Do you ever question your life?
Do you ever wonder why?
Do you ever see in your dreams?
All the castles in the sky

Oh, tell me why
Do we build castles in the sky?
Oh, tell me why
Are the castles way up high?
Please tell me why
Do we build castles in the sky?
Oh, tell me why
Are the castles way up high?

Do ever question your life?
Do you ever wonder why?
Do you ever see in your dreams
All the castle in the sky?

Oh, tell me why
Do we build castles in the sky?
Oh, tell me why
Are the castles way up high?
Please tell me why
Do we build castles in the sky?
Oh, tell me why
Are the castles way up high?


Lyrics submitted by selfwilledfate

Castles in the Sky [Radio Mix] Lyrics as written by Erik Jos Vanspauwen Christophe Chantzis

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Castles In The Sky song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

36 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    Classic trance. Great song. To me this song is more about big industries and how they go down, go up, and then so on. What happens next? Why do we do it, anyways..? Do we need to? America's so obsessed with things that it's not even funny. And we got other countries with us, though.

    NexusofNocternalActon August 03, 2006   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    I have wondered if "Why do we build castles in the sky?" is really asking: Why do we have false hope in God, Heaven, etcetera? It is just as possible, if not more so, that those things do not exist than it is possible that they do. Realistically, they can not be seen or proven. Yet, people believe in them wholeheartedly, Maybe just so they can feel better about life and death? "Build castles in the sky" could mean a belief in "Heaven", while also saying that it is unreachable, unrealistic, and/or impossible. Maybe?

    NeonLotuson March 14, 2009   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    The people who say this song is about heaven, they're right in a way. A castle in the sky clearly seems a wonderful, magical, and ideal place. So more accurately, I'm sure it represents imagination and "goals". "Why do we build castle's in the sky?" appears equivalent to "Why do we idealize?", "why do many feel the grass greener on the other side of the fence?", and/or "why do people feel the future can ever be better than the present, when the present is habituated to be received in a certain way by each one of us?" This song is about happiness, about dreams, about goals, and it is basically questioning the reasons why any of us do what we do each day. Are we striving for something without knowing why? Or do we know and understand what we're doing and why? This song is a calling: Find out what life means to you. Then live that with no remorse. Religion is nonsense, an afterlife seem unimportant speaking that once we lose our brains we can't carry any memories with us (e.g. if we get into a car accident and damage our brains, it changes our world perception. In other words, our "soul" and the information it holds is dependent upon physical characteristics to exist.) All that we have is our lives and life itself is comnpletely unapologetic. What happens happens for better or worse and there's no reckoning, no reconciliation, no balance that will ever take place outside of what creatures and forces of nature themselves inflict upon one another. After that, the rest is silence. Enlightenment is to know and behave on knowledge of the real truth about life. And that is, everyone has an agenda so follow your own, maxims are basically useless because every delivered "truth" about life can be done or translated in an opposing way that will also be real world relevant, and the ability to discern the difference between reality and imagining, of which each is a part to the other, is of utmost importance. Taking time to sit alone and think things through will eventually show you to what you really want in your life and what it really means to you.

    FreeDesign002on August 01, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The concept of "Castles in the Sky" is taken from Henry David Thoreau. It's been a very important quote in my and my family's life.

    "If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."

    In the quote, it's saying it's okay to have your ambitions up high where they may seem unattainable. However, they're not necessarily impossible, if you just take steps underneath to reach them.

    The song is questioning why you have such lofty goals, but perhaps looking back on the original quote will help. It's okay, as long as you build the foundations under so your dreams don't collapse.

    pdkuhnon March 04, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    DiZ soNg be PuttIng Me in A tRaNCe.... it chills me out when I'm mad or ticked! AND this be best tRaNCe and rave song ever... :)

    AsianLaoCutieon May 21, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is so awesome! It's kinda like it's asking you why exactly do you live.... Well, that's the way I see it at least...Hmm... It's a great song, I listen to it all the time

    living_a_lieon May 22, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think this song poses the question "why do you continue to set unattainable goals?"

    build the castles closer to the ground; your dreams where you can reach them.

    roger wilcoon June 07, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is one of my fave techno songs no matter what I am always in the mood to rave when I hear this.. I makes me wonder alot of things though too.. --Mackie

    MisanthropicAngelon June 15, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    there's a lot of questions in this song.. :op

    tight ass song.

    SurferJapon June 17, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is an awesome song. I kind of agree with you, wilco. But I seem to think there's something else in there. I can't really touch on it, though. It really makes you think about your life though. Great song.

    moonst@ron June 18, 2002   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
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
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.