Dreaming (Blondie song)

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"Dreaming"
Single by Blondie
from the album Eat to the Beat
B-side "Sound-A-Sleep"
"Living in the Real World"
Released September 14, 1979
Format 7" single
Genre Power pop,[1] new wave
Length 3:08
Label Chrysalis
Writer(s) Chris Stein, Debbie Harry
Producer(s) Mike Chapman
Certification Silver (UK)
Blondie singles chronology
"One Way or Another"
(1979)		 "Dreaming"
(1979)		 "Union City Blue"
(1979)
Music sample
Dreaming

"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 in the British singles chart and at #27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

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, the song is a fast paced new wave song. Stein has since claimed that the song is "pretty much a copy" of "Dancing Queen" by ABBA.[3]

According to the band's guitarist 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. Backed with its fellow Eat to the Beat tracks "Sound-A-Sleep" in the UK and "Living in the Real World" in the US, the song was a chart hit, reaching #2 in the Britain and at #27 in America, as well as #3 in Ireland and #4 in Canada. It 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]

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

Chart performance

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!.
  • 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).

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. "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. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Cathy Che (1999), 'Deborah Harry: Platinum Blonde', MPG Books Ltd, Cornwall, p.96
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Blondie – Dreaming" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Blondie – Dreaming" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Hoogste notering in de top 30 : 14
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. You have to use the index at the top of the page and search "Blondie"
  12. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Blondie – Dreaming". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 4th result when searching "Dreaming"
  14. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Blondie - Dreaming search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Blondie – Dreaming" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Blondie – Dreaming". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Blondie – Dreaming". VG-lista. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Blondie – Dreaming". Singles Top 60. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1979-10-06" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ http://50.6.195.142/archives/70s_files/19791208.html
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Dreaming in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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