What does Dust in the Wind mean?

Kansas: Dust in the Wind Meaning

Album cover for Dust in the Wind album cover

Song Released: 1978


Dust in the Wind Lyrics

I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind.
Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do, crumbles to the...

  1. anonymous
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    Oct 3rd 2011 !⃝

    I Believe that this song is is explaing that we all will live and die. This song is helping me get through my great-grandmas death. I believe that it is saying to us as the listeners that we will die no matter what. Live our lifes the way we need to so we can be happy. The drop of water in an endless sea. We will not be the last and we will see the people we missed when we are gone in a better place. Dust in the wind all we are is dust in the wind.

  2. anonymous
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    Jul 28th 2011 !⃝

    There is nothing "occult" about this song...LOL. It is if anything a base reference of Buddhist and Hindu teachings;
    1. time is an illusion.
    2. We as "egos" crumble to the ground though we refuse to see...egos like attention!
    3. Everything on Earth is transitory and is limited by its illusion.
    4. The point of "don't hang on" is the fact that surrendering to a greater good than yourself/(ego) will bring you peace.

    He could have written this from a Christian prospective, truly. All faiths point to that which is beyond the "person"...being ego-centric, yes we are worthless if we believe that we as people are greater than something beyond..this is our fall.

  3. anonymous
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    Feb 26th 2011 !⃝

    A truly well written, and beautiful song with a key message:

    Live each day to the fullest, get the most from each hour and each age in life. Then you can look forward with confidence and back without regrets.

    We are human, but can, on this earth make an impact on another human being. Live humble. And most of all thank God for giving you the awesome gift of life, despite the ups and downs on this journey.

    For it ends in the blink of an eye.

  4. anonymous
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    Feb 24th 2011 !⃝

    I understood it was written for a friend of mine who's brother was killed in a motorcycle accident while he was working for Kansas as a rodie.

  5. anonymous
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    Dec 30th 2010 !⃝

    To those saying it is or is not Christian in nature.. Yes and no, it is a very true biblical notion, that our life is really insignificant and brief. But I would refrain from calling it religious as even those who wrote books that were included in the Bible passed through melancholy. The Biblical growth from this is that even though we are insignificant we are still valued greater than anything, but the feeling of worthlessness remains. In a secular sense, this is raw existentialism. The desperation of realizing the lack of direction or meaning in life. If the lyrics of this song came from the heart, then I assure you God had very little to nothing to do with it. I believe that it is the feeling of absolute despair and aloneness that produces lyrics like this. Any lyrics I have written with this theme have been in times where I feel furthest from God, not close. Look into "It Is Well With My Soul" for the reaction of a man close to God who has lost most everything he had.

  6. anonymous
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    Dec 1st 2010 !⃝

    These are what I feel about this song:
    1. Whatever we`ve done in this world will vanish if we never do something to make our name written in the history book. Because someday of course we are going to die.
    2. We are very tiny things if we are compared to what our god has created. We are dust in the wind.
    3. This song can make me feel comfortable cause this song tell me that I’m just a drop of water in an endless sea, so I believe all of my problems are NOT bigger than a drop of water (out of proportion)
    4. All of us is connected to this world, we as human is part of this world like a dust in the wind or like a drop of water in the sea. Even though we refuse to realize it, but still we will never be able to deny that fact!
    5. Nothing last forever………….


    And these are what I think about this song messages:
    1. Do the best that you can do if you want to be a well known person, cause if you just become an ordinary person, there will be no history about you.
    2. We have to realize that we are just a single tiny dust in the wind, so don`t be an arrogant person!
    3. Keep happy because our problems are not bigger than us!
    4. We have to keep everything around us in a good condition including our world, because all of us is connected, If one of all parts is broken, all of that thing will suffer. Like our body if we get a toothache, we will not feel comfortable!
    5. Nothing last forever…………. There is no immortal thing

  7. Greatest
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    Oct 16th 2010 !⃝

    I think its tlkin about the GOVerment/the MAN as/in a whole.. We are he... Is just a person that thinks...KNOWS some thing that were not going to get a grip on tell > Well tell later. Kids GOOD, kids A "magical musician." HMMM when well you See(haha)/HEAR(?)BE IT!! IM not mad :) Im still: "plus all of life on earth dust in the wind!!

