The River of Dreams

Last updated

"The River of Dreams"
RiverofDreams (single).jpg
Single by Billy Joel
from the album River of Dreams
B-side "The Great Wall of China"
ReleasedJuly 19, 1993 (1993-07-19) [1]
Genre
Length
  • 4:05(album/single version)
  • 5:21 (extended version)
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Billy Joel
Producer(s) Joe Nicolo, Danny Kortchmar
Billy Joel singles chronology
"All Shook Up"
(1992)		"The River of Dreams"
(1993)		"No Man's Land"
(1993)
Music video
"The River of Dreams" on YouTube

"The River of Dreams" is a song by American musician Billy Joel. It is the title track and first single from his twelfth album, River of Dreams (1993). It was released in July 1993 by Columbia Records and became a hit, peaking at number three on the US and UK charts, making it Joel's best-charting single of the decade as well as his final top ten in either country to date. It also hit the top spot in Australia, New Zealand, and on the Canadian and US Adult Contemporary charts. The song was produced by Joe Nicolo and Danny Kortchmar. Its accompanying music video was directed by Andy Morahan and filmed in Connecticut, the US.

Contents

At least four versions of the song have been recorded and released. Two versions (released years later) include a bridge section containing a piano interlude paralleling Joel's melody from his song "Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)," which is from the same album. These versions can be found on the boxed sets My Lives and Complete Hits Collection: 1973–1999 – but even these versions differ from each other, both in length and in arrangement: one, for instance, has more percussion. A fourth mix appears as a bonus cut on the UK CD single of "River of Dreams" — the "percapella mix" done by Nicolo.

"The River of Dreams" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1994, but lost out to "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston. Joel performed the song at the ceremony, and abruptly stopped in the middle of his performance in order to verbally protest Frank Sinatra's lifetime achievement speech being cut off earlier in the night. [3]

In 1993, Gary Zimmerman, a songwriter from Long Island, New York, attempted to sue Joel for ten million dollars, claiming more than half of "The River of Dreams" was based on his 1986 song "Nowhere Land." [4] Joel said he had no knowledge of Zimmerman or his music, and Zimmerman dropped the lawsuit in 1994. [5]

Production

The song borrows from the traditions of black gospel music and spirituals. The production includes a gospel choir and the lyrics deal with inner peace and the afterlife. Joel sings "Not sure about a life after this. God knows I've never been a spiritual man," while stating that at night he walks along "The River of Dreams" so he can "find what he's been looking for." At 3 minutes 45 seconds, Joel can be heard singing The Cadillacs' version of "Gloria" as the music fades out.[ citation needed ]

Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Two ancient vocal genres meet each other in a modern rhythmic context, when Joel's doowop falsetto gets wrapped up in the sound of gospel backup singers." [6] Alan Jones from Music Week gave the song three out of five, describing it as "a simple and immediate song wherein his vocals are echoed by a choir who imbue the song with spiritual qualities." He added, "A lot of fun, highly infectious and a hit." [7]

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by British commercial, film and music video director Andy Morahan. [8] The ferry featured is the Rocky Hill – Glastonbury Ferry in Connecticut.[ citation needed ] The video was shot on the Providence & Worcester railroad bridge spanning the Connecticut River in the city of Middletown, Connecticut. Joel and three backup singers appear throughout the video standing on the western span of the bridge, with the open center section of the bridge behind them. Other locations that were filmed in the music video are near Portland, East Haddam, and Old Saybrook, Connecticut. The scenes inside the tobacco barn with Joel on the piano were filmed inside a still-used tobacco barn in South Glastonbury, Connecticut.[ citation needed ]

Joel's then-wife Christie Brinkley can be seen painting the artwork that features on the front cover of the album River of Dreams.[ citation needed ] She is the illustrator who painted the actual album artwork, and each single released from the album featured one part of the large painting as cover art.[ citation needed ]

Track listings

All songs were written by Billy Joel.

