Talk In Circles - Dreamworld

Dreamworld seems to be a warning about over-development. (It's almost in a similar vein to "If Ned Kelly Was King") A dreamworld is what the politicians and moneymakers live in - they think it's okay to continue to strip the earth of it's resources, until one day they'll find that their "dreamworld will fall" around them in a heap. This is further suggested by the line "The last square mile of terra firma, gavelled in the mail" - to me this suggests that more and more land is being sold, until there is none left unused.

Written about Queensland State Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen's reign of heritage destruction in the name of financial progress. The 50's/60's ballroom dance venue called "Cloudland" sat high on the brow of a hill in Bowen Hills and could be seen from anywhere in the surrounding 5 to 10 kilometers, including from the city, visible by a magnificent eliptical arch which was lit at night by a rim of fluoro-mauve. In the seventies, ballroom dancing became unpopular and "these filthy rock concerts" were the only thing to adorn Cloudland's floor. MO played there, as described by a neighbour of mine who is now 40+ and attended an Oils gig when they and he were all in their twenties. He climbed onto a speaker stack and danced before the bouncers pulled him off it. One morning we woke up to news bulletins of "Cloudland has been demolished" ... like the Magnificent inner city 100+ year old. Belleview Hotel .... it got hauled over by the infamous "Deen Brothers" demolition crew favoured by Sir Joh. I still feel ripped off. So do many others. A stand of puss-ugly townhouses now defaces the hill where "Cloudland into Dreamworld Falls". "Sun comes up and we all learn, those wheels must turn" We all woke up in the morning to the shock the progress and $'s were more important to our trusted leader than our sensibilities. "The Breakfast Creek Hotel is up for sale" ... well that landmark is about 1 kilometer from the site, but fortunately it's financially robust so it's never been challenged. Sir Joh and the greater number of his peers were gradually discredited and tipped from office sometime in the mid 80's.

I agree totally with you. I live in what used to be a small town in California. I remember feeling the safety of such a small town, being able to walk anywhere without fear. Now, there are tons of development projects happening everywere I walk - a new neighborhood here, a new department store on what used to be an equestrian park,- it makes be angry to think about what a quiet town this used to me, and thus that chorus plays over and over again - "your dreamworld will fall, fall, fall."

I think you are right about the song, but more importantly I think the songs warning (conclusion?) is correct. I live in Texas (in the U.S.), and it seems the people here are obsessed with paving every square inch of earth with cement. It's so bad our aquifer is drying up because the water can't soak through the concrete. I'm honestly frightened.

I agree. I've always interpreted the meaning of Dreamworld to be a comment on all the "progress" and development that you mention. It's like, you have all this stuff, but its just a dreamworld, and sooner or later there's a price to pay, and it may all come crashing down.

I was wondering if the "dreamworld" was the place before it was developed, ie the small cottage that keeps aperaring in the film clip, that is graduly over-run with new high - rise buildings. I think the opening lyrics "The breakfast creek hotel is up for sale" suggest the same thing, with the hotel closing down and facing the possibility of becoming "redeveloped" or something.