They Might Be Giants - I Can't Remember the Dream

I Can't Remember the Dream is from TMBG's book+music project BOOK. Get BOOK as a download, a deluxe book+CD set, vinyl, CD, or cassette and get an instant download right now. Available as a deluxe book+CD set, 180 gr. vinyl, CD, cassette, wav and mp3.

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Directed and Edited by Alex Italics
Cinematography by Brody Anderson
Costume Design by Aris Sevilla
Starring Michael Dean

[jackulstrom]

I remember hearing Linnell say that his neverending quest was to write the perfect pop song - awfully humble, this, from a guy who's done it upwards of 40 times. And here's one more.

[Shinigami]

For anyone curious: You forget your dreams as a deliberate part of the waking process. It's related to sleep paralysis in a funny way. If you want to remember them, you have to remain perfectly still when you wake up (don't move even a single muscle) and immediately run through the dream in your mind. It's difficult, but it works. I promise.

(there are other methods for remembering dreams too, like dream journaling and wake-mindfullness)

[erich]

1:48 I absolutely love how the flappy wiggle fingers molest the guitar like they're somehow responsible for the curt, energetic guitar chords happening at that instant.

[mycosys]

Wonderful flavours of classic Giants, but fresh and as deep as ever. Johns definitely still got it.

[toddcampbell-crow]

I'm tearing up. Same "most of my memories are bad" feelings.

[gull]

yknow _waking up to this_ makes it all the more relatable

[jricks]

Upbeat tempo and depressing lyrics. Everything I want in a song.

[TestSubjectMacHoshi]

This song sounds like the Sequel to "Why Must I Be Sad" qwq
sequel because mid-song John feels love for himself due to "the simple fact his mind could concoct such an incredible thing"

[tenzhitihsien]

TMBG consistently make the happiest sad songs.

[Scubbo]

I don't know what makes the bulb explode, but that's the way the video ends.

[sindex]

This is the best tune released from BOOK so far, without a doubt.

"My daily life doesn't interest me, it's a never-ending litany of pain and ennui..." God that's perfect.

[movieguru]

I love how Lutador is smashing all of the old symbols of TMBG throughout the years. The ones I noticed are the "Best Rock Video" trophy, a bursting lightbulb (echoes of the Birdhouse video), coffee cup, keyboard, guitar, accordion, and of course.... skull head.

[donseesyourshaydim]

Oh. My. Fuck. This is fantastic. I love it when they rock out like this. Classic Linnell style meandering melody that has the a certain kind of bounce to it that NO ONE else has. They've really withstood the test of time; I never feel like they're just going through the motions, like Aerosmith. Nor do I have any effing idea why I've used the composers of "Rag Doll" as the benchmark. Man, this grooves! If ya'll are reading this, then listen up John Flansberg: I want to apologize for something that happened in 1995 ir 1996. It was on July 4th. It was at a fireworks show at Piermont Pier, NY. You were there with your family. I was 19. I'd just discovered TMBG a year prior and you were Gods to me. I saw you and started yellinf Cowtown lyrics. As if that would make you want to introduce yourself! You got freaked out a bit and distanced yourself. My bad. In anycase, I lost intetest in TMBG around 2001, and then 2 years ago, I checked back in, expecting to see ya'll have succumbed to the sad determonism of being a band that lost the creative spark, a parody of yourselves. You gave defied fate. You've left Aerosmith, RATT, Vinny Vincent, and Slaughter in the dust

[imrustyokay]

Once Again, They Might Be Giants come out with a song that fits in perfectly with my life.

[heypistolero]

"My daily life doesn't interest me,
It's a never-ending litany of pain and ennui.
This waking nightmare is driving me mad,
And I wish I could remember the dream that I had"


Damn son

[satori]

Love this song, such a bop, and easy to identify with. It hurts to see the Birdhouse lightbulb exploding, but the yellow protagonist seems to be liberated and happy so all good

[Benjamin_WMT]

I cannot wait for BOOK, the song itself was absolutely brilliant. Along with this, I surely wasn't the only one who spotted many references from Birdhouse in your Soul, Puppet Head and John Henry?

[Ditocoaf]

I can't remember the dream that I had last night
but I woke with delight and excitement and then
when I tried to remember the dream that I had last night
it was gone but the feeling I had in the dream stayed on

When I'm awake and I look around me
I can faithfully report everything that I see
Most of my memories tend to be sad
So I wish I could remember the dream that I had

I can't remember the dream that I had last night
if I could I would write it out, underline the highlights
of the dream that would now redefine my life
be a new roadmap, affirmation and guiding light

When I'm awake I know all that I see
And remember it with photographic accuracy
Most of my memories tend to be bad
And I'm sad I can't remember the dream that I had

Why can't I remember it when
I can't
Forget
Unpleasant thoughts I want to push them away
They creep
Like weeds
Like weeds that cover all the flower beds

I can't remember the dream that I had last night
but the simple fact that my mind could concoct such a thing
as the incredible dream that I had last night
is a clue to the key to a door to a world like that

My daily life doesn't interest me
It's a neverending litany of pain and ennui
This waking nightmare is driving me mad
And I wish I could remember the dream that I had
When I'm awake I know all that I see
And remember it with photographic accuracy
All of my memories make me feel bad
And I'm sad I can't remember the dream that I had
Why can't I remember the dream that I had
Wish I could go live in the dream that I had

[trollpatroll]

I was recommended this because I like tally hall. Definitely great Recommendation, love the song.

[heyodi]

Ironically a youngJohn Linnell was in my dream last night. We were in this college class that was decorated in a bunch of different themes. I remember big beautiful paintings, chandeliers, a grand piano, and then some modern sculptures. And the teacher wouldn’t tell us what class it was either. So we were all kinda just on our own to figure it out. I hear someone playing the piano and I turn around and it’s John Linnell playing Summer, Highland Falls by Billy Joel.