We all love songs about dreams because they can sum up so many different things. Sure, they can be literal and discuss the dreams we have when we'resleeping. It can be metaphorical and wonder about the dreams and goals that motivate us every day. They can even be whimsical, like songs about daydreaming, for example.
So, in this article, I present to you my absolute favorite songs that deal with the subject of dreams. Hopefully by the end of this article, you've found some new music to add to your playlist (or even buy on vinyl).
Songs about dreams and goals.
Let's start this section with a Shuba song.
Icon of Shuba (2022)
An underrated and recently released song by Shuba about realizing his dream of becoming an 'icon'. The track is simple, but Shuba's voice is what really sets this song apart. It seamlessly transitions from rapping to a more lyrical melody.
Her voice is powerful and the confidence she projects in the lyrics – “Watch me make my dreams come true / Promise me you'll remember me / I'll be an icon” – will really get you singing!
I dreamed a dream ofpathetic(originally 1980)
Based on the 2012 film starringAna HathawayLike Fantine, "I Dreamed a Dream" is not only known to musical theater fans, but also to a wider audience.
This moving song tells Fantine's story: all the things she dreamed of growing up but couldn't. Even the first text hints that this won't be a happy song: "I dreamed a dream in time made by / When hope was high / And life was worth living."
Even without knowing the musical (or the book!) you can feel the desperation of the music. The melody itself is melancholic and soulful, ending with the desolate lyric "Now life has killed / The dream I dreamed". Anne Hathaway's performance is moving and moving in a way that has never been seen before: it's not pretty, but it's not meant to be.
Hey, look mom, I panicked! At the Disco (2018)
A sarcastic song about "making it" in the music industry. From the title and the lyrics, we know that Brendon Urie talks about how his song fulfilled his dream of success: "Hey, look, I made it!", but that joy seems exaggerated or even fake with the super optimistic tone. .
This is a great album about dreams, but maybe it's talking about a dream.was notwhat he envisioned It's definitely something relatable; We finally get what we want, but it's not what we dreamed of and it makes us bitter.
Eurythmic Sweet Dreams (1983)
this is a song i thinkeveryone has heardin one way or another: on TV, on the radio, in the movies... It's super catchy with a song anyone would recognize if they heard it!
The lyrics talk about people's dreams, which in this case refers to our motivation or what moves us. Many of these motivations are pretty murky: “Some of them want to use you/Some of them want to be used by you.
While most of the song is rather dark, the bridge of "Keep Your Head Up / Keep Your Head Up" takes a more positive turn. Basically, it's telling you to keep going, to keep living despite the difficulties we may face in life.
Radio by Lana Del Rey (2012)
Right at the beginning of the song, an enchanting and dreamlike melody pampers us, almost as if we ourselves were part of the dream. The track really fits the mood of the song and the theme of dreams.
The lyrics say that although Lana Del Rey achieved her dreams, she now feels that people only want her because she "plays on the radio".
She says, "Now my life is sweet as cinnamon / Like a fucking dream I'm living in," but you get the feeling the dreams might not have been exactly what she hoped, just like in Panic! In "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" by The Disco.
Overall, the song is dark and dreamy, a bit like Lana Del Rey herself.
High hopes through panic! At the Disco (2018)
This is the second panic! The song At The Disco is included here, but I think it still deserves its place on the list. As opposed to the snarky "Hey look mom I did it" this one is much more hopeful. It's catchy and powerful from the start - super upbeat and direct with the beat and instruments. That alone gives you a sense of hope!
The lyrics talk about having "high hopes" and taking risks to make your dreams come true: "Rewrite your story / Light up your wildest dreams". The underlying message is that you cannot lose hope in achieving your dreams.
Definitely a stark contrast to the other Panic! I've included At The Disco's music in this list, although both talk about making your dreams come true!
