Think about this lyric: “And the dreams that you dare to dream / really do come true.” Dreams coming true is not exactly an unheard-of notion in art or song, but it’s that dependent clause that makes this whole phrase. It’s not just dreams coming true; it’s the dreams that you dare to dream that come true. There are dreams we have, the ones we tell people about, and then there are the ones beneath those, the ones we keep buried, because if we mentioned them, it might tear apart our lives or hurt someone we know…
“Over The Rainbow” is filled with bright, sunshiny imagery—bluebirds flying and blue skies and the like—but it’s also a song that, in the movie, precedes the storm. Sometimes, making those dreams you can’t quite articulate into things you desperately want is necessary, even if they scoop you up and deposit you in Oz. Better to live honestly and openly. Better to live not hiding from what you know to be true about yourself…
Apart from sharing the wise thoughts (*nodding*) — thank you for sharing the song. I adore (!) talent. Talent is the only godsent thing in man. And Pink’s singing is dead on. *goosebumps*
Now back to the wise thinking about daring to dream.
A friend of mine told me once that hiding your Big Dream (that ideally should go with you Big Talent) is like stealing from the world. I was really young, about 17, and angry (because 17 and because my father had just died), and firmly believing that I was brilliant, but well, being literate and intelligent can’t compete with life experience. And so I deeply, really, truly, cell-level understood what she said only about ten years later, and already then the thought of daring to dream was frightening!
And so many people struggle with it forever. Just… I wonder why it is so. There’s nothing more pleasurable and beautfiul than being who you are, who you’re meant to be. There’s so much less hardship to that. It just flows. You just fly. We’re afraid to flow and fly, is it that?
As you get older you begin to see your dreams in context, how they jibe with circumstance and expectation — I think being true to yourself while being connected and engaged with other people, is the most profound dream of all. There are rocks in the stream and turbulence in the flight path all the time. It’s the dream, Nath, that keeps you on course. “Second star to the right and straight on till morning.” xox, V
yes, context. exactly. I sometimes see people not even embark on their adventure, out of the fear of the mentioned rocks and turbulences…
(god, I hate peter pan, well, the novel. as much as I love me good ol’ dark fiction, peter pan comes from a place of such pain and fear, it really takes disney to make it digestible)
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
It’s only with Eva Cassidy when I really HEARD the lyrics for the first time and it resonated deeply for the lifetime.
Hope you’ll like this rendition in duo with Katie Melua too.
That’s beautiful, Natalie. Thank you. Maybe when the artist makes a deep connection to the song, it can’t help but become a classic?
“Over the Rainbow’ has become part of my life. It’s so symbolic of everybody’s dreams and wishes that I’m sure that’s why some people get tears in their eyes when they hear it. I’ve sung it thousands of times and it’s still the song that’s closest to my heart.”
– Judy Garland
I love that there are several versions of this idea floating around on the internet today. It is a happenstance that I find very moving, especially on this first day of Spring.
Beautiful thoughts all around…
Bisous…
The Spring Equinox, renewal, love, all things good. xox, V
I LOVE this. Over the Rainbow is such a Beautiful, poignant, heart-rending song. Thank you for posting this, Vickie, you as ever have fine taste! No one for me has ever bested Judy’s version, or ever will (the Wizard of Oz take is my favorite performance of hers. Unforced, sublime). Despite the many other performers over the years who have performed it – no matter how good they may be – they remain, in my eyes pretenders tending to over- or under-sing. Judy’s original is Perfect.
P.S. Todd VanDerwerff over at the AV Club often has fascinating analyses on things and writes interesting, thought-provoking reviews (of course, there are times when I find myself scoffing at an opinion of his but..!). Good show, Ms Vickie.