Dreams (Van Halen song)

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"Dreams"
Single by Van Halen
from the album 5150
B-side"Inside"
ReleasedMay 1986
Recorded1985–1986
Studio5150 Studios, Studio City, California
Genre
Length4:20 (7" edit)
4:53 (7")
5:07 (12")
Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Sammy Hagar, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen & Michael Anthony
Van Halen singles chronology
"Why Can't This Be Love"
(1986) 		"Dreams"
(1986) 		"Love Walks In"
(1986)

"Dreams" is a song by

its soundtrack album
.

Background

"Dreams" was written during the

reunion tour. Even the Gary Cherone–headed tour supporting Van Halen III featured the song in their set-list. The song was also used to close the 2004 Democratic National Convention, played after the acceptance speech of John Kerry
. It was also used as the campaign's theme song at rallies across the country in 2004. During an interview with Hagar for Rolling Stone featuring questions from fans, Hagar said that "Dreams", along with "Right Now", were his favorite Van Halen songs, with "Dreams" being his most favorite if you pushed him. The song has also been redone by Hagar by his solo band, becoming a slower, more contemplative song, performed acoustically instead of the original album's faster-paced rock arrangement.

Reception

pop-metal".[1]

The song was ranked #1 on Ultimate Classic Rock's list of the Top 10 Van Hagar Songs, and was described as a "soaring piece of pop magic".[4]

Arrangements

Eddie Van Halen played guitar and keyboards on the studio version of this song. During the 5150 Tour, he played the keyboards and switched to the guitar during the first solo, while Hagar played the rhythm parts before then. On later tours, he would play guitar only, while the keyboard was either played offstage by a hired performer (such as Alan Fitzgerald of Night Ranger during the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Tour), or prerecorded material was used.

During live performances, on the chorus "We'll get higher and higher, straight up we'll climb. Higher and higher, leave it all behind", bassist Michael Anthony usually sang the second "higher" in both parts. On the studio version, Sammy Hagar sings them both. This became a standard part of the song's live performances and Eddie Van Halen would also join in the singing.

Of the album version, producer Mick Jones said: "I was able to push Sammy to new heights – literally. He was singing so high that he was hyperventilating. He almost passed out."[5]

Music videos

There were three music videos made for the song. The most well known version was released in 1986 and featured the

Van Halen: Video Hits, Vol. 1
. A second version features far less commentary and more focus on the performance itself.

Charts

Chart (1986) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 51
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[7] 85
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 22
UK Singles Chart[9]
 62
US Top Rock Tracks (Billboard)[10] 6
West Germany (Official German Charts)[11] 53

Personnel

References

  1. ^ a b Reger, Rick. "Van Halen Offers Hope for Phase Three". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  2. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. May 17, 1986. p. 13. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  3. ^ "Reviews". Billboard. May 24, 1986. p. 77. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  4. ^ Wilkening, Matthew (March 31, 2011). "Top 10 Van Hagar Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  5. ^ Elliott, Paul (March 2014). "The best of both worlds". Classic Rock. No. 194. p. 48.
  6. ISBN 0-646-11917-6
    .
  7. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0698." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  8. ^ "Van Halen Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  9. ^ "Van Halen | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  10. ^ "Van Halen - Chart history". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  11. ^ "hitparade.ch". Swiss Hit Parade.
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