Dream Weaver (song)
Encyclopedia
"Dream Weaver" is a song
by Gary Wright
that was a hit single in the US, reaching #2 in the Billboard charts
while it reached #1 in the Cash Box charts (Australia, Canada and Europe) in 1976. Taken from the album The Dream Weaver
released the previous year, it features Wright on vocals and keyboards, and Jim Keltner
on drums. In 1992, Gary Wright re-recorded a longer version of "Dream Weaver" for the Wayne's World
movie soundtrack
.
According to Gary Wright, the song was inspired by Autobiography of a Yogi
, which was given to him by George Harrison
. Paramhansa Yogananda's poem, God! God! God! made reference to "the idea of the mind weaving dreams." The expression "Dream Weaver" was popularized by John Lennon
in 1970 in his song "God," taken from his solo album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. This song depicts Lennon's declaration that he was the dream weaver of the sixties, breaking away from the influences and dogmas that influenced his life.
television series, That '70s Show
in the episode "The First Time".
Portions of "Dream Weaver" were first sampled
in a short film appearing in the 1990 Wayne's World
episode of Saturday Night Live
, in which guest star Wayne Gretzky
appears, and Wayne is picturing that song playing as he imagines himself defeating Gretzky in street hockey
and then winning his wife, Janet Jones
. The song would later be re-recorded for the soundtrack of the 1992 film Wayne's World.
Since then, a similar form of sampling of the song has been used to note the meeting between, or the longing of one character for another, as indicated in the 2003 movie Daddy Day Care
as well as in the Pixar
film Toy Story 3
when Ken first meets Barbie
.
This song, and its keyboard introduction, according to Wes Craven
, inspired the concept behind the film A Nightmare on Elm Street
. The song has also appeared in films and television programs such as The People vs. Larry Flynt
and the fifth season episode of Nip/Tuck
, "Dawn Budge II"
"Dream Weaver" was also featured over the closing credits of the sixth episode of the fourth season of the classic HBO sketch comedy series "Mr. Show."
in "Wordz of Wisdom", a single from 3rd Bass
's 1989's The Cactus Album.
In 1999, it was cover
ed by dance artist Erin Hamilton
for her album One World. It was also featured prominently in the gay love story film Trick
also released in 1999.
In 2000, Crowbar recorded a doom metal
version of "Dream Weaver" for their album Equilibrium.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
by Gary Wright
Gary Wright
Gary Malcolm Wright is an American musician, best known for his song, "Dream Weaver". He was the piano player on Harry Nilsson's version of "Without You".-Early life:...
that was a hit single in the US, reaching #2 in the Billboard charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
while it reached #1 in the Cash Box charts (Australia, Canada and Europe) in 1976. Taken from the album The Dream Weaver
The Dream Weaver
The Dream Weaver is a hit solo album by one-time Spooky Tooth keyboard player Gary Wright released in June 1975.The album was said by Wright to be the first-ever all-synthesizer/keyboard album - it features Wright on vocals and keyboards and Jim Keltner and Andy...
released the previous year, it features Wright on vocals and keyboards, and Jim Keltner
Jim Keltner
James Lee "Jim" Keltner is an American drummer known primarily for his session work. He has contributed to the work of many well-known artists...
on drums. In 1992, Gary Wright re-recorded a longer version of "Dream Weaver" for the Wayne's World
Wayne's World (film)
Wayne's World is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Penelope Spheeris and starring Mike Myers in his film debut as Wayne Campbell and Dana Carvey as Garth Algar, hosts of the Aurora, Illinois-based Public-access television cable TV show Wayne's World...
movie soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
.
According to Gary Wright, the song was inspired by Autobiography of a Yogi
Autobiography of a Yogi
In 1946, Paramahansa Yogananda , published his life story, Autobiography of a Yogi, which introduced many westerners to meditation and yoga...
, which was given to him by George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
. Paramhansa Yogananda's poem, God! God! God! made reference to "the idea of the mind weaving dreams." The expression "Dream Weaver" was popularized by John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
in 1970 in his song "God," taken from his solo album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. This song depicts Lennon's declaration that he was the dream weaver of the sixties, breaking away from the influences and dogmas that influenced his life.
