Palace of Dreams

The Lane Jeremias Project

WVU Morgantown W Va circa 1984 

I was a broke and starving college Senior in the Summer of 1984. Rob came down to visit me one long weekend, bringing his life sustaining supplies of bread, beer, bologna, pasta, musical equipment and a bag of happy mushrooms.  

One of the pieces of gear Rob brought along with him was our old friend Billy Swenson’s ‘String Machine,’ a dead synth keyboard. Mice had got inside the unit and chewed through several wire bundles. Not to be deterred, Rob and I headed off to Radio Shack, picked up soldering gear and several spools of wire, a bottle of Southern Comfort, and got to work. Several hours later we had the String Machine back up and running. Rob also brought along a drum kit, amps, guitars and mikes. I had my Rhodes Electric Piano, a vintage red Farfisa Organ, Swenson’s now-operable String Machine, and several effects pedals.  

On this tune, I played drums, keyboards and bass. Rob played guitar and sang vocals. This is a 2nd or 3rd generation tape-to-tape-to-digital download recording, so it’s a little rough. And yes, it’s a bit trippy. But hey, it was the early 80s...Still, if you pay attention, you’ll get the idea. If memory serves correctly, we used a broomstick handle and duct tape as a mike stand...

As always, Rob and I collaborated on the lyrics.  

Palace of Dreams Lyrics

I heard stories told of a place where men go, 

Take their own hopes, and search their own souls, 

And they see, yes they see,

into the future. 

The trip is so short, but the journey is hard, 

They pass their own shadows, that lurk in the dark, 

And they told me, yes they told me,

about the Teacher...

Have I left all of my of my living behind me?

What do I hope that it is that might find me? 

Oh, take me away, take me away, take me away, oh take me, please 

take me where I’ve never been;

Oh, take me away, take me away, take me oh take me, please 

take me to the Palace of Dreams.

I sit back and take off the faces I’ve known, 

What lies behind them, as I head down this road,

is what I seek, 

And I seek, a new home...

I strip down the shell of this foolish charade, 

Talk to the clowns in life’s long parade,  

And I find, yes I find, 

It's an illusion.

I close and let my dreams surround me, 

Because in my dreams is where I have found me...

Oh, take me away, take me away, take me away, oh take me, please 

take me where I’ve never been;

Oh, take me away, take me away, take me oh take me, please 

take me to the Palace of Dreams,

Palace of Dreams...

HUGE Farfisa Organ and Acoustic Guitar harmony solo... 

I close my eyes and let my dreams surround me, 

Because in my dreams is where I have found me...

Oh, take me away, take me away, take me oh take me, please take  

where I’ve never been;

Oh take me away, take me away, take me oh take me 

Oh take me to Palace of Dreams;

Oh take me away, take me away, take me oh take me 

Where I've never been,

Oh take me away, take me away, take me oh take me 

Oh take me to Palace of Dreams,

Palace of Dream...