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Dreaming (Blondie song)

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"Dreaming"
Song
B-side"Sound-A-Sleep"
"Living in the Real World"

"Dreaming" is a song by the American new wave band Blondie. Released in 1979, it was the lead single from their fourth album Eat to the Beat.[2] It peaked at #2 on the UK singles chart and #27 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Background

The lyrics for "Dreaming" originated from the line, "dreaming is free," which band member Chris Stein thought of.[3] After hearing the music for the song that Stein wrote, Debbie Harry wrote the rest of the lyrics.[3] Musically, "Dreaming" is a fast-paced new wave song. Stein has since claimed that "Dreaming" is "pretty much a copy" of "Dancing Queen" by ABBA.[3]

According to the band's keyboardist Jimmy Destri, the song - like many from the Eat to the Beat album - was recorded live in the studio.[4] The song also features a frantic drum performance by drummer Clem Burke. Burke said of his drumming on the song: "The reason why "Dreaming" came out the way it did is because [producer Mike Chapman] really gave me free rein and it was really a surprise."[4]

"Dreaming" was released on September 14, 1979 as the first single from Eat to the Beat, and enjoyed its biggest success as a single in the UK, peaking at #2 on the singles chart. It proved equally as popular in neighbouring Ireland as well as in Canada, reaching #3 and #4 respectively. In the US, "Dreaming" peaked at #27 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Blondie's third Top 40 hit there (after "Heart of Glass" (#1) and "One Way or Another" (#24) earlier in the year). While the US release of the single had "Living in the Real World" as the B-side, the British version used "Sound-A-Sleep" instead. Both of these songs also feature on the Eat to the Beat album.

"Dreaming" has since been featured on multiple compilation albums, such as The Best of Blondie, The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry and Blondie, Atomic: The Very Best of Blondie, and Greatest Hits Deluxe Redux.

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single featuring Debbie Harry wearing a solid blue unitard and matching sheer blouse designed by Stephen Sprouse.[5]

TV performance

Debra Harry sang (lip synced) "Dreaming" on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 1980.

Charts and certifications

Release history


UK 7" (CHS 2359, September 1979)

  1. "Dreaming" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) — 3:08
  2. "Sound-A-Sleep" (Harry, Stein) — 4:18


US 7" (CHS 2379, September 1979)

  1. "Dreaming" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) — 3:08
  2. "Living in the Real World" (Jimmy Destri) — 2:53


US 12" Promo (CHS14-PDJ, September 1979)

  1. "Dreaming" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) — 3:08
  2. "Dreaming" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) — 3:08

Cover versions and appearances in other media

  • The Smashing Pumpkins covered the song on their 1996 The Aeroplane Flies High box-set.[24] Bassist D'arcy Wretzky and singer Billy Corgan shared vocal duties on the track. The cover had a different beat, which was very slow and reminiscent of trip hop.
  • The Posies covered it during a live radio performance. Their version appears on the 2000 box set At Least At Last.[25]
  • Yo La Tengo covered it on the 1992 various-artists album entitled Freedom Of Choice: Yesterday's New Wave Hits As Performed By Today's Stars.
  • Amy Speace performs a country cover of this song on her 2006 album Songs for Bright Street.
  • Jeff Tweedy of Wilco covered it on October 21, 1999.
  • Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles recorded a version which appears on the deluxe edition of their 2009 album Under the Covers, Vol. 2.[26]
  • Was featured in the 2008 film Zack and Miri Make a Porno.
  • Pop punk band The Backseat Virgins covered it on their album Carl.
  • It was also featured in the 1998 film SLC Punk! and the 2017 film T2 Trainspotting.
  • The Australian band Brooke Russell and The Mean Reds covered it on their album Poor Virginia.
  • Blondie re-recorded the song for the 2014 compilation album Greatest Hits Deluxe Redux. The compilation was part of a 2-disc set called Blondie 4(0) Ever which included their 10th studio album Ghosts of Download and marked the 40th anniversary of the forming of the band.
  • In 2015, the song was featured in the "Lipsync For Your Life" segment on the fourth episode of RuPaul's Drag Race (season 7).
  • Katy Goodman (of La Sera) and Greta Morgan recorded a subdued rearrangement of the song on their 2016 album of punk covers, Take It, It's Yours.[27]

References

  1. ^ Danyel Smith, ed. (2002). "Billboard 14 december 2002". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) "The near-capacity crowd (...) then went wild when they heard Burke 's unmistakable drum roll intro to "Dreaming," perhaps the band's definitive power-pop single."
  2. ^ Rae Cohen, Debra (November 30, 1983). "Eat to the Beat". Rolling Stone.
  3. ^ a b c "Dreaming". songfacts.com.
  4. ^ a b Porter, Dick; Needs, Kris (February 13, 2017). Blondie: Parallel Lines. ISBN 9780857127808.
  5. ^ Cathy Che (1999), 'Deborah Harry: Platinum Blonde', MPG Books Ltd, Cornwall, p.96
  6. ^ bulion. "Forum - ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts - CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". ARIA. Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Blondie – Dreaming" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  8. ^ "Blondie – Dreaming" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  9. ^ "Dreaming - BLONDIE". VRT (in Dutch). Top30-2.radio2.be. Archived from the original on April 9, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) Hoogste notering in de top 30 : 14
  10. ^ "Top Singles - Volume 32, No. 11, December 08 1979". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  11. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". IRMA. Archived from the original on June 3, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) 4th result when searching "Dreaming"
  12. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Blondie - Dreaming" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  13. ^ "Blondie – Dreaming" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  14. ^ "Blondie – Dreaming". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  15. ^ "Blondie – Dreaming". VG-lista. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  16. ^ "Blondie – Dreaming". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  17. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  18. ^ "Eat to the Beat awards at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  19. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 21, 2015. Retrieved 2015-02-21. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  20. ^ "Canadian 1979 Top 100 Singles". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  21. ^ "Top Singles 1979". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. December 22, 1979. p. 27.
  22. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
  23. ^ id MUST BE PROVIDED for UK CERTIFICATION.
  24. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "The Aeroplane Flies High review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  25. ^ Jason Damas. "At Least, At Last review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  26. ^ "Digital Release: Under the Covers Vol. 2 - Deluxe Edition". Second Hand Songs. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  27. ^ "Katy Goodman / Greta Morgan: Take It, It's Yours Album Review | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
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