In popular culture
"Dream Weaver" was featured in the FoxFox Entertainment Group
The Fox Entertainment Group is an American entertainment industry company that owns film studios and terrestrial, cable, and direct broadcast satellite television properties...
television series, That '70s Show
That '70s Show
That '70s Show is an American television period sitcom that centers on the lives of a group of teenage friends living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 17, 1976, to December 31, 1979...
in the episode "The First Time".
Portions of "Dream Weaver" were first sampled
Sampling (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...
in a short film appearing in the 1990 Wayne's World
Wayne's World
Wayne's World was originally a recurring sketch from the NBC television series Saturday Night Live. It evolved from a segment titled "Wayne's Power Minute" on the CBC Television series It's Only Rock & Roll, as the main character first appeared in that show...
episode of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday 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...
, in which guest star Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
appears, and Wayne is picturing that song playing as he imagines himself defeating Gretzky in street hockey
Street hockey
Street hockey is a variation of the sport of ice hockey where the game is played on foot or with inline skates or roller skates. The object of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by shooting a ball or puck into the opposing team's net...
and then winning his wife, Janet Jones
Janet Jones
Janet-Marie Gretzky is an American actress. She is married to ice hockey icon Wayne Gretzky.-Entertainment career:Jones performed in Annie , Staying Alive and Snow White Live , and had a bit part in The Beastmaster...
. The song would later be re-recorded for the soundtrack of the 1992 film Wayne's World.
Since then, a similar form of sampling of the song has been used to note the meeting between, or the longing of one character for another, as indicated in the 2003 movie Daddy Day Care
Daddy Day Care
Daddy Day Care is a 2003 American comedy film, starring Eddie Murphy. It was written by Geoff Rodkey and was directed by Steve Carr. It was released in theaters on May 9, 2003. It was produced by Revolution Studios and released by Columbia Pictures...
as well as in the Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
film Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure film, and the third installment in the Toy Story series. It was produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Lee Unkrich. The film was released worldwide from June through October in Disney Digital...
when Ken first meets Barbie
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
.
This song, and its keyboard introduction, according to Wes Craven
Wes Craven
Wesley Earl "Wes" Craven is an American actor, film director, writer, producer, perhaps best known as the director of many horror films, particularly slasher films, including the famed A Nightmare on Elm Street and Wes Craven's New Nightmare, featuring the iconic Freddy Krueger character, the...
, inspired the concept behind the film A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American slasher film directed and written by Wes Craven, and the first film of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The film features Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss, Jsu Garcia, Robert Englund, and Johnny Depp in his feature film...
. The song has also appeared in films and television programs such as The People vs. Larry Flynt
The People vs. Larry Flynt
The People vs. Larry Flynt is a 1996 American biographical drama film directed by Miloš Forman about the rise of pornographic magazine publisher and editor Larry Flynt, and his subsequent clash with the law. The film stars Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love, and Edward Norton.The film was written by...
and the fifth season episode of Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
, "Dawn Budge II"
"Dream Weaver" was also featured over the closing credits of the sixth episode of the fourth season of the classic HBO sketch comedy series "Mr. Show."
Use by other musical artists
"Dream Weaver" and "Love is Alive" are 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...
in "Wordz of Wisdom", a single from 3rd Bass
3rd Bass
3rd Bass was an American hip-hop group that rose to fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and was notable for being one of the first successful interracial hip-hop groups.-Career:...
's 1989's The Cactus Album.
In 1999, it was cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
ed by dance artist Erin Hamilton
Erin Hamilton
Erin Hamilton is an American electronic dance music singer. The daughter of actress Carol Burnett and TV Producer Joe Hamilton, she has scored several hits on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart...
for her album One World. It was also featured prominently in the gay love story film Trick
Trick (film)
Trick is a 1999 gay-themed romantic comedy film directed by Jim Fall. Trick appeared at the Sundance and Berlin film festivals in 1999. Filming was completed in less than three weeks in August 1998.-Plot:...
also released in 1999.
In 2000, Crowbar recorded a doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
version of "Dream Weaver" for their album Equilibrium.