Dreamer (Supertramp song)
{{Short description|1974 single from Supertramp}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Dreamer
| cover = Supertramp Dreamer single cover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Supertramp
| album = Crime of the Century
| B-side = Bloody Well Right
| released = 1 November 1974 (UK){{efn-ua|release date from the A&M records press release}}
| recorded = {{Start date|1974}}
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Progressive pop{{cite book|first=Bob |last=Stanley|title=Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop|chapter= Progressive Rock (And Simpler Pleasures)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9emZAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT7|date=13 September 2013|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0-571-28198-5|page=372}}|art pop{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/crime-of-the-century-mw0000192066|title=Crime of the Century - Supertramp {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|website=AllMusic|access-date=18 July 2019|quote=Also present is a slight sentimental streak and a heavy fondness for pop, heard on 'Dreamer,' a soaring piece of art pop that became their first big hit.}}}}
| length = 3:33
| label = A&M
| writer = Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson
| producer = Supertramp, Ken Scott
| prev_title = Land Ho
| prev_year = 1974
| next_title = Bloody Well Right
| next_year = 1974
| misc = {{External music video|header=Official audio|{{YouTube|7fdAFmtq-o8|"Dreamer"}}
}}
}}
{{Listen|filename=Dreamer by Roger Hodgson.ogg|title="Dreamer" (Roger Hodgson)|description=33 second clip from Roger Hodgson's song, "Dreamer."| format=Ogg}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Dreamer
| cover = Supertramp Dreamer live single cover.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Live version single picture sleeve
| type = single
| artist = Supertramp
| album = Paris
| B-side = You Started Laughing
| released = September 1980 (US){{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/804/mode/2up|title=The Great Rock Discography|year=1995|page=804 |isbn=9780862415419 |last1=Strong |first1=Martin Charles }}
| recorded = {{Start date|df=yes|1979|11}}
| studio =
| venue = Pavillon de Paris
| genre = Progressive rock
| length = 3:15
| label = A&M
| writer = Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson
| producer = Peter Henderson, Russel Pope
| prev_title = Take the Long Way Home
| prev_year = 1979
| next_title = Breakfast in America
| next_year = 1980
| misc = {{External music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|IzRi7E8qGzM|"Dreamer" (Live)}}
}}
}}
"Dreamer" is a hit single from British band Supertramp's 1974 album Crime of the Century. It peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1975.{{cite web |url=http://www.everyhit.com |title=everyhit.com search results |accessdate=23 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717022953/http://www.everyhit.com/ |archive-date=17 July 2007}} In 1980, it appeared on the band's live album Paris. This live version was also released as a single and hit number 15 on the US charts,{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p5562|pure_url=yes}} |title=Billboard charts at Allmusic |accessdate=23 November 2008}} number 36 in the Dutch Top 40,{{cite web |url=https://www.top40.nl/top40/1981/week-9 |title=Media Markt top 40|accessdate=26 November 2016}} and number one on the Canadian Singles Chart.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.0268&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5|title=Top Singles - Volume 34, No. 5, December 06 1980|magazine=RPM|accessdate=2012-02-17 }} When "Dreamer" had been released in 1974, its B-side "Bloody Well Right" was more popular in North America leading it to chart instead, at No. 35 in the US and No. 49 in Canada, with "Dreamer" only charting in Canada, that being at No. 75. "Dreamer" also appeared on Roger Hodgson's album, Classics Live, recorded on tour in 2010.
