"Like Dreamers Do" is a song by American rock band The Radiators from their 1987 album Law of the Fish. Written by frontman Ed Volker, it features a swamp rock style that characterizes the album.
| "Like Dreamers Do" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Radiators | ||||
| from the album Law of the Fish | ||||
| B-side | "This Wagon's Gonna Roll" | |||
| Released | 1987 | |||
| Recorded | 1987 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:04 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ed Volker | |||
| Producer(s) | Rodney Mills | |||
| The Radiators singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The song was released as a single and became a minor hit, reaching number 23 on the Mainstream Rock chart.[1]
Background
editSongwriter Ed Volker composed the song based on dream about a book by Carlos Castaneda.[2] "Like Dreamers Do" features a melodic piano-driven hook and a guitar solo. As one of the band's signature songs, it has become a standard in their live performances.[3]
Reception
editJay Miller of The Patriot Ledger called the song "among the band’s most mainstream-sounding rockers, and a terrific power ballad."[4] Jim Washburn of the Los Angeles Times was largely critical of a 1991 performance by The Radiators, but praised their rendition of "Like Dreamers Do" as the band hitting "a persuasive groove, sinking into a New Orleans second-line rhythm that seemed so forced on other songs."[5] Kevin Wuench of the Tampa Bay Times called the music video "delightful".[6] OffBeat magazine's John Swenson noted that guitarist Dave Malone's "expressive take" on the song "deserved the radio polish [it] got."[7]
Charts
edit| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Mainstream Rock[1] | 23 |
References
edit- ^ a b "The Radiators [American band] Top Songs". Music VF.com. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ Virgets, Ronnie (April 1989). "Eddie Volker: His Way With Words". Wavelength. No. 102. p. 33. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ Spera, Keith (January 16, 2019). "The Radiators' annual reunion series takes over Tipitina's for a long, loud weekend". The New Orleans Advocate. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ Miller, Jay N. (March 20, 2011). "Steamy Boston finale for Radiators". The Patriot Ledger. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ Washburn, Jim (May 22, 1991). "POP MUSIC REVIEW : These Radiators Run Cold : Six-Piece Band From New Orleans Misses the Essence and Depth of Its Hometown Music". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ Wuench, Kevin (January 25, 2017). "Dreaming of fish-head music? So did The Radiators". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ Swenson, John (December 28, 2015). "Lifetime Achievement In Music: The Radiators". OffBeat. Retrieved September 14, 2020.