  1. "The River of Dreams"
  2. "The River of Dreams" (Percapella mix)
  3. "The Great Wall of China"
  1. "The River of Dreams" – 4:07
  2. "No Man's Land" – 4:49

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "The River of Dreams"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [54] Platinum70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria) [55] Gold25,000*
France (SNEP) [56] Gold250,000*
Germany (BVMI) [57] Gold250,000^
Japan—220,000 [58]
New Zealand (RMNZ) [59] Platinum10,000*
United Kingdom (BPI) [60] Silver200,000‡
United States (RIAA) [61] Gold500,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We Didn't Start the Fire</span> 1989 single by Billy Joel

"We Didn't Start the Fire" is a song written and published by American musician Billy Joel. The song was released as a single on September 18, 1989, and later released as part of Joel's album Storm Front on October 17, 1989. A list song, its fast-paced lyrics include brief references to 119 significant political, cultural, scientific, and sporting events between 1948 and 1989, in mainly chronological order.

<i>River of Dreams</i> 1993 studio album by Billy Joel

River of Dreams is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on August 10, 1993. River of Dreams presented a more serious tone than found in Joel's previous albums, dealing with issues such as trust and long-lasting love. It was rumored that the themes of trust and betrayal, particularly certain lyrics from the songs "A Minor Variation" and "The Great Wall of China", stem from Joel's legal disputes with his former manager and ex-brother-in-law, Frank Weber, who reportedly embezzled millions of dollars from Joel and used dubious accounting practices to cover it up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disarm</span> 1994 single by The Smashing Pumpkins

"Disarm" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, written by vocalist and guitarist Billy Corgan. It was the third single from their second album, Siamese Dream (1993), and became a top-20 hit in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uptown Girl</span> 1983 single by Billy Joel

"Uptown Girl" is a song written and performed by American musician Billy Joel from his ninth studio album An Innocent Man (1983), released in September 1983 as the album's second single. The lyrics describe a working-class "downtown man" attempting to woo a wealthy "uptown girl". The 12" EP has the tracks "My Life", "Just the Way You Are" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me", whereas some 7" single versions featured "Careless Talk" as a B-side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiss from a Rose</span> 1994 single by Seal

"Kiss from a Rose" is a song from British singer-songwriter Seal's second eponymous album (1994). The song was first released as a single in July 1994 by ZTT, Sire and Warner Bros., and included in the film The NeverEnding Story III that year. It was re-released a year later in 1995 as part of the Batman Forever film soundtrack, helping it top the charts in the United States and Australia. The song also reached the top 10 in several other countries, including Canada, France, Iceland and Norway. At the 1996 Grammy Awards, it won awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Achy Breaky Heart</span> Single by Billy Ray Cyrus

"Achy Breaky Heart" is a song written in 1990 by Don Von Tress. First released in 1991 by the Marcy Brothers with the title "Don't Tell My Heart", it was later recorded by American singer and actor Billy Ray Cyrus and released on his debut album, Some Gave All (1992). The song is Cyrus's debut single and signature song. It became the first single ever to achieve triple platinum status in Australia and also 1992's best-selling single in the same country. In the United States, it became a crossover hit on pop and country radio, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Hot Country Songs chart, becoming the first country single to be certified platinum since "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton in 1983. The single topped in several countries, and after being featured on Top of the Pops in the United Kingdom, peaked at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. It was Cyrus's biggest hit single in the U.S. until he was featured on "Old Town Road" by rapper Lil Nas X, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 27 years later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Every Woman</span> 1978 single by Chaka Khan

"I'm Every Woman" is a song by American singer Chaka Khan, released in September 1978 by Warner Bros. as her debut solo single from her first album, Chaka (1978). It was Khan's first hit outside her recordings with the funk band Rufus. "I'm Every Woman" was produced by Arif Mardin and written by the successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. The single established Chaka's career outside the group Rufus, whom she would leave after their eighth studio album, Masterjam, was released in late 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessie (song)</span> 1993 single by Joshua Kadison