Background
"Dreamer" was composed by Roger Hodgson on his Wurlitzer piano at his mother's house when he was 19 years old. At that time he recorded a demo of the song using vocals, Wurlitzer, and banging cardboard boxes for percussion. Hodgson recalled, "I was excited – it was the first time I laid hands on a Wurlitzer."{{Cite AV media notes |title=Crime of the Century |title-link=Crime of the Century (album) |year=2014 |type=sleeve notes |publisher=Universal Music Enterprises}} Hodgson also said: {{quote|I was sitting at the keyboard in my mother’s house and it was something that just flew out of me. I just sang words and the words that came out were very close to what’s in the final song. I was banging boxes and light shades and I created this magical demo.{{cite web|title=Supertramp's Roger Hodgson: the 10 best songs I've written|author=Hodgson, Roger|publisher=Louder Sound|work=Prog|accessdate=2023-03-23|date=March 20, 2023|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/supertramps-roger-hodgson-the-10-best-songs-ive-written-composed-and-sung}}}} Supertramp cut their own recording of the song in imitation of this early demo.{{cite web|title=Breakfast in Detroit: Tales from a Dreamer!|url=http://annecarlini.com/ex_interviews.php?id=1275|website=annecarlini.com|accessdate=1 December 2014}}
The band performed the song on the BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test show in 1974, during which John Helliwell can be seen playing the rim of a wine glass on top of his keyboard to achieve a certain sound effect.{{cite AV media|title=The Old Grey Whistle Test Vol. 3|type=DVD|publisher=BBC Video|year=2006}}
The song was used in the films The Parole Officer, Wild Thing, and The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, as well as the trailers for the latter and Robots.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}}
Reception
Cash Box called it a "funny little song" and said that it "maintains the group's stance on instrumentation, lyrics and structure while offering a great deal of commercial potential."{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=October 22, 1977|page=23|newspaper=Cash Box|accessdate=2021-12-26|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1977/CB-1977-10-22.pdf}} Record World said that "The song is memorable, the style right for a mass audience."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=October 8, 1977|accessdate=2023-02-16|title=Single Picks|page=46|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/77/RW-1977-10-08.pdf}} Record World later said that "the cute vocals and swirling, pulsating keyboards are contagious."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=September 20, 1980|page=1|accessdate=2023-02-07|title=Hits of the Week|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/80s/RW-1980-09-20.pdf}} Ultimate Classic Rock critic Nick DeRiso rated it as Supertramp's 10th best song, calling it a "diaphanous slice of sentiment" in which it became apparent that Supertramp had found its own "art-pop sound."{{cite web|title=Top 10 Supertramp Songs|publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock|accessdate=2022-06-08|author=DeRiso, Nick|date=22 July 2013 |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/supertramp-songs/}} Gary Graff of Billboard rated it as Supertramp's all-time greatest song, praising its twists and hooks.{{cite web|title=Supertramp's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks|author=Graff, Gary|accessdate=2022-06-16|publisher=Billboard|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/supertramp-songs-best-hits-list-7997371/|date=October 10, 2017}}
Reviewing the live version in 1980, Billboard said that "Dreamer" has a "sweet pop melody, clear vocals and bubbly keyboards."{{cite news|title=Top Single Picks|newspaper=Billboard Magazine|date=20 September 1980|accessdate=2020-07-08|page=71|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1980/BB-1980-09-20.pdf}}
Track listings
=1974: 7-inch single=
Side one
- "Dreamer" – 3:33 (Written by Roger Hodgson)
Side two
- "Bloody Well Right" – 4:26 (Written by Rick Davies)
=1980: 7-inch single=
==US version==
Side one
- "Dreamer" (Live) – 3:15 (Hodgson)
Side two
- "From Now On" (Live) – 6:44 (Davies)
==European version==
Side one
- "Dreamer" (Live) – 3:15 (Hodgson)
Side two
- "You Started Laughing" (Live) – 3:50 (Davies)
Personnel
- Roger Hodgson{{snd}}Wurlitzer electronic piano, lead and backing vocals
- Rick Davies{{snd}}Wurlitzer electronic piano, Hammond organ, lead and backing vocals
- John Helliwell{{snd}}glass harp, backing vocals
- Bob Siebenberg{{snd}}drums, glockenspiel
- Dougie Thomson{{snd}}bass guitar
Charts
=Studio version=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col"|Chart (1975/78)
!scope="col"|Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|first=David|last=Kent|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|date=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}
|style="text-align:center;"|47 |
| {{Single chart|Canadatopsingles|75|chartid=5554b|rowheader=true|access-date=14 February 2021|refname=studio}} |
| {{Single chart|New Zealand|34|artist=Supertramp|song=Dreamer|rowheader=true|access-date=14 February 2021}} |
| {{Single chart|UK|13|date=19750302|artist=Supertramp|song=Dreamer|rowheader=true|access-date=14 February 2021}} |
=Live version=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col"|Chart (1980)
!scope="col"|Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report)
|style="text-align:center;"|39 |
| {{Single chart|Canadatopsingles|1|chartid=0268|rowheader=true|access-date=14 February 2021|refname=live}} |
| scope="row"|France (IFOP){{cite web|title=Tous les Titres de l'Artiste choisi
|language=FR|website=infodisc.fr|url=http://www.infodisc.fr/Tubes_Artistes_S.php|access-date=14 February 2021}} Select SUPERTRAMP from the artist drop-down menu and then click OK. |style="text-align:center;"|44 |
| {{Single chart|Dutch100|31|artist=Supertramp|song=Dreamer (Live Version)|rowheader=true|access-date=14 February 2021}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardhot100|15|artist=Supertramp|rowheader=true|access-date=14 February 2021}} |
References
{{notelist-ua}}
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{discogs master|master=25471|name=Dreamer|type=single}}
- [http://www.rogerhodgson.com/lyrics/cldreamer.html "Dreamer" Lyrics - Roger Hodgson Official Website]
{{Roger Hodgson}}
{{Supertramp}}
{{authority control}}
Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Category:Songs written by Rick Davies
Category:Songs written by Roger Hodgson