The Dream Academy (album)
Encyclopedia
The Dream Academy is The Dream Academy
's eponymous debut album, released in 1985. It was mainly produced by Pink Floyd
's David Gilmour
and Nick Laird-Clowes
. The most notable track from the album is "Life in a Northern Town
", which was written as a tribute to Nick Drake
. It also proved to be their only major chart success, reaching #7 in the US and #15 in the UK.
The follow-up single, also from the album, "The Love Parade" was not received as well as their debut single, reaching #36 on the US Billboard Charts and only #68 on the UK charts, but still received solid radio airplay.
Also of note is the song, "The Edge of Forever", which plays in a prominent scene during the John Hughes film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off
, resulting in many fans of 1980s films becoming more familiar with The Dream Academy's music.
The album went to #20 in the USA.
Cleverite Ltd. & Farrowise Ltd., admin. Warner Bros. Music), except where noted
The Dream Academy
The Dream Academy was a folk rock band from England, comprising singer/guitarist Nick Laird-Clowes; multi-instrumentalist Kate St John; plus keyboardist Gilbert Gabriel. They are most noted for their hit single, "Life in a Northern Town".-History:Laird-Clowes and Gabriel met each other in the late...
's eponymous debut album, released in 1985. It was mainly produced by Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
and Nick Laird-Clowes
Nick Laird-Clowes
Nick Laird-Clowes is a musician, most famous for his membership as the lead singer and one of the principal songwriters for the band called The Dream Academy...
. The most notable track from the album is "Life in a Northern Town
Life in a Northern Town
"Life in a Northern Town" is a pop song by The Dream Academy, an English dream pop group. The song is the first single from their 1985 self-titled debut, The Dream Academy. Reaching #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1986, it is also their highest-peaking chart single in the US...
", which was written as a tribute to Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
. It also proved to be their only major chart success, reaching #7 in the US and #15 in the UK.
The follow-up single, also from the album, "The Love Parade" was not received as well as their debut single, reaching #36 on the US Billboard Charts and only #68 on the UK charts, but still received solid radio airplay.
Also of note is the song, "The Edge of Forever", which plays in a prominent scene during the John Hughes film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 American teen coming-of-age comedy film written and directed by John Hughes.The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller , who decides to skip school and spend the day in downtown Chicago...
, resulting in many fans of 1980s films becoming more familiar with The Dream Academy's music.
The album went to #20 in the USA.
Track listing
All songs written by Nick Laird-Clowes and Gilbert Gabriel (CopyrightCopyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
Cleverite Ltd. & Farrowise Ltd., admin. Warner Bros. Music), except where noted
- "Life in a Northern TownLife in a Northern Town"Life in a Northern Town" is a pop song by The Dream Academy, an English dream pop group. The song is the first single from their 1985 self-titled debut, The Dream Academy. Reaching #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1986, it is also their highest-peaking chart single in the US...
" – 4:19 - "The Edge of Forever" – 4:23
- "(Johnny) New Light" – 4:22
- "In Places on the Run" – 4:27
- "This World" – 5:07
- "Bound to Be" – 3:08
- "Moving On" – 5:14
- "The Love ParadeThe Love Parade (song)"The Love Parade" is the fourth single released by The Dream Academy. It was a more "edgy" song then their previous singles, with the theme being about adultery and erotic temptation...
" – 3:47 - "The Party" – 5:07 (Nick Laird-Clowes; Copyright Cleverite Ltd., admin. Warner Bros. Music)
- "One Dream" – 2:32 (Nick Laird-Clowes; Copyright Cleverite Ltd., admin. Warner Bros. Music)
Miscellanea
- "This World" was written about Nick's concerns about his friends becoming junkiesSubstance dependenceThe section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
. - "Life in a Northern Town" and "The Love Parade" have two different video versions.
- Warners released a 4 video compilation from this album, including videos for "Life in a Northern Town" (2nd version), "The Love Parade" (U.S. radio version), "This World" (filmed in NYC), and "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I WantPlease, Please, Please Let Me Get What I WantThe Dream Academy covered "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" in 1984. This version peaked at #83 in the UK Singles Chart. The instrumental version of the song is the better known cover version, since it was used in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off along with an other Dream Academy...
". - VH-1 featured the video for the song in an episode of Pop Up Video in 1999.
- "Life in a Northern Town" was featured in an episode of King of the HillKing of the HillKing of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
when Kahn purchases the "largest trampoline from Buckley's estate." Hank, Bill, Dale, and Boomhauer trick Kahn into letting them repair the trampoline, and Luanne takes to going out to it at night, where she is met by Buckley's Angel. The episode provides closure for Luanne's relationship with Buckley, and while they are jumping at night, "Life in a Northern Town" plays in the background.
The Dream Academy
- Gilbert GabrielGilbert GabrielGilbert Alexander Gabriel is an African-English multi-instrumental musician and lyricist. He was a member of the English folk rock trio, The Dream Academy, which had three albums and a worldwide hit in 1985, called "Life in a Northern Town", which he helped co-write.He has also recorded a solo...
: Keyboards, Vocals - Nick Laird-ClowesNick Laird-ClowesNick Laird-Clowes is a musician, most famous for his membership as the lead singer and one of the principal songwriters for the band called The Dream Academy...
: Guitars, Harmonica, Vocals - Kate St. John: Piano, Tenor SaxTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, OboeOboeThe oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
, Cor Anglais, AccordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, Piano-Accordion
Additional Personnel
- Gary BarnacleGary BarnacleGary Barnacle is a saxophonist/flautist, brass instrument arranger, composer and producer, primarily noted for session work, live work Gary Barnacle (born 1959, Dover, England) is a saxophonist/flautist, brass instrument arranger, composer and producer, primarily noted for session work, live work...
: Tenor Saxophone - Dave DeFries: Trumpet
- Peter BuckPeter BuckPeter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
: Guitars - David Gilmour: Guitars on "Bound to Be" & "The Party"
- Greg Dechert: Hammond Organ
- Mickey Feat, Pino PalladinoPino PalladinoPino Palladino is a Welsh bass guitarist who gained fame playing primarily rock and roll, blues rock, and rhythm and blues music, although he has been lauded for his ability to play most genres of popular music, including jazz, neo soul, and funk...
, Guy PrattGuy PrattGuy Pratt is a session bassist and also a songwriter, actor and comedian. He is the son of actor Mike Pratt. In Kensington and Chelsea, London, in 1996, Pratt married Gala Wright, the daughter of Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright...
: Bass - Chucho MerchanChucho MerchanChucho Merchan is a session jazz bassist and guitarist. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Cambridge University in 1980....
: Double BassContrabassContrabass refers to a musical instrument of very low pitch; generally those pitched one octave below instruments of the bass register... - Tony Beard, Bosco DeOliveira, Luis JardimLuís JardimLuís Alberto Figueira Gonçalves Jardim is a Portuguese percussionist, born in the Madeira Island, best known for his work with producer Trevor Horn.-Family:Jardim is a cousin of Alberto João Jardim...
, Ben Hoffnung, Jake LeMesurier, Dave MattacksDave MattacksDave Mattacks is a rock and folk drummer. Best known for his work with Fairport Convention, Mattacks has also worked both as a session musician, and as a performance artist...
: Drums, Various Percussion