Dream of Life

Dream of Life
Dream of Life
Studio album by Patti Smith
Released	June 1988
Recorded	1987
Studio	Hit Factory (New York City); A&M (Los Angeles);
Genre	Art punk
Length	42:01
Label	Arista
Producer	Fred Smith, Jimmy Iovine
Patti Smith chronology
Singles from Dream of Life
	"People Have the Power"; Released: 1988; "Looking for You (I Was)"; Released: 1988; "Up There Down There"; Released: 1988;

Last updated May 04, 2025

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"

Problems playing this file? See media help.

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
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Chicago Sun-Times	^[3]
Chicago Tribune	^[4]
Los Angeles Times	^[5]
Mojo	^[6]
NME	6/10^[7]
The Philadelphia Inquirer	^[8]
Rolling Stone	^[9]
Spin	^[10]
The Village Voice	A−^[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.	Title	Length
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.	Title	Length
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.	Title	Length
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

Patti Smith – vocals
Fred "Sonic" Smith – guitar, production
Jay Dee Daugherty – drums, keyboards, consultant
Richard Sohl – keyboards

Additional personnel

Andi Ostrowe – backing vocals
Bob Glaub – bass on "Going Under"
Errol "Crusher" Bennett – percussion on "Looking for You (I Was)"
Gary Rasmussen – bass
Hearn Gadbois – percussion
Jesse Levy – cello on "The Jackson Song"
Kasim Sulton – bass
Malcolm West – bass on "The Jackson Song"
Margaret Ross – harp on "The Jackson Song"
Robin Nash – backing vocals on "Going Under"
Sammy Figueroa – percussion

Technical

Scott Litt – associate producer, mixing, assistant producer
Thom Panunzio, Kevin Killen, Jay Healy, Jim Michewicz, Brian Sperber – engineer
Robert De La Garza, Roger Talkov, Rob Jacobs, Rich Travali, Marc DeSisto, Dave McNair, Bill Dooley – assistant engineer
Shelly Yakus – mixing
Bob Ludwig, Vic Anesini – mastering
Maude Gilman – design
Robert Mapplethorpe – photography

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

↑ "the Patti Smith Setlists" . Retrieved 2020-08-08.
↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Dream of Life – Patti Smith". AllMusic . Retrieved June 28, 2011.
↑ 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.
↑ Kot, Greg (June 17, 1996). "Back For More". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved November 18, 2021.
↑ Cromelin, Richard (July 10, 1988). "Smith's 'Dream': Strong, Simple, Spruced Up". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved November 18, 2021.
↑ Aston, Martin (October 2015). "Dancing with Ghosts". Mojo . No. 263. p. 83.
↑ Solanas, Jane (July 9, 1988). "Dreamtime". NME . p. 33.
↑ Moon, Tom (July 24, 1988). "Patti Smith issues bold statements". The Philadelphia Inquirer .
↑ Palmer, Robert (August 25, 1988). "Dream of Life". Rolling Stone . Retrieved November 18, 2021.
↑ Marchese, David (September 2008). "Discography: Patti Smith". Spin . Vol. 24, no. 9. p. 108. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
↑ Christgau, Robert (August 30, 1988). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved June 4, 2017.
↑ "The 1988 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice . February 28, 1989. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
↑ "Sounds Top 50 Albums". Sounds . December 24–31, 1988. p. 53. Archived from the original on February 16, 2006. Retrieved June 29, 2008.
↑ "European charts" . Retrieved 2008-02-29.
↑ "Billboard chart". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-02-29.

External links

Dream of Life at AllMusic

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[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. Archived from the original on February 16, 2006. Retrieved June 29, 2008.

[14] "European charts" . Retrieved 2008-02-29.

[15] "Billboard chart". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-02-29.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

v t e Patti Smith
Studio albums	Horses Radio Ethiopia Easter Wave Dream of Life Gone Again Peace and Noise Gung Ho Trampin' Twelve Banga
Live albums	Horses/Horses The Coral Sea
Compilations	The Patti Smith Masters Land (1975–2002) iTunes Originals Outside Society
EPs	Hey Joe / Radio Ethiopia Set Free
Singles	"Hey Joe" "Gloria" "Pissing in a River" "Pumping (My Heart)" "Ask the Angels" "Because the Night" "Privilege (Set Me Free)" "Frederick" "Dancing Barefoot" "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" "People Have the Power" "Up There Down There" "Summer Cannibals" "E-Bow the Letter" "Gimme Shelter"
Promotional singles	"1959" "Glitter in Their Eyes" "When Doves Cry"
Other songs	"Piss Factory" "Redondo Beach" "Free Money" "Rock N Roll Nigger"
Books	Seventh Heaven Early Morning Dream Witt Ha! Ha! Houdini! Babel Woolgathering Early Work The Coral Sea Patti Smith Complete Strange Messenger Auguries of Innocence Just Kids M Train Devotion Year of the Monkey
Band members	Lenny Kaye Jay Dee Daugherty Ivan Král Richard Sohl
Related articles	Discography Patti Smith: Dream of Life Cowboy Mouth Fred "Sonic" Smith Robert Mapplethorpe 50 Photographs