Half my life Is books, written pages/
Live and learn from fools and from sages.

Aerosmith’s “Dream On” is their best song, and it was written by Steven Tyler at the age of seventeen. Much of the theme of the “Dream On” has to do with time and aging. We spend so much time preparing for life (by going to school and paying our dues) and we wake up one day and see an old person staring back at us in the mirror. What happened? What happened to my dreams? What happened to the happy person I once was? Tyler says that we must keep dreaming until the dreams come true as today could be our last day. So, let’s laugh, sing and dream.

The chorus is extremely recognizable and anthem-like, but the verses do a great job in building up the anticipation to the chorus. The guitar work is stellar, especially during the lead but also throughout. Tyler’s all-out singing style works well with this song. He makes the message seem urgent as he is almost gasping for breath at the end of the chorus.

With all these theatrics, we should probably be paying attention to whatever it is he is saying because he is almost killing himself saying it! “Dream On” does a good job of modulating the volume to heighten the excitement of the delivery. Notice the gradual buildups to the chorus when Stephan Tyler really starts belting.

Dream On Lyrics & Meaning

Every time when I look in the mirror,
All these lines on my face getting clearer,
The past is gone.

And it went by, like dusk to dawn.
Isn’t that the way?
Everybody’s got their dues in life to pay.

Yeah, I know nobody knows,
Where it comes and where it goes.
I know it’s everybody’s sin,
You got to lose to know how to win.

Half my life’s in books, written pages,
Live and learn from fools and from sages.
You know it’s true, oh…

All the things come back to you.

Sing with me, sing for a year,
Sing for the laughter, and sing the tear.
Sing with me, if it’s just for today.
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away.

Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year,
Sing for the laughter, and sing for the tear.
Sing it with me, if it’s just for today,
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away.

Dream on.
Dream on.
Dream on.
Dream until the dream come true.
Dream on.
Dream on.
Dream on.
Dream until your dream come true.
Dream on.
Dream on.
Dream on.
Dream on.
Dream on.
Dream on.
Dream on, ah.

Sing with me, sing for the year,
Sing for the laughter and sing for the tear.
Sing with me, if it’s just for today.
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away.
Sing with me, sing for the year,
Sing for the laughter, and sing for the tear.
Sing it with me, if it’s just for today,
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away.

Songwriters: Steven Victor Tallarico