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Dream Rider

Lyrics and Music ©1987 by Bill Roper


There are some keys man -- at least, baritone man -- was not meant to write in. This is one of them.

Aside from that, this was another of my (mostly futile) attempts to write something pretty. Overall, it seems to have been a much better period for death and destruction.

Note: Many years later, when working on the re-release of The Grim Roper, I discovered that I could transpose this into the key of G. This is a much happier place to be singing it. Amy McNally adding a lovely fiddle line to the recording has greatly improved my mood about this song.

Either that, or I'm just mellowing with age.

G            Gmaj7        Am7/G      C/G         G
Dream in the evening when day passes gently into night.
G              Gmaj7     Am7/G         C/G               G
Call the dream rider who glides on the dark winds of the night.
          C          Bm                C          Bm
And he'll fly in the evening and he'll carry you away.
       C                Bm                   C              G
You'll fly through your dark dreams till the dawning of the day.


Pass through the darkness, the dream rider there close by your side.
Reach lands you've dreamed of, the dream rider here now as your guide.
See the people there waiting, and feel their love for your.
There's no room for the hating that gnaws your heart in two.

Stay while you can there -- the dream rider won't let you remain.
He'll grab at your heart strings and cast you back down to Earth again.
And as you awake now, he makes your memories fade.
The dream is forgotten, but perhaps -- the peace has stayed.