"Dreaming" is a song by American new wave band Blondie. Released in 1979, it was the lead single from their fourth album Eat to the Beat. Written by guitarist Chris Stein and singer Debbie Harry, the song features music inspired by ABBA and an active performance by drummer Clem Burke. "Dreaming" was released as a single in September 1979, reaching number two on the UK singles chart and number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song has since become one of Blondie's most famous tracks, appearing on several compilation albums and becoming a mainstay of the band's live setlist.
Background
The lyrics for "Dreaming" originated from the line "dreaming is free", which band member Chris Stein thought of. After hearing the music for the song that Stein wrote, Debbie Harry wrote the rest of the lyrics. Harry explained the process of writing the lyrics in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, saying "Sometimes Chris will come up with a track or a feel and pass it on to me, and he'll say, 'I was thinking 'Dreaming/Dreaming is free',' and then I'll fill it out with a story line or some more phrases. A lot of times it's the rhythm track that suggests what the lyric is going to be. I like working like that." Musically, "Dreaming" is a fast-paced new wave song. Stein has since claimed that "Dreaming" is "pretty much a cop" of "Dancing Queen" by ABBA; he continued, "I don't know if that was where we started, or if it ended just happening to sound like that." Michael Gallucci of Ultimate Classic Rock said the song "tak a cue from Phil Spector's Wall of Sound." Billboard Magazine described "Dreaming" as a "driving rocker that moves with rollercoaster intensity" and described Harry's lead vocals as "mesmerizing." According to the band's keyboardist Jimmy Destri, the song, like many from the Eat to the Beat album, was recorded live in the studio. The song also features a frantic drum performance written by drummer Clem Burke. Burke said of his drumming on the song:
Release
The song was released on September 14, 1979 as the first single from Eat to the Beat. While the US release of the single had "Living in the Real World" as the B-side, the British version used "Sound-A-Sleep" instead. Both of those songs likewise feature on Eat to the Beat. A music video was produced to promote the single featuring Debbie Harry wearing a solid blue unitard and matching sheer blouse designed by Stephen Sprouse. "Dreaming" was most successful as a single in the UK, peaking at number two on the singles chart. Burke later expressed disappointment at the song's inability to reach number one in Britain unlike other Blondie singles, saying, "English audiences are notoriously fickle. They go off on people after a while. It's been done before. We're so spoiled by having all those number ones." The single was also successful in Ireland as well as in Canada, reaching number three and number four respectively. In the US, it peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Blondie's third Top 40 hit there and "One Way or Another". Clem Burke attributed the song's relatively lower chart position to his drumming, saying "I always say 'Dreaming' would have been a bigger hit had I not played like that. It was Top 40, but it was never a huge hit." "Dreaming" has since been featured on multiple compilation albums, such as The Best of Blondie, ', ', and Greatest Hits Deluxe Redux. Blondie re-recorded the song for the 2014 compilation albumGreatest Hits Deluxe Redux. In 2019 "Dreaming" was used as the opening credits theme song for the third and final season of the HBO drama The Deuce.
Live performances
"Dreaming" has become a staple of Blondie's live performances, being performed for a time as the second track in the band's setlist. Blondie notably performed the song live on Saturday Night Live in 1979, a performance that ended with Burke jumping over his drumset toward the camera. Burke later described the video of the performance as "awesome". Lead singer Debbie Harry performed a version of the song with the Dum Dum Girls at South by Southwest in 2014. Josh Terry of Consequence of Sound described the rendition as "woozy" and "upbeat".
Cover versions
American rock bandGreen Day released a cover of "Dreaming" on May 22, 2020. The music video features the band reminiscing of days gone by, featuring footage from previous tours of the band on the road and performing live.
