FANTINE
There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong...


I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving


Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine unwasted


But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they tear your dream to shame...


He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came


And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather


I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seems
Now life has killed the dream I dream


Lyrics submitted by BroadwayAngel232

Les Miserables- I Dreamed A Dream song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

1 Comment

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    The one thing that bothers me about the play vs the novel is the first half of the play is the first 75% of the novel and the second half of the play is the last 25% of the novel. Therefore many things in the first 75% of the novel get left out of the play. The only part that got cut that's really too bad (in my opinion) is Fantine's history. Her back story is amazing and it was entirely cut from the play and this song attempts to explain it.

    "He slept a summer by my side He filled my days with endless wonder He took my childhood in his stride But he was gone when autumn came"

    This part makes it seem like Fantine and Tholomyès were only together for 6 months or so. In reality the book makes it clear that Tholomyes ditches Fantine when Cosette is 2 years 2 months old. In the section when Fantine gives Cosette to the Thenardiers it is mentioned that 10 months had passed since Fantine was dumped by Tholomyes. It also makes clear that Cosette is "going on three" years old. Doing the math you can figure out Cosette was 2 years, 2 months old at the time Tholomyes leaves Fantine ("the pretty farce"). This means that Fantine and Tholomyes were together at least 3 years, not "a summer".

    "And still I dream he'll come to me That we will live the years together"

    After the pretty farce Fantine writes a few letters to Tholomyes but they are ignored. She pretty much forgets him at that point. So after she's fired from her job in Montreiul-Sur-Mer it's doubtful she'd still be dreaming of Tholomyes.

    If you want to read about Fantine's back story you can find the novel here:

    classicreader.com/book/268/

    Read the section: Book Third.--In the Year 1817

    rodhandleron May 26, 2013   Link

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

Album art
Step
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.