“Scroll down to the end of the article to listen to music.”
Introduction
Have you ever heard a song that feels like it’s speaking directly to your soul? That’s exactly what Justin Hayward and John Lodge created with “I Dreamed Last Night” – a hauntingly beautiful ballad that captures the essence of longing and connection in a way that still resonates decades later.
Released in 1975 as the lead single from their “Blue Jays” album, this song emerged during a pivotal moment in the musicians’ careers. The Moody Blues had gone on hiatus after the exhausting “Seventh Sojourn” tour left relationships frayed and spirits depleted. In this creative pause, Hayward and Lodge found their way to each other, crafting what would become one of their most intimate musical collaborations.
What strikes me most about “I Dreamed Last Night” is how effortlessly it came into existence. Hayward himself recalled, “It was an easy track to write and an easy track to record – one take. It took about an hour to write, actually.” Isn’t it fascinating how sometimes our most profound expressions flow with such natural ease?
The song’s dreamlike quality pulls you into a world where voices call across distances, where someone is “locked inside of secrets,” yearning to be free. The imagery of birds on distant mountains and ships on uncharted seas creates this beautiful metaphor for feeling lost yet somehow found at the same time. When Hayward sings “Don’t be afraid, love’s plans are made,” there’s this comforting reassurance that even in uncertainty, there’s purpose.
What makes this song truly special is how it captures that universal feeling of reaching for connection – of hearing someone’s voice in your dreams and waking with the lingering sensation that something important was shared, even if you can’t quite grasp what it was.
The orchestration perfectly complements the emotional journey, with strings that lift and carry you through the narrative. It’s no wonder fans still hold this song close to their hearts nearly fifty years after its release.
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Lyrics
Oh, I dreamed last night I was hearing
Hearing your voice
And the things you said, well they left me
Left me no choice
And you told me we had the power
And you told me this was the hour
But that you don’t know how
If I could show you now
Well, I dreamed last night you were calling
Calling my name
You were locked inside of your secrets
Calling my name
And you told me lost was the key
And you told me how you long to be free
But that you don’t know how
Oh, let me show you now
Like a bird on a far, distant mountain
Like a ship on an uncharted sea
You are lost in the arms that have found you
Don’t be afraid, love’s plans are made
Oh, don’t be afraid
If there’s a time and a place to begin love
It must be now, let it go, set it free
Oh, I dreamed last night I was hearing
Hearing your voice
Why did you say those things that have left me
Left me no choice?
When you told me we had the power
Why did you tell me now was the hour?
But you don’t know how
Oh, let me show you now
Like a bird on a far, distant mountain
Like a ship on an uncharted sea
You are lost in the arms that have found you
Oh, don’t be afraid, love’s plans are made
Don’t be afraid
If there’s a time and a place to begin love
It must be now, let it go, set it free
Oh, I dreamed last night I was hearing
Hearing your voice