“The Dreams of Children” by The Jam

The titular “dreams of children” is an allegory. And what it points to is the type of naïve, if you will, sense of optimism which youth possess. The singer himself idealizes the world in such a way, where such innocent visions actually have the potential to come true. But when he ‘wakes up’ – i.e. views reality as it truly is using his mature, adult mind – he is able to perceive that the contrary is rather true. Instead the real world is more akin to a “modern nightmare”. That is to say that it is a lonely, depressing place.

So yes, the singer does in fact “love… the dreams of children”. Or viewing that statement differently, such innocent ideas are what he too wishes the world to be. But unfortunately such an existence is not actually the case.

Written by The Jams own Paul Weller, “The Dreams of Children” came out in 1981. It was actually released together with the band’s UK #1 single “Going Underground“.

Both songs can be found on the band’s 1983 greatest hits album entitled “Snap!”