I Have a Dream (song)

"I Have a Dream" is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was featured on side one of the group's sixth studio album Voulez-Vous and released as a single in December 1979. It was a major hit, topping the charts in many countries and peaking at No. 2 in the UK over the Christmas week of 1979. Twenty years later, Irish pop group Westlife released a version that reached No. 1 in the UK over the Christmas week of 1999.

This article is about the ABBA song. For other songs with the same title, see I Have a Dream (disambiguation).

"I Have a Dream"
Single by ABBA
from the album Voulez-Vous
B-side
Released7 December 1979 (1979-12-07)
Recorded15 March 1979
StudioPolar, Stockholm, Sweden
GenrePop, country pop, country rock
Length4:45
LabelPolar Music
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Benny Andersson
  • Björn Ulvaeus
ABBA singles chronology
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"
(1979)		 "I Have a Dream"
(1979)		 "As Good as New"
(1979)
Music video
"I Have a Dream" on YouTube
Spanish version single cover
Spanish title: "Estoy soñando" ("I'm Dreaming")

Overview

The song was written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus circa March 1979 and was taken from the group's 1979 album, Voulez-Vous. Anni-Frid Lyngstad sang the lead vocals. It was released as a single in December 1979 with a live version of "Take a Chance on Me" as the B-side. The recording is notable for being the only ABBA song to include vocalists other than the four band members; the final chorus features a children's choir from the International School of Stockholm. In the UK, "I Have a Dream" was held off the No. 1 spot by Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall", which also features a children's choir. "I Have a Dream" is included on the ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits album as well as in the Mamma Mia! musical.

In the UK, the single was issued in a lavish gatefold sleeve, intended as a souvenir for UK fans who had attended the Wembley concerts (the live recording of "Take a Chance on Me" being from one of them). The inner gatefold made use of the pyramid/mountain/iceberg designs similar to those used in the inner sleeve of Greatest Hits Vol. 2. The inner gatefold was effectively an advert for ABBA's existing albums released in the UK, but the back cover featured a message from ABBA themselves regarding the Wembley concerts, together with their signatures. The front cover used the same live photo of ABBA as the worldwide release, but artwork and fonts were different. This was only Epic's second picture sleeve for an ABBA single.

The live version of "Take a Chance on Me" on the B-side was one of three mixes of the same recording to be issued. Released soon after the concerts, this version is thought to be the genuine recording. A very slightly extended version, featuring spoken introductions from the group, was used as the B-side in Australia. This extended version has been released internationally on the deluxe edition of ABBA: The Album. Finally, a third mix was included on ABBA Live issued in 1986.

Chart performance

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Netherlands (NVPI)[16] Gold 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[17] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Westlife version
"I Have a Dream"
Single by Westlife
from the album Westlife
A-side
Released6 December 1999 (1999-12-06)
Recorded1997
StudioPWL, London
GenreTeen pop
Length4:06
LabelBMG
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Westlife singles chronology
"Flying Without Wings"
(1999)		 "I Have a Dream"
(1999)		 "Fool Again"
(2000)
Music video
"I Have a Dream" on YouTube

Irish boy band Westlife released a cover of "I Have a Dream" in December 1999, twenty years after ABBA's original release. The song became the group's fourth UK number-one single. The release was a double A-side with "Seasons in the Sun" in UK and Ireland and "Flying Without Wings" in the Netherlands, and a triple A-side in Australia with both "Seasons in the Sun" and "Flying Without Wings" included.[18] The release became the UK's Christmas number-one single of 1999, beating Cliff Richard's charity single "The Millennium Prayer" into the No. 2 spot. Westlife's remix version of "I Have a Dream" was later included on their second studio album Coast to Coast in 2000. It then extended its peak into January 2000 and spending seventeen weeks in the UK chart.[19] The song was the 26th best-selling single of 1999 in the UK and it was also the final number one single of the 1990s.

In 2001, as part of a UNICEF fund-raising campaign, the song was re-recorded with additional vocals by Indonesian child singer, Sinna Sherina Munaf. The song has received a Platinum sales certification in the UK for over 680,000 copies sold across physical, digital, and streaming equivalent sales. It is the band's second best selling single of all-time on both paid-for and combined sales categories.[20][21]

Tours performed at

Music video

The music video for the Westlife version of "I Have a Dream" features the band exiting out of a car and into a dark street where a group of children are. The children start singing with the band members and play with toys lying nearby before the band head back to the car and drive away.

As of 2019, the video has reached 34 million views on YouTube.[22]

Track listing
  • United Kingdom. Ireland
  1. "I Have a Dream" (Single Remix) – 4:06
  2. "Seasons in the Sun" (Single Remix) – 4:10
  3. "On the Wings of Love" – 3:22
  • Australia
  1. "Flying Without Wings" - 3:35
  2. "I Have a Dream" (Remix) - 4:06
  3. "Seasons in the Sun" (Single Remix) - 4:10
  4. "Flying Without Wings" (Video) - 3:40
  • Netherlands
  1. "Flying Without Wings" - 3:35
  2. "I Have a Dream" (Remix) - 4:06

