“Dreaming My Way Home” is a song I had the pleasure of co-creating for a SONY PlayStation game called Rogue Galaxy. The song has brought me and my music to a wider audience than I could have expected, and I am happy to share a bit about that experience.
The song was a collaboration; I was asked to write the lyrics, to sing and to produce the track. That was very cool, because “Dreaming” was my first outing as a producer; I had always worked with other producers on my CDs. It was also a wonderful experience – and a fun challenge! – because the other half of the creative team only spoke Japanese! So I had to approach this song relying only my own instincts about what the game and music creators were trying to say, not only with the music, but in the overall game itself, not having seen any visuals from the animation.
There were several versions of the song before it was finalized and mastered. I realized that one of the older versions – containing different lyrics and an entirely different vocal performance – somehow got out there (possibly from a demo version of the game? Or a trailer for the game?), as there are several youtube videos posted featuring it. In the first version, the lyrics of the refrain are
“I know you will always be with me, I know I’ll always have my memory and no matter how far away I roam, I will be dreaming my way home”
These lyrics were changed for the final, mastered version:
“Every time I close my eyes it’s all I see, I am haunted by a timeless memory and no matter how far away I roam, I will still be dreaming my way home…”
I love the different videos people have posted on youtube, using this song as a score for their own montages, sometimes from other games, sometimes re-mixing and rearranging the song! It’s quite lovely to hear this song in all these other settings, and quite an honor! Check out this video link:
I get so many requests for the music, as well as for the lyrics (although those are now widely posted on the internet!) that I am posting a lyric sheet which includes the chords (as played on guitar, which is my primary instrument…)
Enjoy, and thanks for listening – and visiting,
Barbara
P.S. Feel free to check out the MyStore page on this website; there you can sample music from my CDs as well as download some of my songs for free.
Dreaming My Way Home
Lyrics, production, arrangement and vocals by Barbara Kessler
CAPO on 1st Fret
There is a place I’m longing for tonight A – G#/A – F#m – A
A place I love, so far, far away D – A – Bm – Esus/E
That lives in my heart, a treasure buried deep inside A – G#/A – F#m – A
And I’ll keep wandering until I find it again someday D – A – Bm – Esus-E – A
Somewhere the flowers are in bloom F# (in bass over)/D – A
A candle burning in a room D –E – A (add G#bass)
There is comfort in the dark darkest night F# – Dim chord (F Bass) A7-5(?)
Even when there is no star in sight D – Dm – A
Every time I close my eyes it’s all I see A – Dm – F#m – Esus-E
I am haunted by a timeless memory F#m- F#m7 – D –Esus-E
And no matter what I do or where I roam A – Dm
I will still be dreaming my way home Bm – Esus – E – A
Time froze but I kept moving on A – G#/A – F#m – A
All I have loved, and all I have known D – A – Bm – Esus/E
I turned around and in a moment it was gone A – G#/A – F#m – A
Still I believe I’m never far from home D – A – Bm – Esus-E – A
Somewhere the flowers are in bloom F# (in bass over)/D – A
I can almost smell their perfume D –E – A (add G#bass)
Somewhere a candle still burning bright F# – Dim chord (F Bass) A7-5(?)
Brings comfort to the darkest night D – Dm – A
Every time I close my eyes it’s all I see A – Dm – F#m – Esus-E
I get lost inside a timeless reverie F#m- F#m7 – D –Esus-E
And no matter what I do or where I roam A – Dm
Oh I will still be dreaming my way home Bm – Esus – E – A