"Dream the dreams of other men..."
Comments
-
i like my interpretation better. actually i think that interpretation is pretty stupid. a world where everyone has the same goals and visions sounds like a pretty dull one for me, not to mention impossible.mcrx wrote:
This is on point. I'm not sure if anyone here has read "The Power of Now" by Eckart Tolle...but the meaning of the lyrics (for this song and others, ie present tense) can be found in this book. It is a great book and I recommend it to all. Eddie is ridiculously good at conveying these types of messages to all through his lyrics.
Peace.morgie2 wrote:To me, "dream the dreams ......" is a type of "walk in another man's shoes". Try to see things from others points of view, find some common ground, and avoid conflict (war in other words). Falls right in line with what Pearl Jam has always stood for.
does it? seems like they have never shied away from conflict (though not physical). Ed was never one to seek common ground before. but then again, it seems his philosophy has changed greatly, so maybe he feels that way now. he is much more civil nowadays.0 -
i'm glad to see this thread. that line has bothered me since listen 1. and i have thought of the interpretations mentioned here, but i dunno. the way the line is sung, it seems like an invitation and not a warning. and i don't like it. seems too much like a 'don't rock the boat' kind of sentiment, although i presume that is not what is meant.
remember when eddie mentioned some fans' interpretations of lyrics to unemployable, on that extended letterman show? like he said fans on the board thought the line was "scared of life" but it really is "scared alive"?
maybe he'll read this thread and clue us in...0 -
-
-
morgie2 wrote:To me, "dream the dreams ......" is a type of "walk in another man's shoes". Try to see things from others points of view, find some common ground, and avoid conflict (war in other words). Falls right in line with what Pearl Jam has always stood for.
precisely this in my humble opinion. put yourself in the shoes of others, try to get a view point from other people and once you understand their view points and where they are coming from, you have an advantage on and there is no way they can be hostile towards you...0 -
Tonykin wrote:I love the song, but I hear you... Those lyrics a few albums back would be:
"Dream the dreams of other men, you will be an asshole"
You might be right, but thankfully for all of us Ed has matured.
I love this song especially these lyrics.
What is so wrong with wanting peace, avoiding the divisions that religion all to often creates, and living for the same reasons?0 -
elwayvedder wrote:
precisely this in my humble opinion. put yourself in the shoes of others, try to get a view point from other people and once you understand their view points and where they are coming from, you have an advantage on and there is no way they can be hostile towards you...
This thread is an example of why music can be meaningful to people in different ways. Good artists, such as PJ, deliberately make lyrics a little unclear or down right vague so that you can develop your own interpretation of the meaning. They want you to think. Personally I can see two very valid interpretations. One being Elwayvedder's (and others on this thread), but I would further say that simply understanding someone's view does not mean you have to agree with it. It just allows you to see where they are coming from to avoid a physical confrontation such as war. I had never really thought of it that way until now. Personally I was originally more in line with the interpretation that he is telling us to NOT be the same as everyone else and have your own dreams, but this take is interesting.0 -
Nothingbetter wrote:I took the lyric to mean that the true essence of what men dream is peace, family, etc. That deep down we all truly want peace in the world, a family to love and protect, etc. If we stripped it down to the core, we would realize we are all more alike than we realize. If that dream is realized in all of us, we will no longer be rivals but rather brothers.
This is what resonates with me.Evolution Music Studios presents:
DO THE EVOLUTION - a 20th Anniversary Tribute Celebration
of PEARL JAM - WORLD CAFE LIVE PHILLY JUNE 19th 7pm0 -
NacreRock wrote:This thread is an example of why music can be meaningful to people in different ways. Good artists, such as PJ, deliberately make lyrics a little unclear or down right vague so that you can develop your own interpretation of the meaning. They want you to think. Personally I can see two very valid interpretations. One being Elwayvedder's (and others on this thread), but I would further say that simply understanding someone's view does not mean you have to agree with it. It just allows you to see where they are coming from to avoid a physical confrontation such as war. I had never really thought of it that way until now. Personally I was originally more in line with the interpretation that he is telling us to NOT be the same as everyone else and have your own dreams, but this take is interesting.