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[37] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[38] Platinum 600,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

|}

Other cover versions
  • In 1981, American country-gospel music singer, Cristy Lane recorded a cover of the song and released it as a single to the Billboard Country Chart, peaking at Number 17 that year.
  • In 1983, Greek singer Nana Mouskouri recorded a French cover of this song entitled "Chanter La Vie" for her album Quand on revient. She also recorded an English version, which was released as a single in 1986 and included on her 1990 album Alone,as well as a German version of the song, "Ich leb´im Traum" - "I live in a dream".
  • In 1985, Croatian singer Tereza Kesovija recorded a cover of the song entitled "Pronađi put" with lyrics in Croatian by Željko Sabol for her album of the same name
  • In 1987, a recording by the dansband Streaplers, with lyrics in Swedish by Ingela Forsman, "Jag har en dröm", was Number 1 on the Swedish Svensktoppen radio chart for 17 weeks from 31 May – 6 December of that year.[39]
  • In 1994, Hawaiian singers the Makaha Sons covered this song on their album Ke Alaulau
  • Swiss chef/singer Dan Daniell recorded a cover as a duet with original ABBA member Anni-Frid Lyngstad for his album Lieber Gott[40]
  • In 2004, Irish singer Daniel O'Donnell covered the song for his double album Songs of Inspiration/I Believe
  • In 2005, Irish folk music duo Foster & Allen have covered the song for their album Sing The Number 1's
  • In 2005, a duet version was recorded by German celebrity Barbara Schöneberger and American singer Sydney Youngblood for the German ABBA Mania compilation, which coincided with a TV special
  • In 2006, Italian-American singer Al Martino included a cover of the song for his album Come Share The Wine
  • In 2006, German AC/DC tribute band Riff Raff recorded a cover in AC/DC style for their album Rock 'N' Roll Mutation Vol. 1: Riff Raff Performs ABBA
  • In 2007, Connie Talbot covered the song on Over The Rainbow
  • In 2008, the song was covered in a jazz/lounge music style by American group BNB on the album Bossa Mia: Songs of ABBA[41]
  • The song is featured in the Mamma Mia! musical as a recurring musical theme sung by the character of Sophie. At the beginning of the musical, the context of the song is interpreted that Sophie dreams about her real father coming to the wedding when she sends the invitations, to her potential fathers, away. At the end, Sophie sings this song when she and Sky set off the Island to go around the world. The context of the song is used in this case as Sophie, now knowing what she really wants, hopes to achieve her dream as she goes around the world with Sky.
  • A version by Hannah John-Kamen[42][43] features prominently in episode 2, season 1 of the British TV show Black Mirror entitled "Fifteen Million Merits".

References
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  2. "Austriancharts.at – Abba – I Have a Dream" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 30 Nov 10.
  3. "Ultratop.be – Abba – I Have a Dream" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 9 Sep 16.
  4. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  5. "All there is to know". Irish Singles Chart. IRMA. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009.
  6. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 2017-12-31.
  7. "Dutchcharts.nl – Abba – I Have a Dream" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 Nov 10.
  8. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 1 September 2018.
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  10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 Nov 10.
  11. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1980". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  12. "Jaaroverzichten 1980". Ultratop. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  13. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1980". Top 40. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  14. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1980" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  15. "Schweizer Jahres Hitparade 1980". Hitparade. Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  16. "Dutch single certifications – ABBA – I Have a Dream" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 19 November 2019. Enter I Have a Dream in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  17. "British single certifications – ABBA – I Have a Dream". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 19 November 2019. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type I Have a Dream in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  18. Westlife – Flying Without Wings / I Have A Dream / Seasons In The Sun
  19. "WESTLIFE | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  20. "Westlife | Official Top 20". MTV. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  21. Copsey, Rob (12 January 2019). "Westlife's Top 20 biggest songs on the Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  22. westlifeVEVO (3 October 2009), Westlife - "I Have a Dream" (Official Video), retrieved 24 July 2018
  23. "Billboard - Google Books". 29 January 2000. Retrieved 1 April 2014 – via Google Books.
  24. "Westlife: I Have a Dream / Seasons in the Sun" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  25. "Offiziellecharts.de – Westlife – I Have a Dream / Seasons in the Sun". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  26. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 20 (02.3– 09.3 2000)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 3 March 2000. p. 12. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  27. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Have a Dream / Seasons in the Sun". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  28. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
  29. "Charts.nz – Westlife – I Have a Dream / Seasons in the Sun". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  30. "Norwegiancharts.com – Westlife – I Have a Dream / Seasons in the Sun". VG-lista. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  31. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
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  33. "Swisscharts.com – Westlife – I Have a Dream / Seasons in the Sun". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  34. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  35. "Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100". Music Week. London, England: United Business Media. 22 January 2000. p. 27.
  36. "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2000" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17 no. 52. 23 December 2000. p. 9. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  37. "New Zealand single certifications – Westlife – I Have a Dream/Seasons in the Sun". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  38. "British single certifications – Westlife – I Have a Dream/Seasons in the Sun". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 October 2016. Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type I Have a Dream/Seasons in the Sun in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  39. Svensktoppen - 1987
  40. Dan Daniell
  41. Archived 5 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  42. "Black Mirror: Fifteen Million Credits". IMDb.
  43. Hannah John-Kamen (19 February 2015). "yes it is me :)". Twitter.
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