say we dig for ore
Or dangle devils in a bottle
And push them from the (pull of the bush)
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
You find them in the road
(See the light bounce off the rocks to the sand)
In the road
(Coming in with the golden light)
In the morning
(Coming in with the golden light)
With no warning
(Coming in with the golden light)
We bring in the rigging
(Dig, dig, dig, dig away)
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
I-i-i-i-i
Me-me-me-me-me
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a (woomera)
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
I-i-i-i-i
Me-me-me-me-me
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti (woomera)
I-i-i-i-i
Me-me-me-me-me
Dree-ee-ee-ee-ee
A-a-a-a-a
M-m-m-m-m
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti
I-i-i-i-i (woomera)
Me-me-me-me-me
Ma-ma-many an Aborigine's mistaken for a tree
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
You near him on the motorway
And the tree begin to breathe
Erase the race that claim the place
And say we dig for ore
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
Dangle devils in a bottle
And push them from the pull of the bush
(See the sun set in the hand of the man)
Bang, goes another kanga
On the bonnet of the van
(See the light bounce off the rocks to the sand)
You find them in the road
(See the light ram through the gaps in the land)
In the road
(See the light)
(Push 'em from the)
Pull of the Bush
(See the light bounce off the rocks to the sand)
(Push 'em from the)
Pull of the Bush
(See the sun set in the hand of the man)
(Oh, re Mikayina)
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
The Dreaming Lyrics as written by Kate Bush
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I agree about the aborigine legends of the dreamtime. I think this song is about when the white australians came and wiped out the native auastralians. hint*( Erase the race that claim the place ) In the dreamtime legend they believed that they believed when harm is near they can turn themselves into animals.
Obviously related to aborigine legends of the Dreamtime.
Agree with the previous interpretations and just wanted to add a note about the last line
"See the sun set in the hand of the man."
I love that. I imagine someone checking on what they hit with their car, and the flashlight in their hand being the last thing the aborigine/kangaroo sees.
Mikayina - there is a word in Wagiman - mabakgayin - that means "broken." could be the same word in a different dialect, or a misheard word on KB's part,
God I love this song and have no idea why. only kate bush could pull off a song that sounds ridiculous but make it great!!!! Yeah love it
I love the second BANG 2:50 into the song, The other explainations look very accurate.
Kate Bush is definitely not your standard expendable pop diva. This was the first song I remember hearing by her on my local college radio station. I was definitely intrigued and sought out the rest of her albums (vinyl at the time; early 80s). Well it wasn't all as weird as this one, but it was definitely original, and I continue to love it.
Love those breathing sounds!
"Bang" goes another Kanga on the bonnet of the van...
Being an Australian, I can relate to hitting Kangaroos with your car at night. It happens so bloody often. But yes, Dreamtime stories is true...and also correct...Aborigines can turn into animals or flaura in the face of danger (according to dreamtime) hence..."near him on the motorway the tree begin to breath"