Dream of Life

Dream of Life is the fifth studio album by Patti Smith, released in June 1988 on Arista Records. It was her first album after the dissolution of The Patti Smith Group. 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 [10] March 17, 1990. "Paths That Cross" is dedicated to the memory of Samuel J. Wagstaff. The cover photograph is by Robert Mapplethorpe.

Dream of Life
Studio album by Patti Smith
Released	June 1988
Recorded	1987
Studio	The Hit Factory, New York City; A&M Studios, Los Angeles
Genre	Rock
Length	42:01
Label	Arista
Producer	Fred Smith, Jimmy Iovine
Patti Smith chronology
Wave (1979) Dream of Life (1988) Gone Again (1996)
Singles from Dream of Life
"People Have the Power" Released: 1988 "Looking for You (I Was)" Released: 1988 "Up There Down There" Released: 1988

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Chicago Sun-Times	[2]
Chicago Tribune	[3]
Los Angeles Times	[4]
The Philadelphia Inquirer	[5]
Rolling Stone	[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[7]
Spin	[8]
The Village Voice	A−[9]

The album was ranked number 49 on Sounds magazine list of the best albums of the year.[11]

Track listing

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

Side one

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 two

1. "Dream of Life" – 4:38
2. "Where Duty Calls" – 7:46
3. "Looking for You (I Was)" – 4:04
4. "The Jackson Song" – 5:24

CD reissue

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
• Bill-Dog Dooley – assistant engineer
• Bob Glaub – bass on "Going Under"
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• Brian Sperber – engineering
• Errol "Crusher" Bennett – percussion on "Looking for You (I Was)"
• Dave McNair – assistant engineer
• Gary Rasmussen – bass
• Hearn Gadbois – percussion
• Jay Healey – engineering
• Jesse Levy – cello on "The Jackson Song"
• Jim Michewicz – engineering
• Kasim Sulton – bass
• Kevin Killen – engineering
• Malcolm West – bass on "The Jackson Song"
• Marc DeSisto – assistant engineer
• Margaret Ross – harp on "The Jackson Song"
• Maude Gilman – design
• Richard Travali – assistant engineer
• Rob Jacobs – assistant engineer
• Robert DeLaGarza – assistant engineer
• Robert Mapplethorpe – photography
• Robin Nash – backing vocals on "Going Under"
• Roger Talkov – assistant engineer
• Sammy Figueroa – percussion
• Scott Litt – associate producer, mixing, assistant producer
• Shelly Yakus – mixing
• Thom Panunzio – engineering
• Vic Anesini – mastering

Charts

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Austria	26
Netherlands	47
Norway	9
Sweden[12]	15
Switzerland	9
UK Albums Chart	70
U.S. Billboard 200[13]	65

Release history

Date	Label	Format	Catalog
June 1988	Arista Records	LP	AL-8453
1996	Arista Records	CD
2007	Sony BMG	CD	37931
2008	Sony BMG	CD 'Original Album Classics' box set	88697313832

Notes

1. Ruhlmann, William. "Dream of Life – Patti Smith". AllMusic. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
2. 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.
3. Kot, Greg (June 17, 1996). "Back For More". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
4. Cromelin, Richard (July 10, 1988). "Smith's 'Dream': Strong, Simple, Spruced Up". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
5. Moon, Tom (July 24, 1988). "Patti Smith issues bold statements". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
6. Palmer, Robert (August 25, 1988). "Dream of Life". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
7. Abowitz, Richard (2004). "Patti Smith". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 751–52. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
8. Marchese, David (September 2008). "Discography: Patti Smith". Spin. Vol. 24 no. 9. p. 108. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
9. Christgau, Robert (August 30, 1988). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
10. "the Patti Smith Setlists". Retrieved 2020-08-08.
11. "Sounds Lists". Retrieved 2008-06-29.
12. "European charts". Retrieved 2008-02-29.
13. "Billboard chart". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-02-29.

External links

• Dream of Life at AllMusic