Dreams (The Cranberries song) explained

Dreams
Cover:Dreams by The Cranberries 1994 UK European CD rerelease.jpg
Border:yes
Caption:Artwork for 1994 European rerelease (UK CD1 single pictured)
Type:single
Artist:the Cranberries
Album:Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
B-Side:
  • "What You Were"
  • "Liar"
Genre:
Length:
  • 4:32 (album version)
  • 4:15 (UK radio edit)
  • 4:02 (US radio edit)
Label:Island
Producer:Stephen Street
Next Title:Linger
Next Year:1993

"Dreams" is the debut single of Irish rock band the Cranberries. It was originally released in September 1992 by Island Records and later appeared on the band's debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? (1993). The song reached the top 50 of the US Hot 100 and the top 30 of the UK Singles Chart in early 1994. A 1990 demo version was released in Ireland only in the summer of that year under their initial band name, the Cranberry Saw Us. At the end of the song, the backing vocals are sung by Mike Mahoney, ex-boyfriend of Cranberries lead singer Dolores O'Riordan.[3]

In 2017, the song was released as an acoustic, stripped-down version on the band's Something Else album.[4]

Background

According to lead singer Dolores O'Riordan, "Dreams" was written for an early love; she explained, "I wrote that about my first love when I was living in Ireland ... It's about feeling really in love for the first time".[5] The song was later released on a demo tape with "Linger" that helped generate excitement for the band.[6]

In a 2019 interview for New Musical Express, guitarist Noel Hogan said of the song:

Critical reception

Upon the 1992 release, Ian Gittins from Melody Maker named "Dreams" Single of the Week. He complimented it as "intoxicating, beguiling, a gossamer waltz across sacred ground", and concluded, "So enjoy the delicate but profound delights of "Dreams" now. The Cranberries may never be this good again."[7] On the 1994 re-release, the magazine's Paul Mathur felt it "doesn't quite scale such heights" as "Linger".[8] Alan Jones from Music Week wrote, "A very different track to the long-lasting "Linger", "Dreams" is a more uptempo piece, less melodic but still a good bet."[9] Leesa Daniels from Smash Hits gave it four out of five, praising the song as a "marvellous" follow-up. She added, "It hooks you right from the start with twangy guitars and loud drums. Then it calms down and Dolores comes in, singing like an angel."[10] Charles Aaron from Spin commented, "Sinéadish wails over the drumbeat from Modern English's "I Melt with You". Dope. But after enduring the video, I sure hope singer Dolores O'Riordan has more compelling dreams than trotting around with a white horse and digging up hunks in the countryside."[11]

Music videos

There are three versions of the music video for the song. The first version features Dolores O'Riordan donning her original hairstyle that is seen on the Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? album cover. The video revolves around O'Riordan with the other band members flashing up throughout the video while she's sitting on in a chair with a cross as a back or a close up of her face and eyes. The video shows a mirrored image of O'Riordan to show she does the background vocals and towards the end the band members fade in and out constantly in front of O'Riordan. The video was directed by John Maybury.

The second version shows the Cranberries performing the song in a dimly lit aquatic-themed room interspersed with shots of geometric flowers hitting water. This video received high rotation on MTV's 120 Minutes in 1993 before the release of the band's next single, "Linger", and the re-release of "Dreams" worldwide. The video was directed by Peter Scammell.

The third version, directed by Nico Soultanakis, which was most commonly shown in America and Ireland, shows the Cranberries performing the song in a nightclub. Afterward, Dolores O'Riordan heads out to a house where grave robbers dressed in black have placed a very large tree pile inside. Dolores bathes the tree pile in water and a man is revealed to be buried in the pile. The water frees him and in the final seconds of the video, the man awakens.

Track listings

  1. "Dreams" – 4:15
  2. "What You Were" – 3:41

Note: Both formats were re-released in 1994 and contain the same tracks[14] [15]

  1. "Dreams" – 4:32 (4:15 on CD)
  2. "What You Were" – 3:41
  3. "Liar" – 2:21

Note: The CD was re-released in 1994 as the first part of a two-CD set and contains the same tracks[18]

