“‘Rainbow Connection’ is a 1979 song performed by Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog in The Muppet Movie. The song’s meaning focuses on the tension between fantasy and reality and the desire to believe in something greater, whether that is hope, dreams, or magic.
Below is a section-by-section breakdown of the lyrics in “Rainbow Connection.”
“Rainbow Connection” Lyrics Meaning: Line by Line
Verse 1: Wondering About the Unknown
Why are there so many
Songs about rainbows
And what’s on the other side?
Kermit starts by asking why rainbows inspire so many songs. Maybe people feel there’s something important in them.
He’s not after facts. He wants to understand why rainbows keep appearing in the stories people tell.
“What’s on the other side?” isn’t just about rainbows. He wants to know if all this talk about magic and dreams points to something real.
Rainbows are visions
But only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide
He calls them illusions, but he doesn’t sound bitter. He’s wondering if something made of light can still mean something real.
“Nothing to hide” suggests he’s not accusing rainbows of tricking anyone. If anything, he’s saying the illusion is honest about what it is. The beauty is there, even if it can’t be touched.
Chorus 1: Trusting What He Feels
So we’ve been told and some choose to believe it
I know they’re wrong, wait and see
He’s heard the explanations. People say it’s just a rainbow, just a dream, just wishful thinking. But he doesn’t buy it.
He’s not denying facts. He’s pushing back against the idea that facts are the only thing that matters.
“Wait and see” isn’t about proof. It’s about proving that belief can change what happens.
Someday we’ll find it
The rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me
He believes there’s a real link between dreaming and living. There’s something that connects imagination to truth.
The “rainbow connection” is that thread.
He sees himself as one of many who believe. People in love, people chasing dreams, and those who still wonder about the world all feel that same pull.
Verse 2: Belief as a Human Invention
Who said that every wish
Would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star?
Kermit treats the idea of wishing on a star with respect, but he also questions where it came from and why people keep holding onto it.
Someone invented that tradition, and others held onto it because they needed hope.
He’s not worried about science. He wants to know why people wanted to believe in the first place.
Somebody thought of that
And someone believed it
Look what it’s done so far
It doesn’t bother him that it started as a story. That belief shaped the way people hoped, prayed, and dreamed.
In Kermit’s view, even made-up ideas can lead to real change. A thought becomes belief, and belief becomes action. That matters more than whether the original idea was ever true.
Chorus 2: Staying Curious
What’s so amazing that keeps us stargazing
And what do we think we might see?
He isn’t searching the stars for hard answers. What matters to him is that people keep looking in the first place.
Why do people keep hoping, even when the chances are slim? What makes them stare at the sky, waiting for a sign?
This isn’t just curiosity. It’s a need to believe something meaningful is out there.
(Last three lines are the same as in the first chorus.)
Bridge: Choosing to Believe Anyway
All of us under its spell
We know that it’s probably magic
He doesn’t claim to be certain. He knows this belief might fall apart under close study. Still, he chooses to hold onto it.
Magic here isn’t about tricks. It’s the feeling that life might have more to offer than what we can see or measure.
He knows it could all be wishful thinking, but that doesn’t stop him from believing.
Verse 3: Feeling the Pull
Have you been half asleep
And have you heard voices?
I’ve heard them calling my name
Kermit talks about the moments between sleep and waking when something inside stirs.
The “voices” aren’t real sounds. They’re a feeling, an inner pull drawing him toward something important.
It isn’t frightening or strange. It feels like a call to leave comfort behind and move toward what he’s meant to do.
Is this the sweet sound
That calls the young sailors?
The voice might be one and the same
He hears a soft, tempting call, like the siren’s song that once drew sailors from safe shores into the unknown.
This “sweet sound” represents that same inner pull, inviting him to leave comfort behind and reach for something bigger.
For Kermit, the call feels personal. It pushes him to follow his dreams, even if it means facing uncertainty and giving up what’s familiar.
Chorus 3: Saying Yes
I’ve heard it too many times to ignore it
It’s something that I’m supposed to be
He stops doubting and accepts the feeling as real. He may not have the answers, but that voice won’t let him go.
Whatever the rainbow connection means, he’s part of it now. He’s ready to become what it’s asking him to be.
(Last three lines are the same as in the first chorus.)
“Rainbow Connection” Song Meaning: Dreaming With Your Eyes Open
Kermit isn’t chasing fantasy for fun in “Rainbow Connection.” He’s serious about it. He knows the difference between what’s real and what isn’t, but he doesn’t believe that makes the dream less important. The rainbow, for him, isn’t just pretty. It stands for the part of us that keeps believing in more, even if it can’t be proven.
“Rainbow Connection” is about what happens when people don’t give up on wonder. Kermit’s not ashamed of it. He’s drawn toward something he can’t explain, and he refuses to ignore it just because others think it’s silly. Whether or not the dream is real doesn’t matter. Living like it is makes him who he is.
Songs Like “Rainbow Connection”
Here are a few songs that carry the same spirit of wonder, longing, and belief in something more:
1. “Over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland
“Over the Rainbow” is about dreaming of a better place beyond the struggles of daily life. It’s another song that holds onto the belief that hope lives just out of reach, but maybe not forever.
2. “Imagine” by John Lennon
“Imagine” looks at the world not as it is, but as it could be. The song, like “Rainbow Connection,” dares listeners to picture a life shaped by dreams rather than rules.
Related: “Imagine” Song Meaning
3. “The Circle Game” by Joni Mitchell
“The Circle Game” captures the feeling of time passing while holding onto wonder and curiosity. It shares the same mix of realism and idealism found in “Rainbow Connection.”
4. “Pure Imagination” by Gene Wilder
“Pure Imagination” invites listeners to step into a world where anything can happen if you believe it. Both songs show the power of imagination to reshape our lives.
5. “Across the Universe” by The Beatles
“Across the Universe” goes through ideas of peace, connection, and the strange beauty of the unknown. Its tone matches the gentle questioning in “Rainbow Connection.”
Related: “Across the Universe” Song Meaning
Conclusion: Belief in Something More
“Rainbow Connection” gently but firmly argues that chasing dreams is worth it, even if you never quite reach them. It says there’s power in believing, not because you’re sure it’s real, but because that belief shapes who you are.
This isn’t just a children’s song. It’s a reminder that magic lives in the way we think, hope, and choose to act.
You can listen to “Rainbow Connection” on Spotify and Amazon.
Check out more of our Inspirational Song Meanings!