Soothing Song Sundays: “Things That Stop You Dreaming” by Passenger

This week’s Soothing Song Sunday is “Things That Stop You Dreaming” by Passenger.

“Things That Stop You Dreaming” starts out with a beautiful violin joined thereafter by the soft sounds of drumming to set the tone for the song. This song, by far, is one of my most favorite songs of all time. Not only is the melancholy sound of Passenger’s voice great, but the lyrics also have a special meaning about what life’s all about.

This song demonstrates one’s life, where they do not have the most money or the best job, but they continue to dream and smile about all the things they do have in life.

“Things That Stop You Dreaming” is a song about being grateful and making the most out of every situation. Passenger looks at both what he does and doesn’t have in order to realize, life is pretty good.

The first couple lines of the song go: “I’ve got no money in my hands or my coat or my pocket /  Wont get to space cos I haven’t got a rocket / But I’ve air in my lungs/ Eyes in my sockets / And a heart that beats / Like a tap that leaks…”

These lines of the song describe how he may not have any money whatsoever, but he is still breathing and seeing the world for himself through his own eyes.

The chorus continues with, “Well if you can’t get what you love / You learn to love the things you’ve got.”

In these lines, I believe Passenger is singing about the truth of life and how we act as a society when we do not get what we want. At the beginning of the chorus, Passenger sings about the fact that when we don’t get what we want in life, we have to learn to appreciate the things we do have, rather than contemplating all the things we don’t.

Next, the chorus continues with, “If you can’t get what you need / You learn to need the things that stop you dreaming.”

I determine Passenger’s lines to mean that if you focus so much on all the things you don’t have, they will hold you back from following your dreams and becoming the person you want to be.

I think Passenger’s song, “Things That Stop You Dreaming,” is more than worthy of this week’s Soothing Song Sunday.