  1. "Not Sorry" (live at The Record Plant, Hollywood)
  2. "Wanted" (live at The Record Plant, Hollywood)
  3. "Dreams" (live at The Record Plant, Hollywood)
  4. "Liar" (live at The Record Plant, Hollywood)
  1. "Dreams" – 4:32
  2. "What You Were" – 3:41
  3. "Waltzing Back" (live at The Record Plant, Hollywood) – 4:01
  4. "Pretty" (live at The Record Plant, Hollywood) – 2:11
  1. "Dreams" – 4:32
  2. "What You Were" – 3:41
  1. "Dreams" – 4:32
  2. "Linger" – 4:34

Personnel

The Cranberries

Additional personnel

Production

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
United Kingdom28 September 1992Island[23]
United Kingdom (re-release)25 April 1994[24]
2 May 1994CD2[25]

Dario G version

Dream to Me
Cover:Dario G - Dream to Me single.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Dario G
Album:In Full Colour
Length:3:09
Label:Manifesto
Prev Title:Voices
Prev Year:2000
Next Title:Say What's on Your Mind
Next Year:2001

English electronic music trio Dario G covered the song as "Dream to Me", with vocals provided by Ingrid Straumstøyl.[26] Released on 22 January 2001 as the lead single from their second album, In Full Colour, this version reached number one in Romania and the top 10 in Austria, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Track listings

  1. "Dream to Me" (radio edit) – 3:09
  2. "Dream to Me" (Airscape remix) – 8:38
  3. "Dream to Me" (Warrior mix) – 7:48
  4. "Dream to Me" (video)

A. "Dream to Me" (Airscape remix) – 8:38

B. "Dream to Me" (Warrior mix) – 7:48

  1. "Dream to Me" (radio edit) – 3:09
  2. "Dream to Me" (Airscape remix) – 8:38
  1. "Dream to Me" (radio edit) – 3:09
  2. "Dream to Me" (Airscape remix) – 8:38
  1. "Dream to Me" (radio edit) – 3:09
  2. "Dream to Me" (Airscape remix) – 8:38
  3. "Dream to Me" (Warrior mix) – 7:48
  4. "Dream to Me" (Ian Wilkie mix) – 8:05

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2001)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[32] 38
Ireland Dance (IRMA)[33] 5
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[34] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2001)Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[35] 64
Germany (Official German Charts)[36] 55
Romania (Romanian Top 100)7
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[37] 88
UK Singles (OCC)[38] 170

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
United Kingdom22 January 2001Manifesto[39]
Australia9 April 2001CD[40]

