Dream of Life

This article is about the album by Patti Smith. For the documentary about her, see Patti Smith: Dream of Life.
Dream of Life
Studio album by
Patti Smith
ReleasedJune 1988 (1988-06)
Recorded1987
Studio
GenreArt punk
Length42:01
LabelArista
ProducerFred Smith, Jimmy Iovine
Patti Smith chronology
Wave
(1979) 		Dream of Life
(1988) 		Gone Again
(1996)
Singles from Dream of Life
  1. "People Have the Power"
    Released: 1988
  2. "Looking for You (I Was)"
    Released: 1988
  3. "Up There Down There"
    Released: 1988

Dream of Life is the fifth studio album by Patti Smith, released in June 1988 on Arista Records.

Recording and release

"People Have the Power"
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Dream of Life was her first album after the dissolution of The Patti Smith Group, and the only album that she made with her husband Fred "Sonic" Smith. Lead single "People Have the Power" received some album-oriented rock airplay at the time, and later was revived by Michael Stipe as a theme song for the 2004 Vote for Change concerts. "People Have the Power" was performed live for the first time by Patti and Fred Smith at the Arista Records 15th Anniversary Gala at Radio City Music Hall on [1] March 17, 1990. "Paths That Cross" is dedicated to the memory of Samuel J. Wagstaff. The cover photograph is by Robert Mapplethorpe.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Chicago Sun-Times[3]
Chicago Tribune[4]
Los Angeles Times[5]
Mojo[6]
NME6/10[7]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[8]
Rolling Stone[9]
Spin[10]
The Village VoiceA−[11]

Dream of Life received generally favorable reviews from critics, who ranked the album number 31 in The Village Voice's 1988 Pazz & Jop critics' poll.[12] It was also ranked number 49 on Sounds magazine's list of the best albums of the year.[13]

Track listing

All songs were written by Patti Smith and Fred "Sonic" Smith.

Side 1
No.TitleLength
1.""People Have the Power""5:07
2.""Going Under""5:57
3.""Up There Down There""4:47
4.""Paths That Cross""4:18
Side 2
No.TitleLength
5.""Dream of Life""4:38
6.""Where Duty Calls""7:46
7.""Looking for You (I Was)""4:04
8.""The Jackson Song""5:24

CD reissue

Side 1 & 2
No.TitleLength
1.""People Have the Power""5:09
2.""Up There Down There""4:49
3.""Paths That Cross""4:19
4.""Dream of Life""4:39
5.""Where Duty Calls""7:48
6.""Going Under""6:00
7.""Looking for You (I Was)""4:06
8.""The Jackson Song""5:25
9."As the Night Goes By" (bonus track)"5:04
10.""Wild Leaves" (bonus track)"4:03

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1988) Peak
position
Austria 26
Netherlands 47
Norway 9
Sweden[14] 15
Switzerland 9
UK Albums Chart 70
U.S. Billboard 200[15] 65

References

  1. ^ "the Patti Smith Setlists". Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  2. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Dream of Life – Patti Smith". AllMusic. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  3. ^ McLeese, Don (July 18, 1988). "Nine-year sabbatical pays off for Patti Smith in new album". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on March 12, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  4. ^ Kot, Greg (June 17, 1996). "Back For More". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Cromelin, Richard (July 10, 1988). "Smith's 'Dream': Strong, Simple, Spruced Up". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  6. ^ Aston, Martin (October 2015). "Dancing with Ghosts". Mojo. No. 263. p. 83.
  7. ^ Solanas, Jane (July 9, 1988). "Dreamtime". NME. p. 33.
  8. ^ Moon, Tom (July 24, 1988). "Patti Smith issues bold statements". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  9. ^ Palmer, Robert (August 25, 1988). "Dream of Life". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  10. ^ Marchese, David (September 2008). "Discography: Patti Smith". Spin. Vol. 24, no. 9. p. 108. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  11. ^ Christgau, Robert (August 30, 1988). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  12. ^ "The 1988 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. February 28, 1989. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  13. ^ "Sounds Top 50 Albums". Sounds. December 24–31, 1988. p. 53. Retrieved June 29, 2008.
  14. ^ "European charts". Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  15. ^ "Billboard chart". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-02-29.