Illusion & Dream

IME, this song is about the superficial society that we are living in today, where under the makeup, all is not what it seems to be. We all live according to society's standards and never acknowledge our own and live like ourselves. Never understand our problems, and when we do, never strive to fix them.

To me, this song is about manipulation from government.

IMO, this songis being sung to people in general that see the world as a good place. They are always positive about how the world is, and this annoys the singer. They fail to see how the world really is, and unquestioningly follow their illusions and dreams. POTF are just telling these fools that the world isn't all sunshine and roses, and that it has terrible things on its surface.

(Before i get started with my interpretatión about this song, i will say that my english isn't very good, because i'm from Argentina, so sorry if i don't make myself clear) Quote 1: "Look in my eyes I'll make you see We're drifting aimlessly Blind in a world of make believe" I think what it means is that we cannot change the way it is, the way that government and authorities control us and we didn't realize how the truth is, we we're blind to this situation (control-concept similar to the movie "The Matrix". "Blind in a world of make believe"). Quote 2: "It's whatever makes you see, makes you believe And forget about the premonition you need to conceive That the images they sell are illusion & dream In other words dishonesty..." This second quote talks about how they manipulate us, they shows us images than we can't demonstrate that are true, but the images are shocking so we buy it, and don't even ask if true or false. Sorry i can't go on, my english sucks :S Please comment my perspective about this song...

Hi, I'm from Argentina too, and I know is hard to say what we think :P. Anyway, I've been reading songmeanings for a few months and I NEED to tell my opinion about Poets of the Fall.

I think that you're right, that this song is about how gobernments and powerful people in general control our opinions and how they sell us illusion and dreams.

But somehow, this song makes me thing of someone that, even when he realizes that he's been lied to, he prefers to live inside that lie.

I agree with Anoreo more than anyone else that commented. I personally don't have much interest in government...so it never really even crossed my mind to be about...the power of government and such. I can see what you guys are saying though.

Good writers make songs be relatable in many different ways. That's why analyzing songs are so difficult, you only relate to what you know. Whether it be a relationship, government, media.

I don't think this song is about the "what" though. That's why the title is Illusion and Dream. The writer isn't putting emphasis on "they" but the outcome. Realize what's real and what's illusion, because what "they" are portraying is dishonest. So yeah, it can be the government. But the listener has the power to use it how they need, maybe a hard relationship to grasp, dreams that he or she looses, a change in their life that they can't cope with. It's the power of song.

Lastly..."With silence comes peace, with peace comes freedom, with freedom comes silence." I don't agree that freedom brings silence, if anything it's the opposite...

Just wanted to point out that "whatever makes you see makes you believe",

Yet right out the gate he sings "Look in my eyes I'll make you see"

and later "Just thought I'd try to make you see"

So he's trying to make someone not only see but believe as well.

Don't know how deep that goes but to me the effect is that maybe he's not denouncing things (masterminds influencing us), as he is too trying to influence things.

To me this song seems to be about Poverty.

Beggars seem to be aimlessly drifting from day to day

They Beg/Sing (singing usually off-key) and people drop in small amounts of money (occassionally) like they care that they are begging to no longer be Beggars.

They have no hand in the world, they do not usually vote etc. and people avoid them like a wall is between them.

The paper sell images of them as drug addicts and crack heads, which isn't always true.

If they offend you as they try to explain their situation, they want you to please listen to them.

'Fancy' and 'Posh' clothing don't make a difference, we are all human and still feel pain, beggar or not.

Can you name you problems? If so I congratulate you. Will you conquer your problems or will they destroy you and put you on the street? If you can defeat them, I can't congratulate you because we are from a different class of society.

People try to ignore them, giving people peace of mind by making Beggars 'silent' If a beggar finds peace they find money, and so are free from the curse of the streets. With the money and freedom, they are no longer there so they are 'silent' to people again.