Dream of Life explained

Dream of Life
Type:	studio
Artist:	Patti Smith
Cover:	Dream of Life - Patti Smith.jpg
Recorded:	1987
Studio:	Hit Factory (New York City) A&M (Los Angeles)
Genre:	Art punk
Length:	42:01
Label:	Arista
Producer:	Fred Smith, Jimmy Iovine
Prev Title:	Wave
Prev Year:	1979
Next Title:	Gone Again
Next Year:	1996

Dream of Life is the fifth studio album by Patti Smith, released in June 1988 on Arista Records.

Recording and release

Dream of Life was her first album after the dissolution of The Patti Smith Group, and the only album that she made with her husband Fred "Sonic" Smith. Lead single "People Have the Power" received some album-oriented rock airplay at the time, and later was revived by Michael Stipe as a theme song for the 2004 Vote for Change concerts. "People Have the Power" was performed live for the first time by Patti and Fred Smith at the Arista Records 15th Anniversary Gala at Radio City Music Hall on ^[1] March 17, 1990. "Paths That Cross" is dedicated to the memory of Samuel J. Wagstaff. The cover photograph is by Robert Mapplethorpe.

Reception

Dream of Life received generally favorable reviews from critics, who ranked the album number 31 in The Village Voices 1988 Pazz & Jop critics' poll.^[2] It was also ranked number 49 on Sounds magazine's list of the best albums of the year.^[3]

Track listing

All songs were written by Patti Smith and Fred "Sonic" Smith.

Personnel

• Patti Smith – vocals
• Fred "Sonic" Smith – guitar, production
• Jay Dee Daugherty – drums, keyboards, consultant
• Richard Sohl – keyboards

Additional personnel

• Andi Ostrowe – backing vocals
• Bob Glaub – bass on "Going Under"
• Errol "Crusher" Bennett – percussion on "Looking for You (I Was)"
• Gary Rasmussen – bass
• Hearn Gadbois – percussion
• Jesse Levy – cello on "The Jackson Song"
• Kasim Sulton – bass
• Malcolm West – bass on "The Jackson Song"
• Margaret Ross – harp on "The Jackson Song"
• Robin Nash – backing vocals on "Going Under"
• Sammy Figueroa – percussion

Technical

• Scott Litt – associate producer, mixing, assistant producer
• Thom Panunzio, Kevin Killen, Jay Healy, Jim Michewicz, Brian Sperber – engineer
• Robert De La Garza, Roger Talkov, Rob Jacobs, Rich Travali, Marc DeSisto, Dave McNair, Bill Dooley – assistant engineer
• Shelly Yakus – mixing
• Bob Ludwig, Vic Anesini – mastering
• Maude Gilman – design
• Robert Mapplethorpe – photography

Charts

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Austria	26
Netherlands	47
Norway	9
Sweden^[4]	15
Switzerland	9
UK Albums Chart	70
U.S. Billboard 200^[5]	65

Notes and References

1. Web site: the Patti Smith Setlists . 2020-08-08.
2. News: The 1988 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll . . February 28, 1989 . August 9, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220128201809/https://robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres88.php . January 28, 2022 . live.
3. Sounds Top 50 Albums . . December 24–31, 1988 . June 29, 2008 . 53.
4. Web site: European charts . 2008-02-29.
5. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r18303|pure_url=yes}} Billboard chart ]. 2008-02-29 . Allmusic.