Other covers

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jenkins . Craig . Remembering the Cranberries' Dolores O'Riordan . Vulture.
  2. Web site: Heaton . Dave . Hatchie's 'Keepsake' Is Dream Pop for Our Doom . PopMatters.
  3. Unterberger. Andrew. 15 January 2018. The Cranberries' 'Dreams': 10 Reasons Why It's One of the Greatest Songs of All Time. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20191013023230/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8094289/the-cranberries-dreams-best-song-dolores-oriordan. 13 October 2019. 17 August 2020. Billboard.
  4. Web site: Yoo. Noah. 14 March 2017. The Cranberries Announce New Acoustic Album Something Else, Share "Linger": Listen. 23 March 2017. Pitchfork.
  5. Web site: Devaney. Ruth. 10 February 2019. The Story Behind The Song "Dreams" by the Cranberries. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190622030334/https://www.offtheball.com/podcasts//story-behind-song-dreams-cranberries. 22 June 2019. 22 June 2019. Off the Ball.
  6. Web site: Bray. Elisa. 30 April 2019. The Cranberries on losing Dolores O'Riordan: 'She was in a good place – it made it harder to get that call'. 22 June 2019. The Independent.
  7. Ian. Gittins. Singles. Melody Maker. 3 October 1992. 35. 6 March 2023.
  8. Paul. Mathur. Singles. Melody Maker. 23 April 1994. 27. 23 August 2023.
  9. Alan . Jones . Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles . . 23 April 1994 . 20 . 16 April 2021.
  10. Leesa. Daniels. New Singles. Smash Hits. 27 April 1994. 49. 6 October 2023.
  11. Charles. Aaron. Singles. Spin. August 1994. 92. 27 January 2023. Charles Aaron.
  12. Dreams. The Cranberries. 1992. UK 7-inch single vinyl disc. Island Records. IS 548, 864 436-7.
  13. Dreams. The Cranberries. 1992. UK cassette single sleeve. Island Records. CIS 548, 864 436-4.
  14. Dreams. The Cranberries. 1994. UK 7-inch single vinyl disc. Island Records. IS 594, 864 436-7.
  15. Dreams. The Cranberries. 1992. UK cassette single sleeve. Island Records. CIS 594, 864 436-4.
  16. Dreams. The Cranberries. 1994. UK 12-inch single vinyl disc. Island Records. 12IS 548, 864 437-1.
  17. Dreams. The Cranberries. 1994. UK CD single disc notes. Island Records. CID 548, 864 437-2.
  18. Dreams. The Cranberries. 1994. UK CD1 disc notes. Island Records. CID 594, 864 437-2.
  19. Dreams. The Cranberries. 1994. UK CD2 liner notes. Island Records. CIDX 594, 854 009-2.
  20. Dreams. The Cranberries. 1994. US CD single liner notes. Island Records. 422-858 487-2.
  21. Dreams. The Cranberries. 1994. US cassette single sleeve. Island Records. 422-864 436-4.
  22. Dreams / Linger. The Cranberries. 1993. Canadian CD single disc notes. Island Records. 422 854 024-2.
  23. Singles Titles A–Z. Music Week. 25. 26 September 1992.
  24. Single Releases. Music Week. 29. 23 April 1994.
  25. Single Releases. Music Week. 21. 30 April 1994.
  26. Book: Betts. Complete Uk Hit Singles. Collins. 2004. 978-0-00-717931-2. 195.
  27. Dream to Me. Dario G. 2001. UK CD single liner notes. Manifesto Records. FESCD79, 572758-2.
  28. Dream to Me. Dario G. 2001. UK 12-inch single sleeve. Manifesto Records. FESX79, 568758-1.
  29. Dream to Me. Dario G. 2001. UK cassette single sleeve. Manifesto Records. FESMC79, 572758-4.
  30. Dream to Me. Dario G. 2001. European CD single liner notes. Manifesto Records. 568 903-2.
  31. Dream to Me. Dario G. 2001. European maxi-CD & Australian CD single liner notes. Manifesto Records. 568 902-2.
  32. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 18. 7. 10. 10 February 2001. 6 August 2020.
  33. Web site: Top 10 Dance Singles, Week Ending 1 February 2001. GfK Chart-Track. 30 May 2019.
  34. Web site: Top of the Year 2001. Romanian Top 100. ro. 9 December 2002. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20021209050311/http://www.rt100.ro/2001.html. 9 December 2002. 15 January 2018.
  35. Web site: Jahreshitparade Singles 2001. de. 30 November 2018.
  36. Web site: Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 2001. GfK Entertainment. de. 30 November 2018.
  37. Web site: Swiss Year-End Charts 2001. de. 30 November 2018.
  38. Web site: The Official UK Singles Chart 2001. UKChartsPlus. 30 November 2018.
  39. New Releases – For Week Starting January 22, 2001: Singles. Music Week. 31. 20 January 2001. 9 August 2021.
  40. Web site: The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 9th April 2001. ARIA. 23. 9 April 2001. dead. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20020220130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20020221-0000/www.aria.com.au/issue580.PDF. 20 February 2002. 9 August 2021.
  41. Book: Bettinson. The Sensuous Cinema of Wong Kar-wai: Film Poetics and the Aesthetic of Disturbance. 1 November 2014. Hong Kong University Press. 978-988-8139-29-3. 42.
  42. Web site: How Chungking Express brought dream pop to Hong Kong. 13 February 2021 . Little White Lies . James . Balmont.
  43. Web site: 11 December 2009. An encore for Faye Wong. 17 August 2020. China Daily.
  44. Web site: Deville. Chris. Liza Anne – "Dreams" (The Cranberries Cover). August 28, 2018. March 19, 2024 . Stereogum.
  45. Web site: Hoffman. Jordan. Charlotte Wells's 'Aftersun' trailer reveals an evocative remembrance of things past. September 27, 2023. March 19, 2024. Goldderby.
  46. News: Boland . Rosita . 19 June 2020. Irish Women in Harmony record Cranberries song in aid of Safe Ireland . 28 July 2020 . The Irish Times . en.
  47. Web site: Irish Women in Harmony . MCD.ie . 28 July 2020 . n.d. . 18 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200918133130/https://mcd.ie/irish-women-in-harmony/ . dead .
  48. Web site: 'Irán Castillo lanza dueto en inglés con su hermana Mónica. TV Notas. TvNotas. August 2020. 26 August 2020.
  49. Web site: 2023-09-15 . Rachel Bobbitt Covers The Cranberries' "Dreams": Listen . 2024-05-10 . Stereogum . en.

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