John Wesley Harding
When Dreams Come True (Live)
[Intro]
Gonna play the piano now. Um, sorry about that. Um, my, I've been in extensive analysis recently, and uh, my doctors told me that I should play the piano in public as much as I can. It's good for me.
I'm a terrible piano player, but I write songs on the piano every now and then, and so I therefore want to perform them on the piano. And uh, it's just something I have to face up to. And the worst thing about these songs is, I don't just write them with easy chords. I like, bring the black notes in and everything, so—. And then I have to play them. And then, and I could play them on the guitar, but they don't sound so good to me, even though, you know. So, mistakes permitting, this is, this is a new song. It's called "When Dreams Come True." Here we go. I'm not even gonna attempt to use the pedal. Here we go.
I played this to a friend of mine the other day who's a very good piano player. Better than Robert, actually. And um, no, he's just, he's just a good piano player. And he said, "Yes, you play the piano as if you didn't want to play the piano." It's kind of true.
[Verse 1]
Nice girls are writing in journals
Things they wish they'd done
And all their bad sisters are walking high wires
Counting the days in a month
The awful truth doesn't bear thinking
Nor does the half-baked lie
They get their hopes dirty once in a while
Wash them and hang them to dry
Well, everyone's down except for the clowns
And nobody knows where to go
'Cause it's hell up in heaven and there's nothing much here
And all the real men are below
[Chorus]
What happens when dreams come true?
Would we know what to do
When our dreams come true?
Would we know what to do
When dreams come true?
[Verse 2]
A saviour rolls in past the big sign
That says, "Strangers—please turn around"
The men tie him up to a feeding post
Take his credentials down
The sun beats rays on our salad days
His lips get parched and dry
The girls bring him drink with a giggle and a wink
And his moment of glory expires
[Chorus]
Is that what happens when dreams come true?
Would we know what to do
If our dreams come true?
Would we know what to do
If dreams came true?
[Bridge]
Mr. Sandman can't believe it
He thought he gave them what they needed
You couldn't get no higher
Than a handsome dark messiah
But he's got one more trick that's up his sleeve
Before he gives up once again
[Verse 3]
A siren goes off as she walks in
And the cowboy lies dying in the dust
She walks through the room where the gentlemen gather
They're surrounded by debris and rust
She smoulders and steams, she's straight out of their dreams
But no one's gonna talk to her first
Big words are just words
They're small and absurd
She leaves and we all die of thirst
[Chorus]
Is that what happens when dreams come true?
Would we know what to do
When dreams come true?
Would we know what to do
If our dreams came true?
If dreams came true