Wikipedia

Dreams (The Cranberries song)

"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.[4]

"Dreams"
Artwork for 1994 European rerelease (UK CD1 single pictured)
Single by the Cranberries
from the album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
B-side
  • "What You Were"
  • "Liar"
Released28 September 1992 (1992-09-28)[1]
Genre
Length
  • 4:32 (album version)
  • 4:15 (UK radio edit)
  • 4:02 (US radio edit)
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)Dolores O'Riordan, Noel Hogan
Producer(s)Stephen Street
The Cranberries singles chronology
"Dreams"
(1992) 		"Linger"
(1993)
Audio sample
Music video
"Dreams" on YouTube
Alternative cover
US CD single (1994)

In 2017, the song was released as an acoustic, stripped-down version on the band's Something Else album.[5]

Background

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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".[6] The song was later released on a demo tape with "Linger" that helped generate excitement for the band.[7]

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

It's only really since Dolores passed away that I've grown a proper appreciation for songs like 'Linger' and 'Dreams'. They were just songs in the set list for us; everybody else was losing their mind about them. And when I listen to them now I realise how great they are for someone so young, which I never, ever appreciated until a year ago. We must have played it a gazillion times in our lives and it just becomes a part of the set, but it’s different now. We’re so lucky to have left that behind, to have that legacy.[8]

Critical reception

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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."[9] On the 1994 re-release, the magazine's Paul Mathur felt it "doesn't quite scale such heights" as "Linger".[10] 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."[11] 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."[12] 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."[13]

Music videos

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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.[14]

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.[15]

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.[16]

Track listings

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Personnel

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The Cranberries

Additional personnel

  • Mike Mahoney – backing vocals and additional sounds

Production

  • Stephen Street – production, engineering
  • Aiden McGovern – additional engineering

Charts

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Chart (1993–1994) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[28] 30
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[29] 27
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[30] 25
Ireland (IRMA)[31] 9
Scotland (OCC)[32] 31
UK Singles (OCC)[33] 27
US Billboard Hot 100[34] 42
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[35] 15
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[36] 33
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[31] 24
Italy (FIMI)[37] 59
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[38] 75
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 77
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[40] 16
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[41] 7

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[42]
since 2009 		Gold 35,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[43] Platinum 60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[44] Platinum 600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 28 September 1992
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Island [1]
United Kingdom (re-release) 25 April 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD1
  • cassette
 [45]
2 May 1994 CD2 [46]

Dario G version

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"Dream to Me"
 
Single by Dario G
from the album In Full Colour
Released22 January 2001 (2001-01-22)
Length3:09
LabelManifesto
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Scott Rosser
  • Paul Spencer
Dario G singles chronology
"Voices"
(2000) 		"Dream to Me"
(2001) 		"Say What's on Your Mind"
(2001)

English electronic music trio Dario G covered the song as "Dream to Me", with vocals provided by Ingrid Straumstøyl.[47] 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

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Charts

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Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 22 January 2001
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Manifesto [73]
Australia 9 April 2001 CD [74]

