Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a love that exists purely in the realm of dreams. The narrator has meticulously constructed an idealized version of a relationship, detailing imagined physical closeness and whispered words. This dream-state is so potent that it creates a sense of lived experience, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality for the speaker. The repetition of "I have dreamed" underscores the obsessive, yet joyful, nature of this internal world.
The central tension lies in the anticipation of a love that hasn't yet materialized in the waking world. The narrator has "loved you so" within these dreams, leading to a profound, albeit imagined, understanding of what it means to be loved by this person. This deep immersion in the dream creates a paradox: the speaker feels they already know the experience of being loved, making the future prospect both certain and intensely desired.
The most striking aspect of the craft is the persistent, almost incantatory, repetition of the phrase "I have dreamed." This isn't just a statement of fact; it's an act of creation, building a complete emotional and sensory landscape from imagination. The phrase "I think I know / What it's like to be loved by you" is particularly effective, highlighting how the dream has provided a simulated, yet deeply felt, form of knowledge and intimacy. The shift from "I have dreamed" to the forward-looking "I will love being loved by you" signifies the powerful hold these dreams have on the narrator's present and future desires.
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