Dream On (Aerosmith song)
Encyclopedia
"Dream On" is the first single
by Aerosmith
from their 1973 debut album, Aerosmith
. Written by lead singer Steven Tyler
, this blues
-influenced power ballad became their first major hit and classic rock
radio staple. Released in June 1973, it peaked at #59 nationally but hit big in the band's native Boston, where it was the #1 single of the year on the less commercial top 40 station, WBZ-FM, #5 for the year on highly rated Top 40 WRKO-AM
and #16 on heritage Top 40 WMEX-AM.
The album version of "Dream On" (4:28, as opposed to the 3:25 1973 45rpm
edit), was re-issued early in 1976, debuting at #81 On January 10th, breaking into the Top 40 on February 14th and peaking at #6 on the Billboard
Hot 100 national chart, April 10th. Columbia chose to service Top 40 radio stations with a re-issue of the 3:25 edited version, thus, many 1976 Pop Radio listeners were exposed to the group's first Top 10 effort through the 45 edit.
Dream On was first played live in Willimantic, Connecticut
at the Shaboo Inn. In a 2011 interview, Steven Tyler, reminisced about his father, a Juilliard-trained musician, and recalled "lying beneath his dad's piano as a three-year-old, listening to him play classical music. That's where I got that Dream On chordage," he said.
, was performed live for MTV
's 10th Anniversary (in 1991) and included on the soundtrack for the movie Last Action Hero
. Additionally, in 2006, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry
performed the song live with the Boston Pops Orchestra
at their Fourth of July spectacular. On September 19, 2006, Aerosmith dedicated the song to captured Israeli soldier Ehud Goldwasser
. On September 22, 2007, at a concert in Atlantic City, New Jersey
, Aerosmith dedicated the song to one of their fans, Monica Massaro, who had been murdered earlier that year. In August 2010, Tyler performed much of the song on a grand piano on top of the "Green Monster
" at an Aerosmith concert at Fenway Park
in Boston, Massachusetts, before the rest of the band joined in to close out the song. On May 25, 2011, Tyler performed a brief rendition of the song live during the finale of the tenth season
of American Idol
.
was also created at the MTV 10th anniversary special performance with the orchestra.
It also appears on both of the band's box sets.
's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Most people consider it Aerosmith's signature song
.
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
from their 1973 debut album, Aerosmith
Aerosmith (album)
Aerosmith is the eponymous debut album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released in January 1973 by Columbia Records. The song "Walkin' the Dog" is a cover song originally performed by Rufus Thomas. Also featured on the album is "Dream On" which became an American top ten single when...
. Written by lead singer Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'", due to his high screams...
, this blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
-influenced power ballad became their first major hit and classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
radio staple. Released in June 1973, it peaked at #59 nationally but hit big in the band's native Boston, where it was the #1 single of the year on the less commercial top 40 station, WBZ-FM, #5 for the year on highly rated Top 40 WRKO-AM
WRKO
WRKO is a radio station based in Boston, Massachusetts, currently owned by Entercom. Its transmitter is located in Burlington, Massachusetts, next to the Burlington Mall.-1920-1940:...
and #16 on heritage Top 40 WMEX-AM.
The album version of "Dream On" (4:28, as opposed to the 3:25 1973 45rpm
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
edit), was re-issued early in 1976, debuting at #81 On January 10th, breaking into the Top 40 on February 14th and peaking at #6 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100 national chart, April 10th. Columbia chose to service Top 40 radio stations with a re-issue of the 3:25 edited version, thus, many 1976 Pop Radio listeners were exposed to the group's first Top 10 effort through the 45 edit.
Dream On was first played live in Willimantic, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
at the Shaboo Inn. In a 2011 interview, Steven Tyler, reminisced about his father, a Juilliard-trained musician, and recalled "lying beneath his dad's piano as a three-year-old, listening to him play classical music. That's where I got that Dream On chordage," he said.
