Dream Lover
Encyclopedia
"Dream Lover" is a song written and recorded by Bobby Darin
on March 5, 1959. It was produced by Ahmet Ertegun
and Jerry Wexler
and engineered by Tom Dowd
. It is considered a soulful rock song. The song became a multi-million seller, reaching #2 in US charts and was #1 in UK for three weeks during July 1959. It was released as a single on Atco Records
in 1959. In addition to Darin's vocal, the song features Neil Sedaka
on piano. A picture sleeve was also issued for this record.
The song is featured in the movie "Hot Shots!
" starring Charlie Sheen
. It is played during a scene in which Sheen's character performs several stunts on a motorcycle
, trying to impress a girl. Darin's recording is also played, in full, during the end credits.
The song was also used in Michael Apted
's movie "Stardust
" (1974) and Barry Levinson's debut film "Diner
" (1982).
Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin , born Walden Robert Cassotto, was an American singer, actor and musician.Darin performed in a range of music genres, including pop, rock, jazz, folk and country...
on March 5, 1959. It was produced by Ahmet Ertegun
Ahmet Ertegun
Ahmet Ertegün was a Turkish American musician and businessman, best known as the founder and president of Atlantic Records. He also wrote classic blues and pop songs and served as Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum...
and Jerry Wexler
Jerry Wexler
Gerald "Jerry" Wexler was a music journalist turned music producer, and was regarded as one of the major record industry players behind music from the 1950s through the 1980s...
and engineered by Tom Dowd
Tom Dowd
Tom Dowd was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. He was credited with innovating the multi-track recording method. Dowd worked on a virtual "who's who" of recordings that encompassed blues, jazz, pop, rock and soul records.- Early years :Born in Manhattan, Dowd grew...
. It is considered a soulful rock song. The song became a multi-million seller, reaching #2 in US charts and was #1 in UK for three weeks during July 1959. It was released as a single on Atco Records
Atco Records
ATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
in 1959. In addition to Darin's vocal, the song features Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka is an American pop/rock singer, pianist, and composer. His career has spanned nearly 55 years, during which time he has sold millions of records as an artist and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard...
on piano. A picture sleeve was also issued for this record.
The song is featured in the movie "Hot Shots!
Hot Shots!
Hot Shots! is a 1991 comedy spoof film starring Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Valeria Golino, Lloyd Bridges, Kevin Dunn, Jon Cryer and Ryan Stiles . It was directed by Jim Abrahams, co-director of Airplane! , and was written by Abrahams and Pat Proft...
" starring Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
. It is played during a scene in which Sheen's character performs several stunts on a motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
, trying to impress a girl. Darin's recording is also played, in full, during the end credits.
The song was also used in Michael Apted
Michael Apted
Michael David Apted, CMG is an English director, producer, writer and actor. He is one of the most prolific British film directors of his generation but is best known for his work on the Up Series of documentaries and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.On 29 June 2003 he was elected...
's movie "Stardust
Stardust (1974 film)
Stardust is a 1974 British film directed by Michael Apted and starring David Essex and Adam Faith. The film is the sequel to the 1973 film That'll Be The Day...
" (1974) and Barry Levinson's debut film "Diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
" (1982).
Covers
- The song was recorded by Johnny BurnetteJohnny BurnetteJohn Joseph "Johnny" Burnette was an American rockabilly musician. Along with his older brother Dorsey Burnette, and also a friend named Paul Burlison, Burnette was a founding member of The Rock and Roll Trio. He was the father of 1980s rockabilly singer Rocky Burnette.-Early life:Johnny Burnette...
(1961) - The song was recorded by Ben E. King on Ben E. King Sings for Soulful Lovers (1962)
- The song was recorded by the Paris SistersThe Paris SistersThe Paris Sisters were a 1960s girl group from San Francisco, best known for their work with producer Phil Spector. The group consisted of lead singer Priscilla Paris; her older sister, Albeth Paris; and their middle sister Sherrell Paris...
, an American "girl group", circa 1964. Their version can be heard as the background song of the 1965 experimental short film, "Kustom Kar Kommandos," produced and directed by Kenneth AngerKenneth AngerKenneth Anger is an American underground experimental filmmaker, occasional actor and author...
