Lyrics: “What Dreams May Come” – Demo vs. Release

"What Dreams May Come" original demo vs. published version

half deaf guitarist

Original demo vs. Published version

I wrote "What Dreams May Come" while I was a student at Berklee, back in 2000. It was inspired by Robin Williams' movie with the same name.

The original demo was recorded at Berklee on 24-track tape and with a large ensemble. I always liked this song and reworked it for my 2006 solo album "Outside Looking In".

The writing process for this song began in one of my classes at Berklee. I was thinking about the film I had seen the previous night and the first verse and chorus were written in just a few minutes before the professor started the class. I finished the rest of the song that evening at home.

It is structurally simple from a lyric and composition perspective. The verses are fairly similar. The choruses are also the same except that the second chorus has one extra line in it. I chose to write the song is in a minor key due to the topic, death.

The main difference between the demo and released version is the ending. In the original version of the song, the ending has a key change to a major key. This is akin to the movie when Robin Williams finally reconnects with his wife and she recognizes him. It is a beautiful moment. When I recorded the version that ended up on "Outside Looking In", I omitted the original ending because I could not sing that high and I felt that shortening the song would be a good idea.

I've never made the demo version public before. Here is an interesting look at what my original intention for the song was and what I ended up doing with it for myself.

I hope you enjoy the insight to this song.

What Dreams May Come (original lyrics - 2000)

Remnants of the past
The dried petals on the broken glass
A siren screaming her name is too late, alas

Hopes for a future gone
Dinner reservations for no one
The print on the tickets fade away

What’s her name an angel asks me
What’s her name echoes through the halls
What’s the deal of a lost soul wandering
What’s the reason for loving at all

The pale grass from this summer past
Surrounds her subterranean bed
Crystal is the shape of the dew on her stone

Echoes of thunder storms
Chilled exhales of silent mourns
Shallow is the sand in the glass of time

What’s her name an angel asks me
What’s her name echoes through the halls
What’s the deal of a lost soul wandering
What’s the reason for loving at all
Why do we answer its tempting calls

(Solo)

What’s her name an angel asks me
What’s her name echoes through the halls
What’s the deal with a lost soul wandering
What’s the reason for loving at all

What’s my name she asks him softly
As he takes her face into to his hands
You’re my love he answers gladly
Now we know we’ve finally got time on our side

Who’s to say that love’s not eternal
Who’s to say it’s a tale that can’t come true
And we’ll see each other tomorrow
What Dreams May Come I know I’ll still find you


This is an original piece by Jose Bernardo.
2000 © Jose Bernardo - All Right Reserved

"What Dreams May Come" published version from "Outside Looking In"

Wake me...

Remnants of the past
The dried petals on the broken glass
A siren screaming her name is too late, alas

Hopes for a future gone
Dinner reservations for no one
Prints on the tickets fade away

(Chorus 1)
What's her name an angel asks me
What's her name echoes through the halls
What's the deal of a lost soul wandering
What's the reason for loving at all

The pale grass from this summer past
Surrounds her subterranean bed
Crystal is the shape of the dew on her stone

Echoes of thunder storms
Chilled exhales of silent mourns
Shallow is the sand in the glass of time

(Chorus 2)
What's her name an angel asks me
What's her name echoes through the halls
What's the deal of a lost soul wandering
What's the reason for loving at all
Why do we answer its tempting calls

(Guitar Solo)

(Chorus 1)

(Chorus 2)


This is an original piece by Jose Bernardo.
2006 © Jose Bernardo - All Right Reserved

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