from I DREAMED A DREAM (single)
music by Claude-Michel Schomberg – lyrics by Alain Boublil & Herbert Kretzmer
“I Dreamed A Dream” is a classic tune from the smash hit musical, “Les Miserables.” In 1987, after being a huge hit all over Europe, “Les Miserable” was premiered on Broadway again with big success. That same year American superstar, Neil Diamond released it on his “Hot August Night 2” live album as well as on a studio recorded single that at the end of the year reached #13 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
The song was produced and arranged by David Foster in his typical style of the era with an effective use of keyboards and lush orchestral work to support the singer’s intense vocal performance. It is interesting to note that Diamond’s version presents a little lyrical alteration in the last line to give it a more positive meaning, he sings “but life can’t kill the dream I dreamed” while the original lyrics were “now life has killed the dream I dreamed.”
Other singers who have sung this modern evergreen are Michael Crawford, Aretha Franklin, Elaine Page and recently Susan Boyle who recorded it in 2009 as the title track of her multi-platinum debut album. After “I Dreamed A Dream” Foster and Diamond kept their collaboration going with the release, a year later, of the album “The Best Years Of Our Lives.”
Listen
[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/i_dreamed_a_dream.mp3|titles=I dreamed a dream|artists=Neil Diamond]
Lead Vocals: Neil Diamond
Keyboards: David Foster
Produced by David Foster
Lyrics
There was a time when girls were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
It all went wrong
I dreamed a dream of time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
When I was young and unafraid
When dreams were made
And used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine un-tasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
And they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame….
She slept this summer by my side
She filled my days with endless wonder
She took my childhood in her stride
But she was gone when autumn came
And still I dream she’ll come to me
That we will spend the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
But life can’t kill
The dream I dreamed