Year End Chart
| End of year chart (1976) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 51 |
Live performances
Long a concert staple, the song's piano part has been played live by Tyler. The band has also played "Dream On" with an orchestra on a couple of occasions. One of these performances, conducted by Michael KamenMichael Kamen
Michael Arnold Kamen was an American composer , orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, song writer, and session musician.-Background:...
, was performed live for MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's 10th Anniversary (in 1991) and included on the soundtrack for the movie Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero is a 1993 American action-comedy-fantasy film directed and produced by John McTiernan. It is a satire of the action genre and its clichés, containing several parodies of action films in the form of films within the film....
. Additionally, in 2006, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry
Joe Perry (musician)
Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
performed the song live with the Boston Pops Orchestra
Boston Pops Orchestra
The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....
at their Fourth of July spectacular. On September 19, 2006, Aerosmith dedicated the song to captured Israeli soldier Ehud Goldwasser
Ehud Goldwasser
Ehud Goldwasser was an Israeli soldier who was abducted in Israel by Hezbollah along with Eldad Regev on 12 July 2006, sparking the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. His rank was First Sergeant....
. On September 22, 2007, at a concert in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, Aerosmith dedicated the song to one of their fans, Monica Massaro, who had been murdered earlier that year. In August 2010, Tyler performed much of the song on a grand piano on top of the "Green Monster
Green Monster
The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the thirty-seven foot , two-inch high left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team...
" at an Aerosmith concert at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
in Boston, Massachusetts, before the rest of the band joined in to close out the song. On May 25, 2011, Tyler performed a brief rendition of the song live during the finale of the tenth season
American Idol (season 10)
The tenth season of American Idol premiered on January 19, 2011 and concluded on May 25, 2011, on Fox. The show underwent a number of changes from season nine, including the reduction of the judging panel to its original number of just three judges , a returning executive producer, a new music...
of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
.
Music Video
A coinciding video directed by Marty CallnerMarty Callner
Marty Callner is a director. His primary work is with music videos. Marty has directed work from such popular artists as Cher, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith and has work recorded back as far as 1977 and as recent as 2009. He has been nominated for 7 Emmys, 3 DGAs, and 1 CableACE Award...
was also created at the MTV 10th anniversary special performance with the orchestra.
Appearances on other albums
The song has appeared on almost every Aerosmith greatest hits and live compilation, including:- Live! BootlegLive! BootlegLive! Bootleg is a double live album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released in 1978.While most of the performances were drawn from concerts in 1977 and 1978, the covers "I Ain't Got You" and "Mother Popcorn" were taken from a radio broadcast of a Boston performance on March 20, 1973.The...
- Greatest Hits
- Classics Live I
- A Little South of SanityA Little South of Sanity-Personnel:*Tom Hamilton – bass*Joey Kramer – drums, percussion*Joe Perry – guitar, backing vocals, talkbox on "Sweet Emotion", pedal steel guitar on "Rag Doll"*Steven Tyler – lead vocals, percussion*Brad Whitford – guitar...
- Big OnesBig OnesBig Ones is one of the many compilation albums by the American rock band Aerosmith, released on November 1, 1994 by Geffen Records...
(as a bonus track in CD 2) - Young Lust: The Aerosmith AnthologyYoung Lust: The Aerosmith Anthology-Personnel:*Steven Tyler - lead vocals, harmonica, mandolin, keyboards*Joe Perry - lead guitar, appalachian dulcimer, backing vocals*Brad Whitford - rhythm guitar*Tom Hamilton - bass*Joey Kramer - drumsAdditional musicians...
- O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits
- Devil's Got a New DisguiseDevil's Got a New DisguiseDevil's Got a New Disguise: The Very Best of Aerosmith is a compilation album by American hard rock band Aerosmith released on October 17, 2006. It has sold more than 265,048 copies to date in the U.S...
- Music From The Original Motion Picture "Last Action Hero"
It also appears on both of the band's box sets.
