now, tom, i think the truth about “busby berkeley dreams” lies somewhere between your two interpretations. robin is correct in saying that it’s a beautiful song about “a simple and uncritical faith in the concept of love”, and to a degree i’d say i’d agree with you in that the protagonist is a slightly disturbed fellow. however, i don’t think “frightening” is the proper word: i think merritt perfectly captures a frame of mind that all who’ve loved and lost have found themselves in before. the singer is a proud fellow who tries to be tough in his resistance to ending the relationship but in the end he breaks down, and when he does, a lifetime full of dreams and heartaches comes spilling out in the chorus. he asks, “do you think it’s dangerous to have busby berkeley dreams?” yes, it is, but loving is dangerous too: you risk heartbreak with both, but in the end, you hope it’s worth it.