Other covers

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Singles Titles A–Z". Music Week. 26 September 1992. p. 25.
  2. ^ Jenkins, Craig. "Remembering the Cranberries' Dolores O'Riordan". Vulture.
  3. ^ Heaton, Dave. "Hatchie's 'Keepsake' Is Dream Pop for Our Doom". PopMatters.
  4. ^ Unterberger, Andrew (15 January 2018). "The Cranberries' 'Dreams': 10 Reasons Why It's One of the Greatest Songs of All Time". Billboard. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  5. ^ Yoo, Noah (14 March 2017). "The Cranberries Announce New Acoustic Album Something Else, Share "Linger": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  6. ^ Devaney, Ruth (10 February 2019). "The Story Behind The Song "Dreams" by the Cranberries". Off the Ball. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  7. ^ 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'". The Independent. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  8. ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (22 January 2019). "The Cranberries on their final album: "It's like a little gift Dolores left behind"". NME. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  9. ^ Gittins, Ian (3 October 1992). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 35. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  10. ^ Mathur, Paul (23 April 1994). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 27. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  11. ^ Jones, Alan (23 April 1994). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 20. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  12. ^ Daniels, Leesa (27 April 1994). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 49. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  13. ^ Aaron, Charles (August 1994). "Singles". Spin. p. 92. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  14. ^ The Cranberries - Dreams (Dir: John Maybury) (Official Music Video) on YouTube
  15. ^ The Cranberries - Dreams (Dir: Peter Scammell) (Official Music Video) on YouTube
  16. ^ The Cranberries - Dreams (Dir: Nico Soultanakis) (Official Music Video) on YouTube
  17. ^ Dreams (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1992. IS 548, 864 436-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ Dreams (UK cassette single sleeve). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1992. CIS 548, 864 436-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ Dreams (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. IS 594, 864 436-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ Dreams (UK cassette single sleeve). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1992. CIS 594, 864 436-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ Dreams (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. 12IS 548, 864 437-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ Dreams (UK CD single disc notes). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. CID 548, 864 437-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ^ Dreams (UK CD1 disc notes). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. CID 594, 864 437-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ Dreams (UK CD2 liner notes). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. CIDX 594, 854 009-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ^ Dreams (US CD single liner notes). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. 422-858 487-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ^ Dreams (US cassette single sleeve). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. 422-864 436-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ^ Dreams / Linger (Canadian CD single disc notes). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1993. 422 854 024-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ^ "The Cranberries – Dreams". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  29. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2463." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  30. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2471." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  31. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Dreams". Irish Singles Chart.
  32. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  33. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  34. ^ "The Cranberries Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  35. ^ "The Cranberries Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  36. ^ "The Cranberries Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  37. ^ "The Cranberries – Dreams". Top Digital Download.
  38. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  39. ^ "The Cranberries – Dreams". Swiss Singles Chart.
  40. ^ "The Cranberries Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  41. ^ "The Cranberries Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  42. ^ "Italian single certifications – The Cranberries – Dreams" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 24 May 2021. Select "2021" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Dreams" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  43. ^ "Spanish single certifications – The Cranberries – Dreams". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  44. ^ "British single certifications – Cranberries – Dreams". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  45. ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. 23 April 1994. p. 29.
  46. ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. 30 April 1994. p. 21.
  47. ^ Betts, Graham (2004). Complete Uk Hit Singles. Collins. p. 195. ISBN 978-0-00-717931-2.
  48. ^ Dream to Me (UK CD single liner notes). Dario G. Manifesto Records. 2001. FESCD79, 572758-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  49. ^ Dream to Me (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Dario G. Manifesto Records. 2001. FESX79, 568758-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  50. ^ Dream to Me (UK cassette single sleeve). Dario G. Manifesto Records. 2001. FESMC79, 572758-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  51. ^ Dream to Me (European CD single liner notes). Dario G. Manifesto Records. 2001. 568 903-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  52. ^ Dream to Me (European maxi-CD & Australian CD single liner notes). Dario G. Manifesto Records. 2001. 568 902-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  55. ^ "Dario G – Dream to Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
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  62. ^ "Dario G – Dream to Me". VG-lista. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  63. ^ a b "Top of the Year 2001" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. 9 December 2002. Archived from the original on 9 December 2002. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  64. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  65. ^ "Dario G – Dream to Me" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  66. ^ "Dario G – Dream to Me". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  67. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  68. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  69. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2001" (in German). Retrieved 30 November 2018.
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  74. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 9th April 2001" (PDF). ARIA. 9 April 2001. p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2002. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  75. ^ Bettinson, Gary (1 November 2014). The Sensuous Cinema of Wong Kar-wai: Film Poetics and the Aesthetic of Disturbance. Hong Kong University Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-988-8139-29-3.
  76. ^ Balmont, James (13 February 2021). "How Chungking Express brought dream pop to Hong Kong". Little White Lies.
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  78. ^ Deville, Chris (28 August 2018). "Liza Anne – "Dreams" (The Cranberries Cover)". Stereogum. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
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  80. ^ Boland, Rosita (19 June 2020). "Irish Women in Harmony record Cranberries song in aid of Safe Ireland". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  81. ^ "Irish Women in Harmony". MCD.ie. n.d. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  82. ^ "'Irán Castillo lanza dueto en inglés con su hermana Mónica". TvNotas. TV Notas. August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  83. ^ "Rachel Bobbitt Covers The Cranberries' "Dreams": Listen". Stereogum. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
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