"Dreams" is a song by American rapper the Game, from his debut album, The Documentary. It was released as the fifth official single from the album in all territories except France, which saw "Higher" released there first. The song was produced by Kanye West and features a sample of "No Money Down" by soul music singer Jerry Butler. The song is dedicated to Yetunde Price (the elder half-sister of tennis stars Serena Williams and Venus Williams), who was shot dead on September 14, 2003; the Williams' also came from the Game's hometown of Compton, California. The lyrics cite the Dr. Dre album 2001 being released "in 2001", when it was actually released in 1999. The song was placed 5th on About.com's Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2005.
| "Dreams" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by the Game | ||||
| from the album The Documentary | ||||
| Released | June 7, 2005 | |||
| Recorded | 2004 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:46 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Kanye West | |||
| The Game singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Dreams" debuted at No. 97 and peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The single was also commercially successful in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart.
Music video
editThe music video was directed by Phillip Atwell and it features cameos by R&B singer and actress Mýa, Dr. Dre, veteran singer Jim Gilstrap and comedian Michael Colyar. It also features graffiti that memorializes the deceased artists and historical figures mentioned in the song.
Tributes
edit- Aaliyah Dana Haughton (January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001)
- Lisa Nicole Lopes (Left Eye) (May 27, 1971 – April 25, 2002)
- Jam Master Jay (January 21, 1965 – October 30, 2002)
- Yetunde Price (August 9, 1972 – September 14, 2003)
- Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)
- Tupac Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996)
- Huey Percy Newton (February 17, 1942 – August 22, 1989)
- Eric Lynn Wright (Eazy-E) (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995)
- Christopher Wallace (The Notorious B.I.G.) (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997)
- Marvin Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984)
Remixes
editA remix of the song was released on the Game's mixtape, You Know What It Is Vol. 3. It is a mix between "Dreams" and "A Dream", which is a track featuring the Notorious B.I.G. from Jay-Z's 2002 album The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse. It combines a chopped and screwed version of B.I.G.'s a cappella verse on "A Dream" (which is Juicy's first verse) with the instrumental of "Dreams".
There is also another official remix of the song with Trey Songz in which Trey Songz sings the second verse.
An unreleased version of Dreams leaked onto the internet in October 2011. This version features similar lyrics to the final version with revised themes and content, with the Game reflecting on events in his own life as opposed to reflecting on the legacies left by rap legends. It leaked labeled as "Original Version".
Track listing
editMaxi single
edit- "Dreams" (Album version)
- "Dreams" (Live from Dublin)
- "Dreams" (Instrumental)
- "Dreams" (Video)
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[22] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ "The Game – Dreams". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
- ^ "Issue 832" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ^ "The Game – Dreams" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved June 12, 2011.
- ^ "The Game – Dreams" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved June 12, 2011.
- ^ "The Game – Chart Search" Billboard European Hot 100 Singles for The Game. [dead link]
- ^ "charts.de". charts.de. August 2, 2005. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
- ^ "Chart Track: Week 31, 2005". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 39, 2005" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
- ^ "The Game – Dreams" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
- ^ "The Game – Dreams". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
- ^ "The Game – Dreams". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
- ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
- ^ "The Game Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
- ^ "The Game Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "The Game Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "The Game Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
- ^ "ChartsPlusYE2005" (PDF). UKchartsplus.co.uk. Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
- ^ "2005 Urban Top 40" (PDF). Music Week. January 14, 2006. p. 22. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
- ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2005". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
- ^ "British single certifications – Game – Dreams". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 27, 2024.