  8. anonymous
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    Aug 20th 2010 !⃝

    Livgren, the writer of the song, said that he wrote the song in his occultic phase. Many believed that it had Christian meaning and interpretation. Kerry Livgren is quoted as saying that this song was written while he was in his most occultic phase of life. Dust in the Wind is not a Christian song ,thus it must be interpreted with an occultic meaning. This song was not meant to bring listeners to Christianity,although many did come to Christianity by hearing it, and misinterpreting it, it was purely occultic in nature, and meant to be interpreted as such. Kerry Livgren is quoted as saying this. Kudos for Livgren ,as he has left the occult, and become a CHRISTIAN!

  9. anonymous
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    Aug 20th 2010 !⃝

    Livgren, the writer of the song, said that he wrote the song in his occultic phase. Many believed that it had Christian meaning and interpretation. Kerry Livgren is quoted as saying that this song was written while he was in his most occultic phase of life. Dust in the Wind is not a Christian song ,thus it must be interpreted with an occultic meaning. This song was not meant to bring listeners to Christianity,although many did come to Christianity by hearing it, and misinterpreting it, it was purely occultic in nature, and meant to be interpreted as such. Kerry Livgren is quoted as saying this. Kudos for Livgren ,as he has left the occult, and become a CHRISTIAN!

  10. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 20th 2010 !⃝

    Livgren, the writer of the song, said that he wrote the song in his occultic phase. Many believed that it had Christian meaning and interpretation. Kerry Livgren is quoted as saying that this song was written while he was in his most occultic phase of life. Dust in the Wind is not a Christian song ,thus it must be interpreted with an occultic meaning. This song was not meant to bring listeners to Christianity,although many did come to Christianity by hearing it, and misinterpreting it, it was purely occultic in nature, and meant to be interpreted as such. Kerry Livgren is quoted as saying this. Kudos for Livgren ,as he has left the occult, and become a CHRISTIAN!

  11. Godspeed
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    Aug 16th 2010 !⃝

    this song has nothing to do with Christianity for if that were true the person who wrote this would not being singing about being just a mere peice of dust in the wind, God sees all his creation as special and NOT dust, its about an over dose of drugs and no amount of money can bring you back when you slip away...into hell or the void, it's over, your dead...and please dont get on my case this is what I know for a fact having played with this band in the 70's and 80's on tour....Boston

  12. anonymous
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    Jun 3rd 2010 !⃝

    I believe that this song symbolizes how small we are when we are put onto earth. However, I also do not think that this song is a song of hopelessness. Acually, I think quite the opposite. I think that it says how we are not born important, you have to make yourself important.

  13. anonymous
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    May 24th 2010 !⃝

    It is an emotional roller coaster of life. Life Itself can flash right before your very eyes if you don't cease the moment and take flight to reach and achieve your dreams. He is curious of what would or could of happened if he did. It's the same old song & dance that happens, nothing ever worked for him. He is in a sea full of life and opportunities but all he gets is a drop and everything he tries or does are just failed attempts and he is too stubborn to take it for what it's worth. He cant hang on to one thing because nothing ever worked out for him ( relationships, school, ect.) He doesnt realize or want to face it but he does and realizes his past is nothing but dust in the wind. It is hardships and appalling filled life lead. So live your life to the fullest and go for it if you fall get right back up; you never truly fall your last fall.

  14. mgzaw99
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    Apr 12th 2010 !⃝

    This is my favorite song.The lyrics and the musical arrangement are super.The meaning is t he same as my religion-Buddhist thinking.Nothing lasts forever is an eternal truth.But we should not surrender forever.

  15. buffcodebeaver
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    Nov 13th 2009 !⃝

    This song is telling us that we are completely pointless and that nothing we do will, no matter how important it may be to us will ever mean anything, It is saying that we might as well die, "don't hang on"




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