I think artists are clear on what THEY want to say, but everyone elses personal interpretation is what makes it meaningful in different ways. I'll use the example Ed did about "Alive". He said when he wrote it, it was a "curse" to him. Even though HE was still alive, his "new found truths" turned his world inside out. Over the years he saw the crowds embrace the song and shout it as an enthusiastic anthem. Life can slap the shit out of all of us but we will persevere. We're still ALIVE. Curse broken.Boston II 94 Boston II 06 Mansfield I 08 Mansfield II 08 Seattle I 09 Seattle II 09
Hartford 10 Boston 10 Wrigley 13 Worcester I 13 Worcester II 13 Hartford 13
NYC I 16 NYC II 16 Fenway I 16 Fenway II 16 Fenway 1 18 Fenway II 18
E.V. Boston II 08 E.V. Albany II 09 E.V. Providence 11, E.V. Boston 11
Troubled Souls Unite0 -
I love that story. Great post.Evolution Music Studios presents:
DO THE EVOLUTION - a 20th Anniversary Tribute Celebration
of PEARL JAM - WORLD CAFE LIVE PHILLY JUNE 19th 7pm0 -
to me this is about seeing things from someone else perspective.
obviously we cant just dream what other people dream - that would be dumb
but - I think the tantalizing element in the lyric is that if EVERYONE saw things from each others perspective - not to be them or do what they do (because if everyone followed someone else's dream there would be no dreams left to follow - they would cancel each other out) - but if everyone stopped for a moment before acting and said to themselves, "I wonder WHY that person thinks that way"
there would be no rivals - just people working with a more mutual understanding of each other (with different goals)
Is it realistic? is it a solution to all of our problems?
NO! It's poetry! and damn good at that0 -
The phrase "Unthought Known" isn't just some shit that Ed made up that sounds cool. It's an actual psychological term. Google it ... the song will become clearer.
The unthought known are things that are embedded in all of us, that we just "know" without thinking about them. It's sort of like the Jungian concept of the "collective unconscious" ... deep down, men dream about the same shit. You ever have that dream where you're falling? Or loosing teeth? Yeah ... so has everybody else. Why is that? We're all connected ... even in ways that aren't readily apparent.
That's what the song is about, basically. Dreaming the dreams of other men. The Unthought Known.
It's not about "conforming" ... it's about realizing for all our differences, we're all connected ... even to people we've never met. Somewhere, tonight in Bangladesh, there's a man who will have the same dream I'm having. It's actually a very cool concept.everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do0 -
MrSmith wrote:does it? seems like they have never shied away from conflict (though not physical). Ed was never one to seek common ground before. but then again, it seems his philosophy has changed greatly, so maybe he feels that way now. he is much more civil nowadays.
Walk the bridges before you burn them down ...everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do0 -
:?Post edited by freshymad on0
-
freshymad wrote:
Hey, I googled it! But I got something completely different:
"The dream is central to our evolutionary inheritance ... More than ever we must dream well if we are to confront forces threatening to annihilate us ... [and] if we are to further the wonderful, dangerous, and always visionary human adventure." -- Robert Jay Lifton, The Future of Immortality
In a way, googling is like dreaming the dreams of other men. Reading just a few sentences gives instant insight. I feel so in-the-know, or in the unknown you know.
Nice. everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do0 -
I like the song even more now0
-
slightofjeff wrote:You ever have that dream where you're falling? Or loosing teeth? Yeah ... so has everybody else. Why is that? We're all connected .
That's what I've ALWAYS said: "It is only in losing our collective teeth, that we will find our connection to all others....no matter HOW many degrees of Kevin Bacon between us."0 -
The unthought known is what is in our thoughts before we learn language. It's there in our brains but we can't even describe it because we "got" those thoughts before we were able to categorize or theorize or compartmentalize those thoughts with language.0
-
I too have always thought the lyrics meant to understand others. To want for them what they want
and once you do there is no more competition.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 148.8K Pearl Jam's Music and Activism
- 110K The Porch
- 274 Vitalogy
- 35K Given To Fly (live)
- 3.5K Words and Music...Communication
- 39.1K Flea Market
- 39.1K Lost Dogs
- 58.7K Not Pearl Jam's Music
- 10.6K Musicians and Gearheads
- 29.1K Other Music
- 17.8K Poetry, Prose, Music & Art
- 1.1K The Art Wall
- 56.7K Non-Pearl Jam Discussion
- 22.2K A Moving Train
- 31.7K All Encompassing Trip
- 2.9K Technical Stuff and Help