Dear Mr. Fantasy play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Do anything, take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar, make it snappy

You are the one who can make us all laugh
But doing that you break out in tears
Please don't be sad if it was a straight mind you had
We wouldn't have known you all these years

Dear Mr. Fantasy play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Do anything, take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar, make it snappy
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Dear Mr. Fantasy play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Do anything, take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar, make it snappy

You are the one who can make us all laugh
But doing that you break out in tears
Please don't be sad if it was a straight mind you had
We wouldn't have known you all these years, hee think about it

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Lyrics submitted by killingFloor

Dear Mr. Fantasy Lyrics as written by Chris Wood Steve Winwood

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Dear Mr. Fantasy song meanings

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+4
General Comment
One evening, Capaldi was doodling in the battered old notebook he kept for potential song lyrics and ideas. "I drew a little character I called Mr Fantasy and next to him, I started to write, Dear Mr Fantasy . . . It was a letter to my cartoon character." Retiring to bed, Capaldi woke later to hear Winwood and Wood playing in the music room. When Capaldi came downstairs he discovered that they had found his drawing and put a melody to his letter. stevewinwood.com/news/…

One evening, Capaldi was doodling in the battered old notebook he kept for potential song lyrics and ideas. "I drew a little character I called Mr Fantasy and next to him, I started to write, Dear Mr Fantasy . . . It was a letter to my cartoon character." Retiring to bed, Capaldi woke later to hear Winwood and Wood playing in the music room. When Capaldi came downstairs he discovered that they had found his drawing and put a melody to his letter. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://http://www.stevewinwood.com/news/5765">stevewinwood.com/news/…</a>

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LexGabiniaon September 29, 2011 Link
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@LexGabinia

@LexGabinia It looks like that link got moved to:

stevewinwood.com/news/…

yogamanon April 16, 2020

@LexGabinia What a great little story about how the song got created. Thank you for sharing that.

longpshornon March 19, 2022
+2
General Comment
it is obvious what this song means. everyone knows a person who plays music or sings or acts humorous constantly to make everyone else feel better. the only problem with that is people want it all the time, they want more and they want it on command, in doing that this person gets sad and starts to cry because the people he trusted now use him as a tool to escape reality. So his life consists of pleasing others but hardly pleasing himself. so the person without the straight mind is not happy with his life role and yet because he doesn't think the way normal society does, he is constantly being liked by people for the mere fact he can make them feel better.

it is obvious what this song means. everyone knows a person who plays music or sings or acts humorous constantly to make everyone else feel better. the only problem with that is people want it all the time, they want more and they want it on command, in doing that this person gets sad and starts to cry because the people he trusted now use him as a tool to escape reality. So his life consists of pleasing others but hardly pleasing himself. so the person without the straight mind is not happy with his life role and yet because he doesn't think the way normal society does, he is constantly being liked by people for the mere fact he can make them feel better.

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lyricist101on November 27, 2007 Link
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@lyricist101

@lyricist101 You sir, are a fucking genius. So insightful. So brilliant.
LOL.

ArumBouyedon May 03, 2016

@lyricist101 Very great explanation.\r\n\r\nDo you think that there is an aspect of Mr. Fantasy\'s relationship with society that is hurtful to him because of his own success? In other words, he got into the business of pleasing other people because he thought it would make him happy. But as he continues to please others, he gets more and more detached from his own goals and dreams?

longpshornon March 19, 2022
+2
General Comment
i believe the lyric is, "please don't be sad if it was the straight LINE you had". a "straight line" is a bit in a comic dialog when the stooge, or "straight man" (usually a serious acting individual) feeds lines to his jokster counterpart who twists his words into jokes. bud abbott was a famous straight man. it makes sense in the context of the song where a straight man may be seen as being made a fool of for the humor of others.

i believe the lyric is, "please don't be sad if it was the straight LINE you had". a "straight line" is a bit in a comic dialog when the stooge, or "straight man" (usually a serious acting individual) feeds lines to his jokster counterpart who twists his words into jokes. bud abbott was a famous straight man. it makes sense in the context of the song where a straight man may be seen as being made a fool of for the humor of others.

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zratedon April 26, 2008 Link
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@zrated

@zrated Thank you.

burgesspmon August 03, 2015

@zrated Very interesting, wonder if that's true? Hey, Jim Capaldi, do you still have that napkin you doodled on?