All I Wanted by Billie Eilish (2019)
It's such a sad and simple tune. And for a Billie Eilish song, it's actually pretty smooth and mellow. This means that her voice conveys a lot of emotion. The lyrics tell us about a literal dream she had of "getting everything [she] wanted".
Unfortunately for her, this meant her own suicide. However, in the dream it became more of a nightmare because no one cared that she had died.
At first it is not entirely clear what he is talking about, because the first stanzas are quite vague. But it's pretty clear what he's talking about with the shocking "I thought I could fly / Then I came out of gold" followed by the devastating "Nobody cried / Nobody ever once".
I think it's a pretty common thought or fear that no one would miss us if we weren't around. It's something that a lot of people can relate to that makes the song so powerful.
The song isn't entirely hopeless: In the chorus, she talks about waking up to see her brother and his support: "And you say, 'As long as I'm here, no one can hurt you.'"
Her voice is just adorable, and the song gets really cool with the lyrics "I tried to scream / But my head was underwater" when we can hear her muffled voice.
A really great song about a real life dream (or nightmare) that Billie Eilish had!
Songs about dreaming about someone you love
Let's start this section with the wonderful Selena.
I Dream of You by Selena (1995)
Selena's story is inspiring. And her end of life is more than tragic. But at this beautiful point she has a song called "Dreaming of You", which has to be one of the most beautiful love songs of the 1990s.
On this track, Selena yearns for a man she loves dearly. She won't see him "until tomorrow", so she'll be dreaming about him all night until then.
The song isn't so much about literally dreaming, but about letting your imagination run wild when you think about seeing your loved one again.
It's a beautiful song that conveys love and loneliness in equal parts. It is probably Selena's best known English song. And despite her vast library of great records, it's also arguably one of her best songs.
Taylor Swift's Wildest Dreams (2015)
Taylor Swift's Wildest Dreams tells the story of a relationship she knows is doomed. She feels that there is nothing to change, but hopes that her partner will still see her in her "wildest dreams".
The song almost feels nostalgic for something that hasn't happened yet but is inevitable.willing- it's heartbreaking like that. The "in your wildest dreams" ending comes out breathless and alone, somehow expressing that she knows she will be alone in the end.
Dancing in a Dream by Majid Jordan (2021)
This song is about being so in love with someone you've just met that you don't feel like it.in a dreambut dance for joyfor a dream.
On this track, Majid Jordan has created a record of pure joy and, as the lyrics say, "ecstasy". If you've ever been so in love that your waking life seemedsurreal, then you'll love "Dancing on a Dream".
Songs About Dreams You'll Love
Let's start this section with an Aespa topic.
Dreams realized by Aespa (2021)
wow, wait a minute, do we have any K-pop songs about dreams on this list? You can bet it does, well at least one thing!
With this song, I'll admit the intro and some verses are a little weird, but once you get to the chorus, it's really catchy! It's easy to sing "Funny how all dreams come true (My dreams come true)."
The lyrics essentially tell how aespa's dreams came true, unsurprisingly. But it seems that they are related to the life or lover they dreamed of:
"It's funny how I feel about you / I'll be by your side / And my dream future too."
Some of the other lyrics are a little more questionable, but the chorus somehow makes up for it and the song as a whole is very uplifting.
Boulevard of Shattered Dreams de Green Day (2004)
"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is a song about hopelessness and lost dreams. It's a pretty iconic song that's still popular today. It might be a bit over the top but I still think it's a great song as it talks about dreams and it's a song that a lot of people are familiar with.
Both the feeling of having lost hope in your dreams and the feeling of having no one ("But it's just me and I'm going alone") are something many people can relate to.
Dreaming of Aerosmith (1973)
Probably one of the most notable "Dream" songs of recent decades, "Dream On" is an amazing album about how life can fly by in the blink of an eye.
One day we will be carefree children. Soon after, we are preparing for college as teenagers.
And before you know it, you wake up one day trying to figure out how you got so many wrinkles on your face.
