Dreaming (Blondie song)
Encyclopedia
"Dreaming" is a song by the American punk/new wave band Blondie
. Released in 1979, it was the lead single from their fourth album Eat to the Beat
. It peaked at #2 in the British singles chart.
and Chris Stein
.
The power pop
sound of the record is one of its trademarks as is the opening line "When I met you in the restaurant, you could tell I was no debutante". The song is also influenced by the popular Phil Spector
phenomenon, the wall of sound
, which utilizes multiple layers of the same various instruments to create a full and voluminous sound or atmosphere.
.
US 7" (CHS 2379, September 1979)
US 12" Promo (CHS14-PDJ, September 1979)
covered the song on their 1996 The Aeroplane Flies High
box-set. Bassist D'Arcy Wretzky
and singer Billy Corgan
shared vocal duties on the track. The cover had a different beat, which was very slow and reminiscent of trip-hop.
The Posies
covered it during a live radio performance. Their version appears on the 2000 box set "At Least At Last".
Yo La Tengo
covered it on the 1992 various-artists album entitled Freedom Of Choice: Yesterday's New Wave Hits As Performed By Today's Stars.
Amy Speace performs a country
cover of this song on her 2006 album Songs for Bright Street.
Jeff Tweedy
of Wilco
covered it on October 21, 1999.
Matthew Sweet
and Susanna Hoffs
of The Bangles
recorded a version which appears on the deluxe edition of their 2009 album Under the Covers, Vol. 2
.
Was featured in the 2008 film Zack and Miri Make a Porno
.
Pop-punk band The Backseat Virgins covered it on their album Carl.
Was also featured in the 1998 film SLC Punk!
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
. Released in 1979, it was the lead single from their fourth album Eat to the Beat
Eat to the Beat
Eat to the Beat is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Blondie. It reached no.1 on the UK album charts in October 1979, no.9 in Australia and no.17 in the US.-History:...
. It peaked at #2 in the British singles chart.
Song information
"Dreaming" was written by the group's principal songwriting partnership, Deborah HarryDebbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
and Chris Stein
Chris Stein
Christopher "Chris" Stein is co-founder and guitarist in the New Wave band, Blondie. He is also a producer and performer for the classic soundtrack of the hip hop film Wild Style....
.
The power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
sound of the record is one of its trademarks as is the opening line "When I met you in the restaurant, you could tell I was no debutante". The song is also influenced by the popular Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
phenomenon, the wall of sound
Wall of Sound
The Wall of Sound is a music production technique for pop and rock music recordings developed by record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, California, during the early 1960s...
, which utilizes multiple layers of the same various instruments to create a full and voluminous sound or atmosphere.
Music Video
A music video was produced to promote the single featuring Debbie Harry wearing a solid blue unitard and matching sheer blouse designed by Stephen SprouseStephen Sprouse
Stephen Sprouse was a fashion designer and artist credited with pioneering the 1980s mix of "uptown sophistication in clothing with a downtown punk and pop sensibility" .-Career:...
.
Release history
UK 7" (CHS 2359, September 1979)- "Dreaming" (Deborah HarryDebbie HarryDeborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
, Chris SteinChris SteinChristopher "Chris" Stein is co-founder and guitarist in the New Wave band, Blondie. He is also a producer and performer for the classic soundtrack of the hip hop film Wild Style....
) – 3:08 - "Sound-A-Sleep" (Harry, Stein) – 4:18
US 7" (CHS 2379, September 1979)
- "Dreaming" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) – 3:08
- "Living in the Real World" (Jimmy DestriJimmy DestriJimmy Destri is an American musician. He played keyboards in the rock band Blondie, and is one of the principal songwriters for the band along with Chris Stein and Deborah Harry. Destri stopped touring with the band in 2004, but remained an official member of the band for several more years...
) – 2:53
US 12" Promo (CHS14-PDJ, September 1979)
- "Dreaming" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) – 3:08
- "Dreaming" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) – 3:08
Chart performance
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
6 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 6 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 9 |
| Netherlands Singles Chart | 12 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart NVPI The NVPI is the Dutch tradeassociation of the entertainment industry... |
18 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 18 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 19 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
26 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
27 |
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
53 |
Cover versions, appearances in other media etc.
The Smashing PumpkinsThe Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
covered the song on their 1996 The Aeroplane Flies High
The Aeroplane Flies High
The Aeroplane Flies High is a five-disc box set released by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins in 1996. It contains expanded versions of the five singles from their album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and also included a 44-page booklet with pictures and writings by the...
box-set. Bassist D'Arcy Wretzky
D'arcy Wretzky
D'arcy Elizabeth Wretzky is an American musician. She is best known for her work as the original bass player of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins...
and singer Billy Corgan
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
shared vocal duties on the track. The cover had a different beat, which was very slow and reminiscent of trip-hop.
The Posies
The Posies
The Posies are an alternative rock/power pop group. The band was formed in 1987 in Bellingham, Washington by primary songwriters Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow. They are best known for their radio hits "Golden Blunders" , as well as "Dream All Day", "Solar Sister" and "Flavor of the Month"...
covered it during a live radio performance. Their version appears on the 2000 box set "At Least At Last".
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
covered it on the 1992 various-artists album entitled Freedom Of Choice: Yesterday's New Wave Hits As Performed By Today's Stars.
Amy Speace performs a country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
cover of this song on her 2006 album Songs for Bright Street.
Jeff Tweedy
Jeff Tweedy
Jeffrey Scot "Jeff" Tweedy is an American songwriter, musician and leader of the band Wilco. Tweedy joined rockabilly band The Plebes with high school friend Jay Farrar in the early 1980s, but Tweedy's musical interests caused one of Farrar's brothers to quit...
of Wilco
Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...
covered it on October 21, 1999.
Matthew Sweet
Matthew Sweet
Sidney Matthew Sweet is an American alternative rock/power pop musician. He was part of the burgeoning Athens, Georgia music scene in the early and mid-1980s before gaining commercial success during the early 1990s...
and Susanna Hoffs
Susanna Hoffs
Susanna Lee Hoffs is an American vocalist, guitarist and actress. She is best known as a member of the all-female pop band The Bangles.-Early life:...
of The Bangles
The Bangles
The Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles during the decade.-Formation and early years :...
recorded a version which appears on the deluxe edition of their 2009 album Under the Covers, Vol. 2
Under the Covers, Vol. 2
Under the Covers, Vol. 2 is the second collaboration between alternative rock artist Matthew Sweet and Bangles singer Susanna Hoffs. Released by Shout! Factory on July 21, 2009, it contains 16 cover versions of favorite songs from the 1970s....
.
Was featured in the 2008 film Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Zack and Miri Make a Porno is a 2008 romantic comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, distributed by The Weinstein Company, and starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks. It is Smith's second film not to be set within the View Askewniverse and the first not set in New Jersey. It was...
.
Pop-punk band The Backseat Virgins covered it on their album Carl.
Was also featured in the 1998 film SLC Punk!
SLC Punk!
# "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" - The Suicide Machines # "Sex and Violence" - The Exploited# "I Love Livin' in the City" - Fear# "1969" - The Stooges# "Too Hot" - The Specials# "Cretin Hop" - Ramones...