Handuon April 24, 2018

@zrated Wow. That\'s pretty deep.

longpshornon March 19, 2022
+1
General Comment
this is what music is about :D

this is what music is about :D

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lzphishheadon April 08, 2007 Link
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@lzphishhead
+1
General Comment
This is a very chillin song, one to put on when smoking a #&%*@ and just staring into space with. Plus one kick ass guitar solo

This is a very chillin song, one to put on when smoking a #&%*@ and just staring into space with. Plus one kick ass guitar solo

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kamyatekon September 10, 2007 Link
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@kamyatek
+1
My Interpretation
When the world is in a low point another Great Manifestation of God comes to mankind. He lifts the world to a new level, but he is persecuted in the process.Those Great Messengers could be a Buddha, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, etc., that come from age to age. The "tune" is their message. Their tears is from the persecutions they receive.

When the world is in a low point another Great Manifestation of God comes to mankind. He lifts the world to a new level, but he is persecuted in the process.Those Great Messengers could be a Buddha, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, etc., that come from age to age. The "tune" is their message. Their tears is from the persecutions they receive.

Reason:

Transcendon April 14, 2013 Link
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@Transcend

@Transcend Interesting interpretation. I could see this potentially making sense. Do you think that was the author\'s original intent?

longpshornon March 19, 2022
+1
General Comment
the way i look at this is that entertainers in general are usually people who are different from the norm. They find a release of expression in their art...but there is always something that makes them feel like they don't fit in, that they're even a bit weird by their own definition. This mindset can become overwhelming at times, and will bring on tears and probably question of "why do i have to be this way, to be different"...but the last two lines are reassuring. They're telling the entertainer/artist that what makes you different is also part of what makes him/her special. their special talents brought them to the forefront so the world can enjoy what they can offer that no one else can.

the way i look at this is that entertainers in general are usually people who are different from the norm. They find a release of expression in their art...but there is always something that makes them feel like they don't fit in, that they're even a bit weird by their own definition. This mindset can become overwhelming at times, and will bring on tears and probably question of "why do i have to be this way, to be different"...but the last two lines are reassuring. They're telling the entertainer/artist that what makes you different is also part of what makes him/her special. their special talents brought them to the forefront so the world can enjoy what they can offer that no one else can.

Reason:

omeganson January 25, 2018 Link
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@omegans

@omegans Great explanation! Love it!

longpshornon March 19, 2022
+1
General Comment
Sort-of a sixties version of “here we are now, entertain us”.

Sort-of a sixties version of “here we are now, entertain us”.

Reason:

force263on July 03, 2020 Link
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@force263
0
General Comment
i love this song! i can't believe no one has commented. to me this song is about how powerful music can be to people's emotions. when i have a bad day there are certain songs that make me feel better. I thinkt he part: Please don't be sad if it was a straight mind you had We wouldn't have known you all these years Is about how even though his life hasn't been perfect he wouldn't change it becase it got him to where he is now and he made alot of friends along the way.

i love this song! i can't believe no one has commented. to me this song is about how powerful music can be to people's emotions. when i have a bad day there are certain songs that make me feel better. I thinkt he part: Please don't be sad if it was a straight mind you had We wouldn't have known you all these years Is about how even though his life hasn't been perfect he wouldn't change it becase it got him to where he is now and he made alot of friends along the way.

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klincker128on January 08, 2006 Link
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@klincker128

@klincker128 Can we say that he wouldn\'t change it if he could? This is a very interesting take.\r\n\r\nI am not saying I am right about this, but I just sort of interpreted that bit more along the lines of it coming from the perspective of the people listening to him. In other words, it is still about them. They don\'t really care that he is unhappy, they just tell him to get over it because they wouldn\'t have gotten their enjoyment from him for the previous years if he hadn\'t played for them.

longpshornon March 19, 2022
0
General Comment
i think this is one of the most beautiful songs ever. one of my favourites, deffinately. the guitar in it is so peaceful... and... just pretty. it's a great example of the calming effects of good music on the mind.

i think this is one of the most beautiful songs ever. one of my favourites, deffinately. the guitar in it is so peaceful... and... just pretty. it's a great example of the calming effects of good music on the mind.

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tree*huggin*in*kyon January 11, 2006 Link
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Dear Mr. Fantasy

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