I close my eyes
Only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams
Pass before my eyes, a curiosity

Dust in the wind
All they are is dust in the wind

Same old song
Just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do
Crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see

Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
Oh

Now, don't hang on
Nothin' lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away
And all your money won't another minute buy

Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
(All we are is dust in the wind)
Dust in the wind
(Everything is dust in the wind)
Everything is dust in the wind
The wind


Lyrics submitted by Novartza

Dust in the Wind Lyrics as written by Kerry Livgren

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Dust In The Wind song meanings
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  • +13
    General Comment

    Me and my dad were sitting in a lounge and he told me he wanted this song played at his memorial. A month or two later he died suddenly. It will always be one of my favourite songs.

    cecelia1979on August 05, 2005   Link
  • +11
    General Comment

    We are rather insignificant in the grand scheme of the universe. Our lives are short and fragile. We are as dust that can be swirled off the earth.

    stringofpearlson February 19, 2002   Link
  • +10
    General Comment

    I believe it is about a man learning his has little time left to live, and hes summing up life by the things he is feling and seeing at that fleeting moment - as he realizes he dying.

    as he lies there in thought,fights the urge to sleep - he dozes off dreams

    awakes to a song he knows only so well, and realizes it all has very little meaning.....

    just4davidon December 08, 2011   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    It’s relaxing and realistic My new fav <3 Still on 2020

    Siahara Shyne Carteron May 16, 2020   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    One of my favorite songs...Kerry Livgren wrote this song a couple years before his conversion to Christianity. I love the resemblance to the book of Ecclesiastes "Everything is meaningless! A chasing after the wind."

    danlo51on October 31, 2006   Link
  • +2
    Memory

    This is my favorite song in my entire life. Heard it since the 1970's. Regardless of what is happening in my life this song grounds me... Nothing anyone does can be taken into the next life... We come from dust and return to dust... Blessings..

    nothinnewon June 03, 2015   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song means a lot to me cause the person I love told me about it. It really makes me worry cause as the song says: dust in the wind, may be of our relationship, and this is the last thing I would want in my life.

    ThronlessRoseon May 17, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I love this song it reminds me what we are

    vfobushon May 25, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    " 'I'm significant!"...screamed the dust speck." (Calvin and Hobbes)

    pixiedust133on May 31, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i'd just like to say that this song means a lot to me. it's so very true, it was a favorite of one of my best friend's. she recently died in a skiing accident in colorado. we miss her so much!! and this song is played a lot just to remind us of her -- it's SO true!! my uncle also used to play with kansas a lot ... they were 'tight'. :)
    this is a great song, it means a lot to me.

    -sara-on June 18, 2002   Link

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