"Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House Lyrics List of Movies & TV Shows
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Crowded House’s lead singer and songwriter Neil Finn has said that “Don’t Dream It’s Over” was inspired by his experiences living in Los Angeles and feeling disconnected from his homeland of New Zealand. The song was written during a time when Finn was struggling with homesickness and a sense of displacement, which inspired him to write a song that expressed the human desire for connection and a sense of belonging. Music has an undeniable impact on our emotions and helps us process complex feelings when words alone simply aren’t enough.
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The “door to your [his listener’s] heart.” Simply put, Finn is demanding to be let in. Nonetheless, the duo doesn’t let the negativity in the world get them down. The next verse is more specific, which makes it harder to interpret.
The Meaning Behind The Song: Don’t Dream It’s Over by Crowded House

All tracks on vinyl, from the album Crowded House except the extended version of "Don't Dream It's Over". All live tracks, recorded on Phil Jupitus Show at BBC GLR, 21 June 1996. Our mission is to analyze your favorite songs and share the story behind them.
Release history
The lyrics resonate with me deeply, serving as a reminder to embrace the freedom and possibilities available to me, even in the face of challenges. The chorus, with its powerful declaration that they won’t win, has been a source of strength during moments when it felt like the world was trying to tear me down. Neil Finn’s masterful songwriting continues to shine in the second verse, where he introduces a more personal element to the song.
Facts about “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
The line “They come, they come to build a wall between us, we know they won’t win” celebrates the strength of human connection and the resilience of the human spirit. "Closing Time" by Semisonic was written by the lead singer when his wife was pregnant. In 1991, English musician Paul Young covered "Don't Dream It's Over" on his first compilation album, From Time to Time – The Singles Collection (1991).
The next time you play this song, let this little piece of history make it even more enjoyable. As with many truly great pieces of art, this song seems to have come from somewhere beyond its creator. Neil Finn openly admits to this strange phenomenon and is proud to have brought this music to such a wide audience. He’s traveling through “shadows” in a tight space, but he doesn’t feel confined or lost.
All people can understand that hard times are when we need one another the most. The companions we trust to weather storms with are the people closest to us. This universal part of human experience is the true source of this track’s success and timelessness. Additionally, the song’s call for human connection and the importance of cherishing our relationships with others deeply resonates within me. It serves as a reminder to nurture the connections that bring joy and light into our lives, as they can be a source of liberation and release. On the surface, "Summer Breeze" by Seals & Crofts is just a song about a guy coming home from work, but the duo claimed it had a deeper meaning about finding direction in one's personal life.
Finn paints an image of towing a car with a “hole in the roof,” indicating insecure and difficult times. It’s possible that this run-down car is a symbol of hardship in general, but it may also be a direct picture of Finn’s previous experience. As I journey through life, this song will always remain a constant reminder of the strength and possibility that lie within me. WhatSong is the worlds largest collection of movie & tv show soundtracks and playlists. "Don't Dream It's Over" is written and composed in the key of E-flat major[13] and is set in the time signature of common time with a tempo of 82 beats per minute.
facts about this song
Your picks: What's the best NZ song ever written? - New Zealand Herald
Your picks: What's the best NZ song ever written?.
Posted: Sat, 12 May 2007 07:00:00 GMT [source]
As we dissect the lyrics, the song paints a vivid picture of the complexities of life. There is a sense that despite the battles we face and the challenges that may arise, there is still freedom and possibility available to us. The line “Try to catch a deluge in a paper cup” beautifully captures the idea of trying to contain something vast and overwhelming in something small and fragile.
The enemy won’t be able to “build a wall” between Finn and his listener. In a world that can often feel disconnected and divided, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” remains a powerful reminder of the human capacity for hope and resilience. Through its haunting melody and optimistic lyrics, the song speaks to a universal struggle that we all face at some point in our lives. Whether we’re dealing with the challenges of a new environment or simply striving to achieve our dreams, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” encourages us to keep going and never give up. In 2022, he released his first album "Dive" under the name "Arctotherium". The music and melody of “Don’t Dream It’s Over” complement the lyrics perfectly, creating an atmosphere of both melancholy and beauty.
In conclusion, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House serves as a timeless anthem for resilience, freedom, and the power of human connection. Through its thought-provoking lyrics, the song encourages us to hold on to our dreams, resist the walls that the world may try to build between us, and cherish the relationships that bring us liberation and release. Diving into the lyrics of “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House, we find a deep and introspective message about freedom, resilience, and the importance of human connection.
In the subsequent verses, the artist expresses how certain events and people are trying to separate him from his lover, yet he makes a firm decision to focus on building their bond. Seeing that his partner may be swayed by external pressures he repeatedly tells her not to dream about their relationship ending, because they will win. Crowded House in this track reassures a partner about their relationship while urging her not to lose hope or give up on her dreams.
In fact, the track was featured in a 1994 adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand, which further boosted the song’s notoriety. Other artists (Paul Young, Sixpence None The Richer, and Stan Walker) have paid tribute to this classic with their own cover versions. “Don’t Dream It’s Over” was fully written in the following twenty-four hours.
Young's version, released by Columbia, was produced by Dan Hartman, and featured Paul Carrack singing the fourth chorus and performing the keyboard and synthesizers. The fourth single from their self-titled debut album, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” is widely considered Crowded House’s signature song. During initial release in 1987, it topped singles charts in Canada and New Zealand, reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100, and was also top 10 in Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway. “Don’t Dream It’s Over”, which was unveiled in October 1986, was the fourth song to be released from the eponymous maiden album of Australian band, Crowded House. In summary, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” tells the story of a personal bond strong enough to withstand the deluge of life. It’s written from the perspective of one half of a duo, but it reveals that the affection goes both ways.
Released as the fourth single from their self-titled debut album in 1986, this song has since become an anthem for many, resonating with listeners across generations. The chorus is a less philosophical but more passionate encouragement. Finn tells his listener not to “dream it’s over,” meaning they shouldn’t call it quits. He admits that things will get difficult “when the world comes in,” but he’s confident in victory.
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