, in which a young man dreamily hand-dusts his beautiful customized automobile while the music plays. - The song was recorded by Billy "Crash" Craddock in 19711971 in country musicThis is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1971.-No dates:*Seeking younger, more urban viewers, CBS cancels nearly all of its rural-themed programming...
on the CartwheelCartwheel RecordsCartwheel Records was a record label located in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was responsible for the start of the country music career of Billy "Crash" Craddock. He had his first #1 country hit on the label with Knock Three Times.-Artists:...
label and became a country hit. - The song was recorded by the punk band PlasmaticsPlasmaticsThe Plasmatics were an American heavy metal and punk band formed by Yale University art school graduate Rod Swenson with Wendy O. Williams. The band was a controversial group known for wild live shows that broke countless taboos...
in 1979. - The song was recorded by Glen CampbellGlen CampbellGlen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
and Tanya TuckerTanya TuckerTanya Denise Tucker is a female American country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13...
in 19801980 in country musicThis is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1980.- Events :* January 25 — At age 84, octogenerian comedian George Burns becomes by far the oldest performer to have a single in the top 40 of Billboards Hot Country Singles chart with "I Wish I Was 18 Again." The...
. - "Dream Lover" was recorded by Glenn ShorrockGlenn ShorrockGlenn Barrie Shorrock is an English-born Australian singer-songwriter. He was a founding member of pop groups The Twilights, Axiom and Little River Band as well as being a solo performer....
, former lead singer of Australian super group Little River Band, in 1979. - The song was recorded by Ricky NelsonRicky NelsonEric Hilliard Nelson , better known as Ricky Nelson or Rick Nelson, was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor...
in 1978 and performed by him on SNL in 1979 and later re-released in 1986. - The song was recorded by The Manhattan TransferThe Manhattan TransferThe Manhattan Transfer is an American vocal music group. There have been two manifestations of the group, with Tim Hauser being the only person to be part of both...
and was performed with guest artist James TaylorJames TaylorJames Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
on their 1995 album Tonin'Tonin'Tonin' is a studio album released by The Manhattan Transfer on the Atlantic Records label in 1995. The term "tonin'" is associated with the vocal groups of the 1950s and 1960's. The songs on this album are favorites of the The Manhattan Transfer's from that era...
. - The song was recorded by The Misfits on the Project 1950Project 1950-Chart positions:-Bonus DVD:# "This Magic Moment"# "Dream Lover"# "Diana"# "Donna"# "Runaway"*Tracks 1-4, recorded at the Phillips US Open Snowboarding Championships*Track 5, recorded live, at The World in NYCBonus Material...
album. - The song was recorded by British singer-songwriter Marc AlmondMarc AlmondMarc Almond is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who originally found fame as half of the seminal synthpop/New Wave duo Soft Cell...
on his 2007 album Stardom Road. - Australian singer Jason DonovanJason DonovanJason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
recorded the song for his album "Let It Be MeLet It Be Me (album)Let It Be Me is the fourth studio album by the Australian singer Jason Donovan. It was released in November 2008, and was Donovan's first new studio album in 15 years. It reached no.28 in the UK....
" (2008). - The song was recorded by Dion & the Belmonts.
- The song is the last track on Don McLeanDon McLeanDonald "Don" McLean is an American singer-songwriter. He is most famous for the 1971 album American Pie, containing the renowned songs "American Pie" and "Vincent".-Musical roots:...
's BelieversBelievers (album)Believers is a studio album by American singer-songwriter Don McLean, released in 1981.-Track listing:All tracks composed by Don McLean, except where indicated.#"Castles in the Air"#"Isn't It Strange"#"Left for Dead on the Road of Love"#"Believers"...
album, recorded in 19811981 in musicSee also:* Timeline of musical eventsThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981.-January–April:*January 10 – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith.*January 24 –...
. - The song was recorded by Horace AndyHorace AndyHorace Andy is a roots reggae songwriter and singer, known for his distinctive vocals and hit songs such as "Government Land", "Angel", "Five Man Army" and a cover version of "Ain't No Sunshine"....
. - The song was recorded by Daniel JohnstonDaniel JohnstonDaniel Dale Johnston is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and artist. Johnston was the subject of the 2006 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston. He currently lives in Waller, Texas....
. - The song was recorded in 2008 by Australian singer AlfioAlfioAlfio is an Italian-Australian singer-songwriter, musician, and composer. He began singing at a very early age and started singing professionally at the age of 17, concentrating on recorded music and concerts so far...
for his album Classic Rewinds - The song was recorded by Daniel O'Donnell in his album Teenage Dreams
- This song was recorded by The DollyrotsThe DollyrotsThe Dollyrots are an American pop punk band composed of Kelly Ogden and Luis Cabezas . They have released three studio albums and are currently signed to the Blackheart Records label.-Formation:...
for their for their August 2010 album A Little Messed Up - This song was recorded by John LennonJohn LennonJohn 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 1980. This song was combined together with the song "Stay" written by Larry WilliamsLarry WilliamsLarry Williams was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana...
. However, its only release is on The Complete Lost Lennon Tapes. - The song was used in the off-Broadway musical, "The Marvelous Wonderettes", a revue of 50's and 60's songs. It was performed as a medley with "All I have to do is Dream."