In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Oh, I'm choking, I'm choking
On the smoke from this burning house
I claw and I scrape
But I can't seem to get out
But who then, who is this
That's scratching from the ground
Oh, it's my world too
But who's gold is this I'm digging out?
Where we go, when we go
When we're dead
Is the verdict still out?
Do we get into line
To line up with those long dead now?
With the muffled tears of sorrow
Bones underground
Is this time our time?
Yes, it is
Without of with this shadow of doubt.
I don't want to wake up
Lost in the dreams of our fathers.
Oh, it's such a waste, child
To live and die for the dreams of our fathers
Though I must confess, yes
My view is a wonder about this
This love I possess, love
It must be the dreams of our fathers.
I want to go, I want to run
We turn, so sure someone's looking down
It's haunting me, haunting me
Leaves us here to get out
Though I don't believe, I don't believe
This flavor in my mouth
Is from my tongue alone
So bitter, I want to spit it out.
I repeat these words
They come out
Under the blue light in the sky
My empty pages are filling up
With these wicked lies
But I hear deep in myself
An echo, an echo
Of empty, empty emptiness
Comes up and swells inside.
I don't want to wake up
Lost in the dreams of our fathers
Oh, its such a waste, child
To live and die for the dreams of our fathers
Though I must confess, yes
My view is a wonder about this
This love I possess, love
It must be the dreams of our fathers
Rain on my head
Rain on my head
Rain on me
And then give me air
Rain on my love
Again and again
Why can't I dream you away from me?
Look here, look here
Bloated, floating
Go belly down
Belly up in the water
But who is this here that's drowned?
We followed a drunken man
He got us all spinning round
But it's like he swallowed himself
And didn't leave us a way out
I don't want to wake up
Lost in the Dreams of our Fathers
Oh, it's such a shame, child
To live and die for the Dreams of our Fathers
Though I must confess, yes
My view is a wonder about this
This love I possess, love
It must be the Dreams of our Fathers
This love I possess, love
It must be the Dreams of our Fathers
This love I possess, love
It must be the Dreams of our Fathers
This love I possess, love
It must be the love of our fathers
The dreams
The dreams
The dreams
This love I possess love
On the smoke from this burning house
I claw and I scrape
But I can't seem to get out
But who then, who is this
That's scratching from the ground
Oh, it's my world too
But who's gold is this I'm digging out?
Where we go, when we go
When we're dead
Is the verdict still out?
Do we get into line
To line up with those long dead now?
With the muffled tears of sorrow
Bones underground
Is this time our time?
Yes, it is
Without of with this shadow of doubt.
I don't want to wake up
Lost in the dreams of our fathers.
Oh, it's such a waste, child
To live and die for the dreams of our fathers
Though I must confess, yes
My view is a wonder about this
This love I possess, love
It must be the dreams of our fathers.
I want to go, I want to run
We turn, so sure someone's looking down
It's haunting me, haunting me
Leaves us here to get out
Though I don't believe, I don't believe
This flavor in my mouth
Is from my tongue alone
So bitter, I want to spit it out.
I repeat these words
They come out
Under the blue light in the sky
My empty pages are filling up
With these wicked lies
But I hear deep in myself
An echo, an echo
Of empty, empty emptiness
Comes up and swells inside.
I don't want to wake up
Lost in the dreams of our fathers
Oh, its such a waste, child
To live and die for the dreams of our fathers
Though I must confess, yes
My view is a wonder about this
This love I possess, love
It must be the dreams of our fathers
Rain on my head
Rain on my head
Rain on me
And then give me air
Rain on my love
Again and again
Why can't I dream you away from me?
Look here, look here
Bloated, floating
Go belly down
Belly up in the water
But who is this here that's drowned?
We followed a drunken man
He got us all spinning round
But it's like he swallowed himself
And didn't leave us a way out
I don't want to wake up
Lost in the Dreams of our Fathers
Oh, it's such a shame, child
To live and die for the Dreams of our Fathers
Though I must confess, yes
My view is a wonder about this
This love I possess, love
It must be the Dreams of our Fathers
This love I possess, love
It must be the Dreams of our Fathers
This love I possess, love
It must be the Dreams of our Fathers
This love I possess, love
It must be the love of our fathers
The dreams
The dreams
The dreams
This love I possess love
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Dreams of Our Fathers Lyrics as written by David Matthews Glen Ballard
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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i am a dave fan too. hardcore you may say (own everything seen every gorge concert for 4 years). and i like some of his new stuff just as much as some of his old stuff. crush is my favorite song. and this is near the top of my list too. you know what people? music changes. and he did too. in all his songs he is writing about life, and a lot of your favorites are important ones to him and were period pieces about his life. so why is his life so bad now? i like this song and am writing my college admission essay on it and its influence to me. thank you