You're only just a dream boat
Sailing in my head
You swim my secret oceans
Of coral blue and red
Your smell is incense burning
Your touch is silken yet
It reaches through my skin
Moving from within
And clutches at my breast

But it's only when I sleep
I see you in my dreams
Got me spinning 'round and 'round
Turning upside down
But I only hear you breathe (I hear you breathe)
Somewhere in my sleep
Got me spinning 'round and 'round
Turning upside down
But it's only when I sleep

And when I wake from slumber
Your shadow's disappeared
Your breath is just a sea mist
Surrounding my body
I'm working through the daytime
But when it's time to rest
I'm lying in my bed
Listening to my breath
Falling from the edge

But it's only when I sleep
I see you in my dreams
Got me spinning 'round and 'round
Turning upside down
But I only hear you breathe (I hear you breathe)
Somewhere in my sleep (in my sleep)
Got me spinning 'round and 'round
Turning upside down
But it's only when I sleep, yeah yeah, yeah yeah
But it's only when I sleep

It's reaching through my skin
Moving from within
And clutches at my breast

But it's only when I sleep
I see you in my dreams (dreams)
Got me spinning 'round and 'round (spinnin' around)
Turning upside down
But I only hear you breathe (I hear you breathe)

(In bed I lie)
(No need to cry)
(My sleeping cry)
(Hawaiian high)

But it's only when I sleep
Got me spinning 'round and 'round
Turning upside down

(Up to the sky)
(Where angels fly)
(I'll never die)
(Hawaiian high) It's only when I sleep
Got me spinning 'round and 'round
Turning upside down


Lyrics submitted by Novartza, edited by babyfaby

Only When I Sleep Lyrics as written by Sharon Helga Corr Caroline Corr

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, ST. PAUL MUSIC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Only When I Sleep song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

14 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +2
    General Comment

    I agree with copperblue. This is one of my favourite songs by the Corrs (although there are many favourites).

    I always had the impression that the girl speaking in the song is lusting after a fantasy. That the person she wants only exists in those dreams. Very vivid dreams.

    Alternatively, it could be about a girl who wants someone who has absolutely no idea SHE exists. Hence she is forced to only have them in her dreams.

    It is creepy sounding, but that is what I find so great about this song. It's feverish...that's the only way I can describe it.

    Shades_Of_Greyon July 19, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Umm i dont think its about vampires or lusting after someone that only exists in her dream.(but of course its only my own opinion) I think it's like she loves someone sooooo much who doesnt love her as much or doesnt even know her existence.But she is really extremely into the guy and dreams about him and being with him every night. "You got me spinning round and round ,turning upside down" is just the way she feels about loving him---she's totally captivated,taken over,and absorbed in her adoration of the guy. Just like "FAIRYGIRL" has mentioned,it s covered by a koren singer and actually she sang it in a korean movie called The Scarlette Letter (its content has nothing to do with the book by the american writer) i saw the movie,and honestly it really relates in a large degree to the song and mostly my feelings for the song come from the movie. In the movie,Lee (the girl who sang the song) is in love with a man that is already married to her friend ,but has a amorous affair with Lee. Lee is deeply in love with the man,that in the end of the movie,when they are caught in the trunk of a car (at first they were just looking for fun to have sex in it), on the verge of falling apart because of an abortion caused by lack of food and water and everything in the car,she cried and said :"i think of you every day,every minute,every second,i think of you when im sleeping,when im having dinner.I pray to god every night,god please let me be with him." then she asked the man to shoot her cuz she couldnt stand the physical and mental torture anymore. She loves him,all she wants is him,she could do everything for him. when they were having sex she wrapped her hands around his neck and cried "i love you" ,showed her world was overwhelmed by him and her love for him. But, what the guy more enjoys is the physical pleasure they have and the pleasure of having an erotic affair with a beautiful,smart and fierce woman.Deep inside, he loves his own wife,who is also pregant ,more.actually in the end,in the trunk of the car,when she was begging him to kill her and end her pain,he was crying crazily,shouting :"i wanna go back,i love my wife".

    I talked about the film because thats how the song,to me,relates to a relationship.The woman wants him and would give everything to him,but he never belongs to her,and actually is so far away from her.

    johnnyhitsmeon November 12, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    one of my fave songs of the corrs.. i think it actually means that she is in love with someone that she sees only in her dreams.. that's why it's "only when i sleep"..

    copperblueon December 28, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    No one commented on this song? How is this possible? One of their best songs in my opinion.

    miss_deppon December 18, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i love this one, it has such a nice sound. the meaning is quite obvious... not hidden at all, i like it

    rvnclawprincesson January 31, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i love this one, it has such a nice sound. the meaning is quite obvious... not hidden at all, i like it

    rvnclawprincesson January 31, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    THis was the first song i ever heard from Corrs. i must say...i was taken over...i new i had to buy the cd and search for previous songs...and since then they are on eof my fave!!

    love the violin and all!!!

    Broken_Palaceon May 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    kind of creepy sounding!

    SMUSER17185761on June 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song was covered by a Korean singer called Lee Eun Jung.

    Fairygirlon July 04, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song brings back lots good and bad memories, i feel so nostalgic this is my favorite one.

    Kadwayon May 27, 2008   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Album art
Page
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.