"Jessie" is a song by American singer-songwriter Joshua Kadison, released in April 1993 by SBK as the debut and lead single from the singer's first album, Painted Desert Serenade (1993). The song did not become a hit in continental Europe until 1994 and in the United Kingdom until 1995. "Jessie" became a top-10 hit in Austria, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The song's music video was directed by Piers Plowden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Life (Billy Joel song)</span> 1978 single by Billy Joel

"My Life" is a song by Billy Joel that first appeared on his 1978 album 52nd Street. A single version was released in the fall of 1978 and reached No. 2 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart. Early the next year, it peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Swear</span> 1993 single by John Michael Montgomery

"I Swear" is a song written by Gary Baker and Frank J. Myers that became a hit for American country music artist John Michael Montgomery in 1993, and for American R&B group All-4-One in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Ray Cyrus discography</span> Cataloging of published recordings by Billy Ray Cyrus

Billy Ray Cyrus is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist. He has released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992, and is best known for his debut single "Achy Breaky Heart". 32 of his singles have charted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart between 1992 and 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cryin'</span> 1993 single by Aerosmith

"Cryin'" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Taylor Rhodes, and was released by Geffen Records on June 29, 1993, as the second US single from their 11th studio album, Get a Grip (1993). The single reached number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100, ending the year at number 60 overall. The song is one of their most successful hits in Europe, reaching number one in Norway, number three in Iceland, Portugal, and Sweden, and number 17 on the UK Singles Chart. The song went Gold in the United States for selling over 500,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Joel discography</span>

This is the discography of American singer-songwriter Billy Joel. He has released 13 studio albums, seven live albums, 18 compilation albums, 10 video albums, 82 singles, three promotional singles and 45 music videos. Throughout his career, he has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists in history. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Joel has sold 85 million certified albums in the United States, making him the 4th best-selling solo artist of all time. Billboard ranked him as the 9th Greatest male soloist of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car</span> 1988 single by Billy Ocean

"Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" is a song by the Trinidadian-British singer Billy Ocean, based on a line in the Sherman Brothers' song "You're Sixteen". It was released as the first single from Ocean's seventh studio album Tear Down These Walls (1988). Part of its popularity lay in its cutting-edge music video, which features animation mixed with live-action sequences. The saxophone solo is performed by Vernon Jeffrey Smith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C'est la Vie (Robbie Nevil song)</span> 1986 single by Robbie Nevil

"C'est la Vie" is a song by American singer-songwriter Robbie Nevil, from his self-titled debut album in 1986. The song was first recorded by gospel singer Beau Williams for his album Bodacious! (1984).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All About Soul</span> 1993 single by Billy Joel

"All About Soul" is a song by American musician Billy Joel, released in October 1993 by Columbia as the third single from his 12th studio album, River of Dreams. The single was produced by Danny Kortchmar and Joe Nicolo and features backing vocals by Color Me Badd. The song peaked at No. 29 in the United States and No. 32 in the United Kingdom, becoming his final top-40 single in either country. The compilation box set My Lives contains an unfinished demo version of "All About Soul" called "Motorcycle Song".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suddenly (Billy Ocean song)</span> 1985 song by Billy Ocean

"Suddenly" is a song from 1985 co-written and performed by UK-based singer Billy Ocean. Co-written and produced by Keith Diamond, it is the title track to Ocean's 1984 breakthrough album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Man's Land (Billy Joel song)</span> 1993 single by Billy Joel

"No Man's Land" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel. It was released as the second single and opening track from his 1993 album River of Dreams. The song is about the growth of suburbia and its negative environmental and social aspects. It was performed by Joel on the premiere episode of Late Show with David Letterman on August 30, 1993. The song peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What You Won't Do for Love (song)</span> 1978 single by Bobby Caldwell

"What You Won't Do for Love" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bobby Caldwell. It was released in September 1978 as the lead single from his eponymous debut album (1978). It was written by Caldwell and Alfons Kettner, and produced by Ann Holloway. The song has been covered and sampled numerous times, including by Tupac Shakur in the posthumous 1998 hit "Do for Love".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Gotta Love Someone</span> 1990 single by Elton John

"You Gotta Love Someone" is a song by English musician Elton John, written by John along with Bernie Taupin and released as a single from the Days of Thunder soundtrack in October 1990. The single was also used to promote the Rocket Records 2-CD retrospective The Very Best of Elton John, issued largely in overseas markets excluding the United States, where the more expansive box set To Be Continued... was issued.

