Dreams by Van Halen Lyrics Meaning – The Ascent of Hope and Human Perseverance
Lyrics
Pictures in an empty room
Your love starts fallin down
Better change your tun, yeah
Reach for the golden ring
Reach for the sky
Baby just spread your wings
We’ll get higher and higher
Straight up we’ll climb
We’ll get higher and higher
Leave it all behind
Run, run, run away
Like a train runnin off the track
Got the truth gets left behind
Falls between the cracks
Standing on broken dreams
Never losin’ sight, ah
Spread your wings
We’ll get higher and higher
Straight up we’ll climb
We’ll get higher and higher
Leave it all behind
So baby dry your eyes, save all
The tears you’ve cried
Oh that’s what dreams are made of
‘Cause we belong in a world that must be strong
Oh that’s what dreams are made of
We’ll get higher and higher
Straight up we’ll climb
Higher and higher leave it all behind
Oh we’ll higher and higher who knows
What we’ll find
So baby dry your eyes, save all
The tears you’ve cried
Oh that’s what dreams are made of
Oh baby we belong in a world that must be strong
Oh that’s what dreams are made of
And in the end on dreams we will depend
‘Cause that’s what love is made of
Amidst the pantheon of rock anthems, Van Halen’s ‘Dreams’ emerges as an ode to the indefatigable spirit of humanity. Released in the sonic golden era of the mid-eighties, when rock was both an opus and a rebellion, ‘Dreams’ transcended the typical expectations of the genre to meditate on themes of aspiration and resilience.
Parsing the layers of ‘Dreams’ reveals a tapestry woven with threads of optimism and echoed in the voices of listeners hungry for meaning. Van Halen, known for their electrifying presence and the acrobatic feats of their lead guitarist, Eddie Van Halen, crafted in this song an anthem that strikes a chord with the dreamers and the dauntless.
The Spectrum of Sound and Vision in Dreams
With its opening lines, ‘Dreams’ paints a vivid picture of stark contrasts, ‘World turns black and white / Pictures in an empty room.’ Here, Eddie Van Halen’s guitar prowess complements the vocals masterfully, embodying the oscillation between a monochromatic existence and the colorful burst of dreams ready to take flight.
The song adeptly captures the universal experience of desolation that often precedes transformation. As the listener is drawn into this intimate space, they are offered a stark choice – to remain in the ’empty room’ or to change their tune and reach for something beyond.
Metaphysical Highs: The Iconic Ascent in ‘Dreams’
The anthemic chorus, ‘We’ll get higher and higher / Straight up we’ll climb,’ isn’t just an earworm; it’s a mantra for the soul. The repeated ascension indicates a relentless pursuit of goals, a refusal to be tethered by mediocrity or to be daunted by the gravity of life’s challenges.
This chorus doesn’t just serve the purpose of an uplifting melodic hook; it embodies an unyielding flight towards dreams, using the sky as a metaphor for limitless potential. Van Halen channels the human condition’s quest for self-improvement and the need to believe in something grander than oneself.
Escape Velocity: Decoding the Song’s Hidden Meaning
‘Run, run, run away / Like a train runnin off the track’ – this second verse tugs at the primal urge to escape, to break free from the shackles of conformity. There’s a hidden message here, one that hints at the risks of nonconformity but also the inevitable truth and authenticity that comes from venturing off the beaten path.
The song subtly underscores the importance of maintaining integrity and vision, even when ‘the truth gets left behind / Falls between the cracks.’ The symbolism of ‘standing on broken dreams’ serves as a powerful reminder that foundations can be rebuilt and dreams can be resurrected, even from the ruins.
A Chorus of Resilience: The Most Memorable Lines
‘So baby dry your eyes, save all / The tears you’ve cried / Oh that’s what dreams are made of’ – This bridge resonates deeply, echoing the collective human experience of pain, endurance, and the cathartic power of music. It’s a call to arms for the heart-weary, urging them to preserve and channel their suffering into the pursuit of dreams.
‘Oh that’s what dreams are made of’ becomes more than a line from a song—it’s a decree that empowers. It professes that the ingredients of dreams are the very trials we wish to avoid, and that within our challenges lies the strength to create worlds ‘that must be strong’.
When Melody Meets Message: Van Halen’s Sonic Alchemy
The synthesis of sound in ‘Dreams’ is where melody meets message. Van Halen ensures the musicality reflects the soaring theme of aspiration. The instrumentation builds with an intensity that mirrors the lyrical climb, achieving a harmony that propels the message to new heights.
As the final notes echo and the last words, ‘Cause that’s what love is made of’ resolve the song, there is an affirmation that binds the listener to the band, to the dream, to the love intrinsic to human perseverance. Van Halen ultimately crowns ‘Dreams’ as an aural monument to our collective longing for transcendence and the love that fuels our endless pursuit.
