Daydream Believer

I think its someone who is in love with his wife. They are very young and going through hard times because they are poor. He knows he has to get up for the daily grind and its deppressing but he's trying to cheer her up. God, its an excellent song.

Its extremely obvious to me that Jean is a girl. Jean is the daydream believer and the homecoming queen. I agree with eytan that this song is being sung to the girlfriend, Jean. I guess Jean is depressed because they are poor, but this song is being sung to her to cheer her up. Jean is sleepy because it's morning (as showed in the beginning) and she probably doesn't really have enough energy to get up because she is depressed about the lack of money, and the singer is saying that even though he still loves Jean and tries to make her happy, she stays sleepy and depressed in her own little world. "Oh what can it mean to a daydream believer and a homecoming queen?"

If you have ever watched the Dawson's Creek episode with this song I think you will understand my interpretation of the song. The guy is the daydream believer and obviously his girlfriend is the homecoming queen. He is trying to make her feel better about how their life is currently sicne they have no money but things can look brighter simply because they have eachother and that's all they really need.

Okay this my first and maybe last 'what does this mean'. I'm writing because a previous post had the song being about a depressed person singing about a depressing situation of being poor. I think not. No one sings of bluebirds in a depressed state, maybe ravens, but never bluebirds. 'Mr, Bluebird on my shoulder...' What we have is a happy go lucky (funky) flake who has all these dreams that never really pan out. Still he gets up in the morning and goes to work hoping to catch a big break that will probably never happen...'Oh, what can it mean' refers to the meaning of it all...life. His eternal sunny disposition is not shared by his mate, a former home coming queen, who was won over by his dreams, but isn't happy with the reality of them being poor. Still says today is a new day and who knows maybe this will be the lucky one that turns it all around. Don't give up on me Jean and don't give up on my dreams! Really listen to Davy's voice, listen to the underlying hope and happiness that hope brings. The song is spiritual.

My interpretation: A guy's daydream comes true when he marries Jean, a homecoming queen. He won her by charming her - she used to think of him as her white knight. But not any more. Now, a couple of years later, he is still happy, but the novelty has worn off for her. She is depressed because they don't have enough money (good times start when they have money and end when they don't have money). He is not concerned about money (how much do we need?), and he doesn't understand why she is depressed (what can it mean). He is happy just being with her. But he gets up early and goes out to work to earn money for her, and sings this song (which has a cheerful melody, and the lyrics "cheer up") to try and cheer her up.

He is dreaming a dreamer's dream. Something wonderful, being comforted under the wings of a bluebird which we all know is happiness. Then the stupid alarm clock rings. Reality sets in. He and Jean are recently married. In college (or high school) he was the insufferable dreamer and she the campus beauty (homecoming queen). He promised her such wonderful dreams of a fantastic life with her and would take care of her (white knight). However, his dreams were a bit too fantastic. Even though she knew this and still loved him, things aren't as glamorous as they had wanted and she is a bit down. He wants to cheer her up once again and reminds her of how great things are for the daydream believer and the homecoming queen. Good times come and go, but he wants her to know that he will spend them (good and bad) with her. Besides, how much do they really need if they have one another.

John Stewart describes writing this song on his live album "Deep in the Neon". He describes the song as occurring after the wedding of the Daydream Believer and the homecoming queen. The story is very funny. If you love this song, hunt this version down, everything you want to know about this song comes straight from the songwriter.

Jean is a girl with a sense of entitlement who can't quite relate to the strife of her love interest. He wishes he could be as care free as Jean (if he could hide under the wing of a singing bird) rather than wake up every morning to his daily grind. Jean is lovely with big plans and saw him as Prince Charming and he hopes that maybe she still sees this in him as they only need each other. But he's doubting himself and wonders how she really sees him, "What can it mean to a daydream believer and a homecoming queen."

I read the lyrics and I have a couple of thoughts. 1. The song is about a fellow who daydreamed big, but never achieved the goal of his dreams. In high school, or sometime after, he fell in love and married Jean, who was homecoming queen. Since the song does not mention anything about occupations or children, "Daydream Believer" and "Homecoming Queen" are the two biggest things they've achieved in life. 2. The Bluebird, as the old clichè goes, might be the Bluebird of Happiness, since a symbolic bird would be large enough for the protagonist to hide himself away from the six o'clock alarm, which symbolizes the drudgery of whatever job or obligations he has. The fact that he needs to shave is a "stinging" reminder of his routine. 3. The original line was, "...now you know how FUNKY I can be", as in, "in a blue funk", not as in "make my Funk the P-Funk". This make more sense than "happy", which Colgems preferred over funky. How deep has DB's funk been? Has he been sullen or even physically abusive? Certainly not "knightly" in behavior if the good times are sporadic. 3. The song is about a man that feels that he hasn't lived up to his potential and Jean, who one thought of him as a passport to better times, probably has been let down by him (and herself) enough times that it is easier to go to bed and forget their troubles. It is a cautiously hopeful song, for in his exhorting her to "cheer up", he still clings to his daydreams. At least they are still together.

good good song, i like it a lot. reminds me of my friend, she always sings it!