References

  1. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . July 17, 1993. p. 19.
  2. 1 2 Molanphy, Chris (April 30, 2020). "Still Billy Joel to Me Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate . Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  3. ↑ Harrington, Richard (March 2, 1994). "THE GRAMMY WHAMMY". Washington Post. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Songwriter Says He Lit Creative Fire Under Joel – Deseret News". Deseret News . August 12, 1993.
  5. ↑ "Songwriter Drops Fruitless Suit Against Billy Joel". Deseret News. August 27, 1994.
  6. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 30. July 24, 1993. p. 13. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  7. ↑ Jones, Alan (July 31, 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week . p. 26. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  8. ↑ Garcia, Alex S. "mvdbase.com – Billy Joel – "The river of dreams"". Music Video DataBase. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  9. ↑ The River of Dreams (UK CD single liner notes). Billy Joel. Columbia Records. 1993. 659543 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ↑ The River of Dreams (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Billy Joel. Sony Records. 1993. SRDS 8258.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ↑ Discogs – Zachary Alford – (profile & discography)
  12. ↑ "Billy Joel – The River of Dreams". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Billy Joel – The River of Dreams" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Billy Joel – The River of Dreams" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2270." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2237." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 40. October 2, 1993. p. 14. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 49. December 4, 1993. p. 11. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  19. ↑ "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 35. August 28, 1993. p. 26. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Billy Joel – The River of Dreams" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Billy Joel – The River of Dreams" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (19. – 25. apríl)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). August 19, 1993. p. 20. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  23. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The River of Dreams". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  24. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved May 31, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Billy Joel".
  25. ↑ "Oricon Singles Chart". Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  26. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 42, 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  27. ↑ "Billy Joel – The River of Dreams" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Billy Joel – The River of Dreams". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Billy Joel – The River of Dreams". VG-lista. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  30. ↑ "Billy Joel – The River of Dreams". Singles Top 100. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  31. ↑ "Billy Joel – The River of Dreams". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  33. ↑ "Billy Joel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  34. ↑ "Billy Joel Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  35. ↑ "Billy Joel Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  36. ↑ "Cashbox Top 100: October 23, 1993". cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  37. ↑
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  38. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1993". ARIA . Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  39. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1993" (in German). Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  40. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1993" (in Dutch). Ultratop . Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  41. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM . Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  42. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM . Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  43. ↑ "1993 Year-End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 51/52. December 18, 1993. p. 15. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  44. ↑ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1993" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  45. ↑ "Árslistinn 1993". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 4, 1994. p. 16. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  46. ↑ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1993". Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  47. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1993" (in Dutch). MegaCharts . Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  48. ↑ "End Of Year Charts 1993". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  49. ↑ "Swiss Year-End Charts 1993" (in German). Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  50. ↑ "Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week . January 15, 1994. p. 24.
  51. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  52. ↑ "The Year in Music 1993" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 52. December 25, 1993. p. YE-46. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  53. ↑ "1994 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. December 24, 1994. p. YE-68. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  54. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988 – 2010. Mount Martha, Melbourne, Victoria: Moonlight Publishing.
  55. ↑ "Austrian single certifications – Billy Joel – The River of Dreams" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  56. ↑ "French single certifications – Billy Joel – River of Dream" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  57. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Billy Joel; 'The River of Dreams')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  58. ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970 – 2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  59. ↑ Scapolo, Dean (2007). The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966 – 2006. Maurienne House. ISBN   978-1-877443-00-8.
  60. ↑ "British single certifications – Billy Joel – The River of Dreams". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  61. ↑ "American single certifications – Billy Joel – The River of Dreams". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved November 20, 2021.
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.