But "Dream On" is as much about appreciating the present moment as it is about acknowledging and mourning the past. While the chorus paints a picture that life is fragile and you never know what's coming next, it also warns the listener not to live in the moment.
And curiosity—Eminemsampled "Dream On" for their song "Sing for the Moment".
Stray Kids Raise (2020)
Many songs by this group are about dreams, but this one really stands out for its lyrics and overall tone. Listening to the track itself, the instruments are simple and dreamy and really set the stage for the whole song.
The really interesting thing about this song is that there are actually two versions: a Korean version and an English version.
Because of that, the two songs, while still talking about dreams in a way, sound quite different. The Korean version definitely looks a lot darker.
Here are two versions of the same line (one in English and one in the Korean lyric translation):
English: "I've been captivated by my dreams / It's too late, can I break free?"
translationthe Korean version: "I was wrong / The moment I woke up from the dream I suffered"
So while the two talk about the idea of a dream (or life goal) holding them back or not getting exactly what they wanted, the Korean lyrics actually seem a lot heavier!
The best songs about daydreaming
Let's start this section with a Tatyana Ali song from the late 1990s.
Daydreaming by Tatjana Ali (1998)
Of course, if you loved The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, then you know Tatyana Ali, who played the adorable character of Ashley Banks. And if you're a huge fan of the show, you might even remember the two-episode arc where Ashley Banks tried (and ended up failing) to become a pop star.
But what you might not know, or maybe you've forgotten, is that Tatyana herself released an entire album (kiss the sky) in 1998. And the single that played the most on the radio from that album was calledto dream'.
This song was an upbeat, poppy track that had a sweet, seductive yet innocent vibe to it. It was released in July 1998 and really was the perfect summer song for any teenager or young person in the 90's.
Daydream in Blue de I Monster (1998)
This song is kind of hallucinatory and dreamy, which really fits the theme of daydreaming. The lyrics talk about the general daydreams and dreams they have about a lover. Some of the dreams are more sweet and flowery while others are more sensual in nature.
The more innocent "daydream/I fell asleep among the flowers/for a few hours" is contrasted with the "I'm having a dirty dream about you honey/You're crawling on your hands and knees on the bathroom floor/You're floating on the bedroom floor and you're naked. "
Altogether, definitely amazing, but also very captivating!
Diploma
The theme of dreams is such a big category. Some of the songs on this list deal with literal dreams ("Daydream in Blue") or nightmares ("Everything I Wanted"), while others describe dreams as goals or ambitions.
"I Dreamed a Dream" was about lost hope and "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" was about a dream not being what it should be.
Songs like "Dreams Come True" and "High Hopes" were more hopeful and focused.Getyour dreams
All these songs about dreams are unforgettable in one way or another. And if there are some songs here that you haven't heard of before, I recommend you check them out.
You might like this too:
- Songs about the Resistance
- Songs about love at first sight.
- Songs about believing in yourself.
- Songs about storms.
common questions
Yes absolutely. I could have made this article much longer than it already is. But one song about daydreaming that I recommend is "Daydreams" by The Aces.
In fact, for me, The Aces are amaximumunderrated band.
The word "dream" has more than one definition, but I think most artists tend to focus on defining dreams as goals. There are so many songs about achieving or not achieving your dreams, because that's often what consumes artists. Songwriters and singers dream of making it in the industry, so it makes sense that many of their songs deal with the same theme.
I tried to include not only songs from various genres, but also songs that approach the topic of dreams in different ways. I wanted to make sure to include some songs about real and literal dreams that we have at night, as well as including songs about our motivations and goals in life.
Not being able to fulfill your dreams is a painful, painful thing. It's the kind of pain that needs to be written down and made into music. So I think it wouldn't be fair not to record some songs about not achieving your dreams or not being happy with your life when you achieve your dreams, because I think that's also part of the human experience.