No 9 Dream

Song Meaning

Andrea Corr's rendition of "No. 9 Dream" is less a straightforward narrative and more a sonic exploration of the subconscious, a state where reality blurs with the ethereal. The opening lines, "So long ago/Was it in dream?" immediately establish this ambiguity, questioning the very nature of memory and experience. The repetition of "dream" and "real" underscores the song's central theme: the porous boundary between our waking lives and the landscapes of our minds. It is a song about the elusive nature of truth, suggesting that what we perceive as real may be nothing more than a carefully constructed illusion. The verses paint a vivid, almost hallucinatory scene: a walk down a street, whispers in the trees, the sensation of someone calling your name as rain begins to fall. These images evoke a sense of disorientation and vulnerability, as if the protagonist is adrift in a world that is both familiar and foreign. The "two spirits dancing so strange" further contribute to this feeling of unease, hinting at a deeper, perhaps darker, undercurrent beneath the surface of the everyday. This dance could be interpreted as the interplay between conscious and unconscious thought, or the struggle between opposing forces within the self. The recurring phrase "Böwakawa poussé, poussé" is perhaps the most enigmatic element of the song. Its nonsensical quality disrupts the flow of the lyrics, pulling the listener further into the realm of the surreal. While its literal meaning remains obscure, its hypnotic repetition suggests a mantra or incantation, a way of accessing a deeper state of consciousness. In the context of the song, it could represent the chaotic and irrational nature of dreams themselves, a reminder that the subconscious operates according to its own unique logic. The phrase, coupled with the repetition of the sensory experiences described, creates a feedback loop, pushing the listener further into the dream state Andrea Corr is crafting.