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Minwen & Ivan Chew - Nightmare (Dream On)

from 2020 Getting By Ain't Bad by Ivan Chew & Friends

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about

Minwen's original idea for the song was rather dark: it was about a father battling depression and struggling to keep afloat. Maybe even feeling suicidal. The lines "Let me read you a story/ Do not go to sleep afraid" is even suggestive of more ominous intents.

Her initial draft for the words included these lines:
Dream on Dream on
a butterfly full of daisies
a lemon full of trees

The twist -- daisies inside a butterfly; trees inside a lemon -- was weirdly deliberate (like real-life Minwen haha). Which made me pictured the song as an interesting dream. I also imagined the father, while struggling inside, still making superhuman effort to be a good person to his child.

The final version of the song turned out like this, as Minwen explains:

Starting from the first verse, the father is trying his best to be strong. Once the child falls asleep (Verse Two), his 'reality' unfolds -- he is the powerless Superman crying on the moon. In Verse Three, there seems hope for both of them to be happy.

We left the song rather open-ended. It's left up to you, the listener, to decide on the ending.

Download the songs for free (set the price as $0), or share with friends. Enjoy!
~

lyrics

Nightmare (Dream On)
Time to put those toys away
It has been a very long day
Let me read you a story
Do not go to sleep afraid

[Chorus]
Dream on (Into the space)
On a butterfly full of daisies (Leaving Earth without a trace)
Dream on
In a lemon full of trees (Into the sun we race)

Daddy's floating into space
Playing astronaut, without a face
I'm superman without power
Stranded, crying on the moon

[Repeat Chorus]

We shall fold our paper boats
Into the blue, they will float
Close your eyes, little darling
Tomorrow's just a world away

[Repeat Chorus]

Sweet dreams…
Sweet dreams…

credits

from 2020 Getting By Ain't Bad, released April 13, 2020
Lyrics, Vocals: Minwen
Composition, instrumentation & all else: Ivan Chew

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ArtIvanChew Singapore

Artist | Musician | Former Librarian | Entrepreneur | Creative Commoner

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