Damn That Dream [Dennis DeYoung]

Damn That Dream
Written by Dennis DeYoung, Jim Peterik
Lead Vocals by Dennis DeYoung

All my life I have tried
To make sense of this dream I'm chasing
Tryin' to silence the voice, tellin' me I'm not good enough
Be the best you can be
Boy remember to keep on smiling
Try, try harder and someday son you'll see

'Cause you can do better, I know
These are the words I was told long ago
But to never give up or give in man it's takin' its toll

Hey, damn the dream that steals the night
With restless thoughts till mornings light
In sleepless hours wе ask is this what we're made of
Damn that drеam that robs the soul
That cuts us all in half from whole
Damn the fears that know just what we're afraid of
Damn that dream
I love that dream

What the hell do you do
When your future is all in past tense
And the clock on the wall keeps spinning round and round
Well here's my point of view
When the world seems to make no damn sense
Why not take some other avenue

'Cause you can do better ya see
Accepting the fact there are no guarantees
Cause every dream falls apart in the face of reality

Hey, damn the dream that breaks your heart
That leaves you lost and torn apart
Searching for a clue to find what you're made of
Damn the dream that promised you
The land of Oz, then dared come true
Leaving you to find it's all a charade of
That damn dream

Damn the dream that breaks your heart
That leaves you lost and torn apart
Searching for a clue to find what you're made of
Damn the dream that promised you
The land of Oz, then dared come true
Leaving you to find it's all a charade of
Damn that dream
I love that dream

Damn that dream
I love that dream
Damn that dream
I love that dream

Damn that dream 

Interpretation

I have been chasing a dream since I was young that has dominated my life. (For Dennis, that was a dream to be the next Beatles, which resulted in founding Styx and still drives making music and touring.) When people told me that I wasn't good enough, I didn't listen, because the dream was so much a part of me. I was told that I could do better, and I was determined to be the best. Over the years, pursuing the dream has taken a toll, and I'm getting tired.  The dream interrupts my sleep and keeps me busy all day.  Dreams don't always come true, or at least they may not last if you reach them. Eventually things will fall apart and test your commitment, or perhaps even realizing that it was not as real as it seemed. It's like thinking you were going to the land of Oz but once you get there you realize you were just sleeping. So, I say "damn that dream" but also that "I love that dream."