Achievements
It is also ranked #172 on Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Most people consider it Aerosmith's signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
.
Samples and covers
- It has been covered by Ronnie James DioRonnie James DioRonald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...
(vocals) with Yngwie Malmsteen in 1999. - Danny GokeyDanny GokeyDaniel Jay "Danny" Gokey is an American country music singer and church music director from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the third place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol...
sang this song on American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
Season 8 in 2009 during the Top 4 round. He received negative reviews from the judges, and was also mocked in many media outlets for an overlong, ear-splitting scream at the end of the song. - The song was sampledSampling (music)In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
by rap artist EminemEminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
for his song "Sing for the MomentSing for the Moment"Sing for the Moment" is a song by American rapper Eminem from the album The Eminem Show, released in 2002. It was released as a music single in 2003.-Song information:Eminem samples the song "Dream On" by rock group Aerosmith...
" from his 2002 album The Eminem ShowThe Eminem ShowThe Eminem Show is the fourth studio album by the American rapper Eminem, released in 2002. It was the best-selling album of 2002 in the United States, with sales of 7.6 million copies. At the Grammy Awards of 2003 it was nominated for Album of the Year and became Eminem's third LP in four years to...
. Joe PerryJoe Perry (musician)Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
also played the guitar solo on the track. - "Dream On" was covered by the American rock band TrainTrain (band)Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....
on an episode of the MTV show, IconMTV IconMTV Icon was a series of annual television specials produced by MTV between 2001 and 2004, each paying homage to a musical artist or band selected as a cultural icon, in a format similar to the network's annual Video Music Awards and Movie Awards events...
that was dedicated to Aerosmith. - The song was re-made by Andru DonaldsAndru DonaldsAndru Donalds is a Jamaican musician and vocalist with a previous solo career, who is now working in collaboration with the Enigma project as lead vocalist. Donalds had a hit single in America in 1995 with Mishale, which reached #38 on the Billboard Hot 100.-Biography:Andru Donalds was born in...
as the cover song for his album of the same name. - "Dream On" was covered by The MissionThe Mission (band)The Mission are a gothic rock band formed in 1986 from the splinters of the freshly dissolved rock band The Sisters of Mercy.The band was started by frontman Wayne Hussey and bassist Craig Adams , soon adding...
on their album Children. - "Dream On" was also covered by FisherFisher (band)Fisher is a band consisting of songwriter Ron Wasserman and vocalist Kathy Fisher. Fisher has enjoyed some mainstream success. "I Will Love You" was featured in a 2001 episode of Roswell and in the 2007 film Death Sentence...
on their Uppers & Downers dual-disc album. The cover version performed by Fisher was featured in the series-finale episode of the NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
drama Windfall. - Michael Angelo BatioMichael Angelo BatioMichael Angelo Batio also known as Mike Batio or MAB, is a guitarist and columnist from Chicago, Illinois. His work has encompassed many genres, notably metal and its subgenres. Batio was voted the "No. 1 Shredder of All Time" by Guitar One Magazine in 2003...
also made an instrumental cover of this song in his album Hands Without ShadowsHands Without Shadows-Credits:* Michael Angelo Batio – lead guitar, rhythm guitars, keyboards, production, arrangements* William Kopecky – five-string bass, fretless bass* Bobby Rock – drums* Mark Tremonti – guitar solo on "Burn"...
. - It has also been covered numerous times by pop singer Anastacia.
- blessthefallBlessthefallBlessthefall is an American metalcore band from Phoenix, Arizona, currently signed to Fearless Records. The band was founded in 2003 by guitarist Mike Frisby, drummer Matt Traynor, and bassist Jared Warth. Their debut album, His Last Walk, with original vocalist Craig Mabbitt, was released April...
covered "Dream On" on the compilation cover album Punk Goes Classic RockPunk Goes Classic RockPunk Goes Classic Rock is the ninth album in the Punk Goes... series, released by Fearless Records. It was released on April 27, 2010. This also features Your Love by The Outfield for the second time to be covered. And also has a Bonus Sampler CD with it...
