Dream the dreams of other men

This is one of my favourite songs and favourite lyric. After varied personal interpretations over the years, to me the line now reflects on the importance of being true to what can be good and positive within a person - on how meaningless life is when thoughtlessly follow and strive to fit in with the masses that often do not have these things in mind. Our head filled with what others believe we should believe; what others tell us we should be, endless and saturating our beings, "oh are you sinking?" So many schemes masked as choices, and none feel right, "which road you taking?" We are subsumed by doubt, lost in a sea of voices we have trapped in our heads. These thoughts permeate your mind and soul to the point that you are no longer living here in the present, your mind lost somewhere else. But if you are lucky, you are met with one profound moment in which you feel that there is more- and all at once, you decide you will stand with what you know to be good - in you, in others, in this world - that powerful connection to something positive makes itself known. In this world this is an incredibly difficult thing to find and an even more difficult thing to live. Buried beneath so many layers of stories, scripts, private interests, deception, and pressures to conform to the ‘normal’ way of life that we have taken as our own, suppress our longing for a good, meaningful connection to other people and to the earth: here and now. At first you struggle, but soon find unbelievable beauty and freedom you thought you'd forgotten or maybe never existed. A path seemingly "cut by the moon". Other men's dreams are often rife with carelessness. Doing what you feel is right and going against the dominant preconceptions will find you with rivals. But if you don’t, “what you giving?”

This is one of those lyrics that in my mind epitomizes the depth and soul of Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam. I have no doubt i wil discover something new about it in the years to come.

shelley123 said:

Hey there! I’m only a brand newby to 10C but I’ve been keeping an ear and eye on PJ since the heady early days and I am not usually so swayed into the whole fan club thing. You are all quite a unique and wonderful bunch of people and though I just love to take a quiet seat at the back and listen I had to come down to the field this time!!! This song Unthought Known has dragged me in here not so kicking and screaming but with sheer exhilaration ‘cause I was at the Adelaide concert and this one rang out like a soul anthem that left me with tears of recognition and understanding I just had to come say something here. It struck me at first listen of Backspacer and I was so swept up hearing it live. If you’ll indulge me here’s what I think…



“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible.”

TE Lawrence "Seven Pillars of Wisdom"



This of course is “Lawrence of Arabia”…men like this with nothing to gain for themselves personally but see their purpose in fighting for the rights of others who can only but dream. Yes it’s a much bigger and grander dream than most of us can imagine but we can all dream the dreams of other men…fight for the one’s who can’t fight for themselves. This is a song to encourage those that “can” do something “should” do something because out of this comes your own reckoning and sometimes just every now and then, legends are born. Of course most of us won’t become legend on this scale but we can become legend in our own lives. We spend so much time thinking and often wallowing in our own pity of what we don’t have, or what we could have been, or what we think we deserve. Now what about “All the thoughts…you never see”!!!! We are all burdened with the capacity for greatness but few of us ever realise our worth and pursue it. The point being…what are you thinking about and are you going to be stuck just thinking, are you going under with all this thinking? Maybe our escape is when thinking turns into action.



Dreams aren’t just for the mind to wander off in fantasy…they are for living with purpose so you don’t have to try and “white knuckle it” every day! Don’t just think…dream…and don’t just dream…dream the dreams of other men…don’t just dream the dreams of other men…dream the dreams of other men with your eyes wide open!! It’s the thoughts that trap us and hold us captive not the living. This is a call to arms folks…arm yourself with love and dreams…”you’ll be no one’s rival”…no one can hold you back or will want to hold you back, no matter how small or large the difference you make will be. It probably won’t be Lawrence of Arabia epic proportions but wherever you are and whatever you are doing, there is a purpose for you and if you can’t find it then open your eyes when you dream! You don’t know what you might start and it may just grow to proportions you could have never imagined…“a path cut by the moon for you to walk on” “feel the sky blanket you with gems and rhinestones” “the waves on distant shores awaiting your arrival”. All this has been done just for you if only you will see yourself, your beauty and your worth, and your purpose in it. You will get more from your life when you consider what the person beside you is going through. Your life will get even bigger and more terrifying but so thrilling and satisfying when you do something that doesn’t benefit you but the one who can ONLY dream. If you can make it a reality for them “what you giving?” becomes a reality for you and not just a lyric in a brilliant song!



Whew….that’s a ramble and a half!! Sorry.... ... Well that’s what I think this song is saying! How do I know this...I was set on my own path out of the "darkness" many years back and its taking time but I am getting there. It's not "Lawrence of Arabia" but its my little purpose in life and it might just might make a difference Here's my mantra...."don't wait for the light at the end of the tunnel...stride down there and light the bloody thing yourself".



Anyway that is what I hear in this song and I feel like I’ve been smacked in the choppers and screamed at "wake up and keep going"! :shock: Someone out there gets it!



What a thrill…hehe…I’ll go back to the seats now but I doubt I’ll ever sit down again. So nice to be here!

Cheers

Shelley

Wow, this is deep. I have to analyze your thoughts more. Out of all the PJ songs/lyrics, this one moves me the most and I don't know why, my eyes even water up. I don't understand what it means but you put a new perspective on it for me. Thank you.