What does Here I Dreamt I was an Architect mean?

The Decemberists: Here I Dreamt I was an Architect Meaning

Tagged:   No tags, suggest one.
Album cover for Here I Dreamt I was an Architect album cover

Here I Dreamt I was an Architect Lyrics

And here I dreamt I was a soldier
And I marched the streets of Birkenau
And I recall in spring
The perfume that the air would bring
To the indolent town
Where the barkers call the moon down
The carnival was ringing loudly now
And just to...

  1. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    May 10th 2017 !⃝

    Like many Decemberists songs, I think that this just meant to tell the story that it tells. There is not a specific deeper comparison to modern life, but rather calls on us to take that step through an emotional connection to the characters in the story. It's just meant to be a soldier singing about his war time girlfriends and how they fit into the context of his life.

    I do always wonder if he read "For Whom the Bell Tolls" right before he wrote this. That 3rd verse fits the main character so well.

  2. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jun 25th 2014 !⃝

    I think the first two verses are about what he dreamed to do with this relationship but figued all of it would fall apart. In the third verse he sees the reality; that he has been with many women and he never really cared for any. The only one he truly loved was his "soiled teenage girlfriend". During the chorus he thinks maybe that it's better for him to be away from his teenage girlfriend so he doesn't hurt her.

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 30th 2011 !⃝

    Birkenau refers to a concentration camp in World War Two.


More The Decemberists songs »


 


Latest Articles

 


Submit Your Interpretation

[ want a different song? ]




Just Posted

Happy? anonymous
Rock Show anonymous
Don't Go anonymous
Tek It anonymous
Don't Leave Me anonymous
Chop Suey anonymous
Taking Over Me anonymous
All The Good Girls Go To Hell anonymous
Wingriddenangel anonymous
I Spoke to The Devil in Miami anonymous
This Woman's Work anonymous
Action! Not Words anonymous
Everybody Loves Me, Baby anonymous
Fall in to Sleep anonymous
Lemon Boy anonymous

(We won't give out your email)