The meaning of the lyrics of the song "At Night in Dreams" by the artist "White Denim"

English:

White Denim's "At Night in Dreams" explores themes of love, loss, nostalgia, and the passage of time. The lyrics reflect on a past relationship that seems to have ended too soon, grappling with the complex nature of love and life.

The first verse immediately sets a melancholic tone. "Yesterday there was an accident" hints at a break-up, perhaps sudden and painful. The place "where they held hands" and "where they searched their hearts" symbolizes the intimacy and hope associated with the relationship. The phrase "they were there from the very start" might refer to the feeling of inevitability that sometimes accompanies love.

The second verse continues the theme of love's fleeting nature. The speaker acknowledges that "what's easy to expedite doesn't always last any longer." They reflect on the past from a place "beyond duality," perhaps implying a more mature perspective. The image of "her half looking on" and "him trying not to laugh" could point to attempts to maintain dignity and avoid bitterness or sarcasm. The phrase "mankind's reckless blood subdues the quiet" suggests that passion and impulsivity can lead to destruction, while "the time they spent together brought them to another end again" emphasizes the cyclical nature of relationships.

The chorus transports us to a surreal dreamscape. "A thousand moons and pure blue rain" create an atmosphere of mysticism and hope. The speaker wonders if "we could build love to break free from the pain," longing for an escape from suffering. The phrase "I know you think it's easy to change it all, but that's just a symptom of age" addresses the self or the listener, perhaps as a reminder that with age comes an understanding of life's complexity and the impossibility of controlling everything.

The third verse returns to the theme of the past. "A portrait of the two of them in white gowns at the church" might symbolize innocence and purity of intention at the beginning of the relationship. "Playing imaginary parts" evokes thoughts of dreams and plans for the future. The speaker admits that they "barely hang on to the eternal promise," indicating the fragility and ephemerality of love. The image of "lying in the grass when there was no such task" conveys a sense of effortlessness and naturalness that may have been lost. The verse's final lines — "we're too cold to understand when the mind finds its end where an open heart begins to love again" — hint that fear and overthinking can become obstacles to new love.

The repeated chorus and the song's ending emphasize the idea that understanding and accepting life's experiences, including losses and disappointments, is part of growing up. "We don't move forward when there's no need" and "people go, we take in more light, more imagery, more people understanding what they're capable of" — these lines encourage openness, acceptance of change, and the search for new opportunities for love and connection.