“Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House
Crowded House in this track reassures a partner about their relationship while urging her not to lose hope or give up on her dreams.
The titular phrase is rather ambiguous in the sense that the artist could be saying ‘don’t dream that it’s over’, as in there’s still hope, or he could be saying the opposite, as in ‘don’t dream anymore because it is over’. The latter is highly unlikely though because the central theme of the song is to get the singer’s love interest to see that he will stay in the relationship and make sure that she finds freedom both in being with him and within herself.
In the subsequent verses, the artist expresses how certain events and people are trying to separate him from his lover, yet he makes a firm decision to focus on building their bond. Seeing that his partner may be swayed by external pressures he repeatedly tells her not to dream about their relationship ending, because they will win.
Facts about “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
“Don’t Dream It’s Over”, which was unveiled in October 1986, was the fourth song to be released from the eponymous maiden album of Australian band, Crowded House.
The song was written by Neil Finn.
In New Zealand, this song flew to number 1. On the Hot 100 in the United States, it reached number 2. It was also a top-50 hit in Britain.
Nick Seymour, a member of the group explained that the song was to encourage their listeners not to succumb to the implications of consumerism and the mass media.
English singer, Paul Young, recorded a version of this song in 1991. It was also sampled in Luke Boyd’s (also known as Classified) song titled “It Ain’t Over”.
I never thought about the possibility of your second scenario where it means don’t dream anymore because it’s finished. I’d imagine it would reflect in the lyric writing. Don’t dream it’s over lean towards the hopeful meaning, while.. don’t dream, it’s over would mean you can stop dreaming. I love when commas play such an important role in our language
It isn’t the latter, downbeat interpretation. If it were, there would have to be a comma between “over” and “it’s.”
I was fortunate to see Neil Finn play years ago as a solo act in seattle, wa – for the encore Eddie Vedder joined him on stage and they played this song acoustically… can’t even describe that moment with words.
It may be a reference to now in Australia, New Zealand and Canada where the governments have enacted draconian laws on the citizens…including the “COVID camps” in Australia where people who have contracted this disease are sent against their wills , peaceful truckers in Canada are arrested and others have their bank accounts frozen. Very frightening times for Western countries whose citizens are guaranteed by their Constitutions. How easily tyrants can divide and conquer is now.
They’re not peaceful truckers. The people in the towns which these truckers are invading, who only represent 10% of all truckers, want them out. They’re blocking major traffic arteries and making an already horrific supply chain issue much worse. They’re also being funded by the very people who should, but don’t pay them more for their hard work. The majority of truckers did get their vaccinations and disagree with what these people are doing. They’re hooligans.
They are peaceful truckers fighting for freedom from tyranny. Blocking some streets is nothing compared to what BLM did for an entire year. They were praised by the left political party as they continued to burn, loot, and riot. I’m glad to see the truckers raising their voices in a peaceful manner.
Nothing peaceful about those truckers. The forces funding them are the forces Neil Finn writes about and against in this track. If you don’t see that you’re part of the problem.
Ah, I see you are both ignorant and racist. And a f—-ng liar.
F— your right wing truckers. F— your anti-vaccination stance.
Turd breath Noper. MAGA – TRUMP 2024
This didnt age well.. hows that vaccine working for you still alive…hahahaha
Nice to see someone telling the truth and not falling for the lies and deceptions of the Deep State. Everything you said is THE TRUTH. I feel sorry for people who refuse to admit that the world is being threatened by this new world order. One day when history books actually reveal what really happened, people will be shaking their heads at how many were duped by this insanity.
Sad to see someone stupid enough to use the thoroughly discredited ‘deep stste’. The deep state in question was only a description of Bannon’s willingness to lie.
Please. Keep your Bannon crap to yourself.
You do realize this song was written 34 years before Covid became a pandemic, right?
Haha. True, but stupidity follows no timeline. Especially on message boards.
It’s absolutely about the dream ….the story the mind creates to explain reality, being over.
Non-duality
This, is all there is….despite what the mind says.
When he says “liberation and release”, he means from the dream…
It’s obvious.
God Bless Donald J Trump – he’s’ my Dream and it ain’t over
Its about USSR and the Berlin Wall.