, which is part of the Punk Goes...Punk Goes...Punk Goes... is a series of compilation albums released by Fearless Records in which bands that are in some way linked to punk rock perform covers of songs from other genres or time-periods. The deviations from this theme are Punk Goes Acoustic and Punk Goes Acoustic 2 in which the featured bands...
series.
In other media
- This song was parodied in the opening sketch of Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, "Rock For Michael" on October 9, 1993.
- This song was also used in ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
SportsCenterSportsCenterSportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
s "Images of the Century", a video montage about memorable moments in sports history from the 20th century. The video montage was played at the end of the final instalment of SportsCenter in 1999.
- The song made an appearance as the closing theme to the Disney movie MiracleMiracle (film)Miracle is a 2004 American biographical sports film about the United States men's hockey team, led by head coach Herb Brooks, that won the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. The USA team's victory over the heavily favored Soviet team in the medal round was dubbed the Miracle on Ice...
, as well as the trailer for Miracle.
- A live, orchestrated version of "Dream On" was also used in the movie Last Action HeroLast Action HeroLast Action Hero is a 1993 American action-comedy-fantasy film directed and produced by John McTiernan. It is a satire of the action genre and its clichés, containing several parodies of action films in the form of films within the film....
.
- It was used in the opening cut scene for the Tecmo video game Dead or Alive Ultimate (Dead or Alive 2 Disc Only).
- It was used in a video tribute to Ken Griffey, Jr.Ken Griffey, Jr.George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. , nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and during his final years, designated hitter...
in his return to SeattleSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
on June 22, 2007.
- A re-recorded version of the song appears in Guitar Hero: AerosmithGuitar Hero: AerosmithGuitar Hero: Aerosmith is a music video game developed by Neversoft and distributed by Activision. It was released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles, with a Wii version developed by Vicarious Visions, a PlayStation 2 version by Budcat Creations and with a PC and Mac version by Aspyr Media...
. It was one of the four songs that Aerosmith re-recorded for the game. It also appears in the demo for the game.- Before Guitar Hero: Aerosmith was released, the song appeared as free downloadable content for the PlayStation 3PlayStation 3The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
versions of Guitar Hero III: Legends of RockGuitar Hero III: Legends of RockGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is a music video game, the third main installment in the Guitar Hero series, and the fourth title overall...
to promote the release of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. The song was available from February 16, 2008 to February 18, 2008.
- Before Guitar Hero: Aerosmith was released, the song appeared as free downloadable content for the PlayStation 3
- "Dream On" appeared in Episode 49 of Cold Case, sung as Detective Rush witnessed the victim and his then-girlfriend as they were at the time of his death, driving into the distance in a vintage car.
- "Dream On" was played on HBOHome Box OfficeHBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
's Countdown for the Oscar De La HoyaOscar de la HoyaOscar De La Hoya is a retired American boxer of Mexican descent. Nicknamed "The Golden Boy", De La Hoya won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games shortly after graduating from Garfield High School. De La Hoya comes from a boxing family. His grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr., and brother...
-Stephen Forbes fight in May 2008.
- "Dream On" is the title and featured song in Episode 19Dream On (Glee)"Dream On" is the 19th episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on May 18, 2010. It was directed by Joss Whedon and written by series creator Brad Falchuk. Neil Patrick Harris guest-stars as former glee club star Bryan Ryan...
of the FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
show GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
, performed by Matthew MorrisonMatthew MorrisonMatthew James "Matt" Morrison is an American actor, director, musician, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and most notably for his Emmy and Golden Globe nominated...
and guest star Neil Patrick HarrisNeil Patrick HarrisNeil Patrick Harris is an American actor, singer, director, and magician.Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., Colonel Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold...
in their audition for the stage musical Les MiserablesLes Misérables (musical)Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
.