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Standing by my window, breathing summer breeze
Saw a figure floating, 'neath the willow tree
Asked us if we were happy, we said we didn't know
Took us by the hands and up we go
We followed the dreamer through the purple hazy clouds
He could control our sense of time
We thought we were lost but no matter how we tried
Everyone was in peace of mind
We felt the sensations drift inside our frames
Finding complete contentment there
And all the tensions that hurt us in the past
Just seemed to vanish in thin air
He said in the cosmos is a single sonic sound
That is vibrating constantly
And if we could grip and hold on to the note
We would see our minds were free...oh they're free
We are lost above
Floating way up high
If you think you can find a way
You can surely try
Saw a figure floating, 'neath the willow tree
Asked us if we were happy, we said we didn't know
Took us by the hands and up we go
We followed the dreamer through the purple hazy clouds
He could control our sense of time
We thought we were lost but no matter how we tried
Everyone was in peace of mind
We felt the sensations drift inside our frames
Finding complete contentment there
And all the tensions that hurt us in the past
Just seemed to vanish in thin air
He said in the cosmos is a single sonic sound
That is vibrating constantly
And if we could grip and hold on to the note
We would see our minds were free...oh they're free
We are lost above
Floating way up high
If you think you can find a way
You can surely try
Lyrics submitted by Idan
Track duration: 05:26
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This song is about the realisation that the hippy dream and lifestyle of the 1970s was a lie based around drug and alcohol consumption and "Free love".
The first part is "Dreamer" it is describing the naive assumption of the hippys that these things were changing lives in a positive way, that flower power ideal made a difference to the world.
The second part "Deceiver" is a turning point in the song, it gets a lot angrier and is about waking up to the fact that although these things felt good at the time, they were deceiving themselves into thinking they were changing anything in the world.
Theres mention of nuclear bombs and references to war nearing the end of the song, this is Judas Priest saying, just because we forgot about the evils in the world, lost in a drug, drink and free love haze and the hippy ideal, the problems of the world had not disappeared, we had just forgotten about them and deceived ourselves into thinking we were really making any difference at all.
We followed the dreamer through the purple hazy clouds
He could control our sense of time
We thought we were lost but no matter how we tried
Everyone was in peace of mind
Purple hazy clouds clearly refers to drug use. "He could control our sense of time" is also consistent as when tripping a moment could seem like a year and an hour can seem like a second. The next two lines are about the mixed reactions hallucinogens can induce, both incredible peace and confusion. When on the right path complete contentment is found and problems are put into perspective. The "single sonic sound" represents this enlightened state, which essentially is always there (vibrating constantly), and can sometimes be found, but is very hard to keep a hold of.
As George Clinton would say, free your mind and your ass will follow.
getting enlightened.
Hendrix used the phrase Purple Haze (across my eyes) I have it on good authority drops in the eyes were an effective way to "drop" (eye drops?) acid. I never did it though.
Historically acid was discovered in the lab when it accidentally found its way into Dr. Hoffman's eye or was absorbed through the fingers, depending on who tells the story. Just think he had no idea. Did it again though. The second time he thought he was quite insane then calmed down.
Not my bag though. For myself I abstained not for moral reasons, just plain fear. My nightmares and daymares were bad enough I thought, not to need chemical enhancement.
Bad spelling aside, this song/album was during the period in which the band was experimenting with hallucinogens (aka: acid) In fact, the song "Deep Freeze" was recorded while KK was tripping on acid. Listen to it, you'll see.... err hear it for yourself
Dreamer Deceiver is my absolute favorite song vocally for Rob. I've used this song for band tryouts to demonstrate range. In the line "That is vibrating constantly" is such a cool transitional piece. He goes from very high to low with such smoothness it could only be Rob.
He is a vocal God. Like fine Scottish whiskey, he only gets better with age. Name me one vocalist around when Priest started (1973 by industry standards, but much longer then that by band standards) that still sounds the same, let alone actually BETTER then when they first came on the scene. And I mean a vocalist that hits the notes that Rob does. Geoff tate comes to mind, but he still doesnt have the years in Rob does. I salute you Rob!
OK.. back to the song. Obviously, it is a song about making the right decisions in life and the "acid" effect comes in the form of the "neath the willow tree" reference, and the colors of the clouds.
Like acid trips, reality is altered, so the song gets its meaning from what he was "seeing" as the inspiration of the song.
Only Rob knows for sure the true meaning of this song, and like art, the rest is left up to us for interpretation of its meaning. As a song writer, the trick to songwriting is not to give it all away. A song has more maning to the listener if he can relate it to theirself instead of spoon feeding us what they want us to get from it.
What do I know, though... you may all be right. I sat and had beers with Rob all night at a club here in Phoenix years ago. I wish I could have asked him all these questions that still linger today....
'No matter how we tried, everyone was in peace of mind'...perhaps an attempt to break out of this stupor that's failed? Instead he's taken to a place of false security and then it's too late, he can't escape...
'We are lost above
Floating way up high
If you think you can find a way
You can surely try'
^ He's now caught in this state thanks to being deceived by the drugs/dreamer deceiver.
At least my interpretation as someone that doesn't like drugs so much.