Dream On (Aerosmith song) (2025)

"Dream On" is apower balladbyAerosmithfrom their 1973 debut album,Aerosmith.^[3]Written by lead singerSteven Tyler, this song became their first major hit andclassic rockradio staple. Released in June 1973, it peaked at number 59 nationally but hit big in the band's native Boston, where it was the number 1 single of the year on the less commercial top 40 station, WBZ-FM, number 5 for the year on highly rated Top 40WRKO-AMand number 16 on heritage Top 40 WMEX-AM. The chorus of the song was famously sampled in the 2002 songSing for the Momentby rapperEminemon the Eminem Show album. It is also associated with theBoston Red Soxbaseball organization.

The album version of "Dream On" (4:28, as opposed to the 3:25 197345rpmedit), was re-issued early in 1976, debuting at number 81 On January 10, breaking into the Top 40 on February 14 and peaking at number 6 on theBillboardHot 100national chart, April 10.^[4]Columbia chose to service Top 40 radio stations with a re-issue of the 3:25 edited version, thus, many 1976 Pop Radio listeners were exposed to the group's first Top 10 effort through the 45 edit.

"Dream On" was first played live inMansfield, Connecticutat the Shaboo Inn. In a 2011 interview, Steven Tyler reminisced about his father, aJuilliard-trained musician. He recalled lying beneath his dad's piano as a three-year-old listening to him play classical music. "That's where I got thatDream Onchordage," he said.^[5]

Steven Tyler says that this was the only song on the band's first album where he used his "real" voice. He was insecure about how his voice sounded on tape, so for the other songs, he tried to sing a bit lower and sound more like soul artists, such as James Brown. The song is also famous for its building climax to showcase Tyler's trademark screams.

Contents[]

[hide]*1Composition

• 2Single track listings
  • 2.17" 45 RPM
  • 2.2CD-Maxi
• 3Chart Performance
  • 3.1U.S.BillboardHot 100
  • 3.2U.S.BillboardHot 100 Year-End Chart
• 4Live performances
• 5Music video
• 6Appearances on other albums
• 7Achievements
• 8Cover versions
  • 8.1Anastacia version
    • 8.1.1Release history
  • 8.2Other covers
• 9In other media
• 10References

Composition[edit][]

The song is composed in the key of F minor.

Single track listings[edit][]

7" 45 RPM[edit][]

Side one

1. "Dream On"

Side two

1. "Somebody"

The original 1973 issue of this 45 (45894) has a shorter edit of "Dream On" (3:25). Most of the intro has been edited out and the first chorus is replaced with the second chorus. The second issue from 1976 (10278) contains the album version (4:28).

CD-Maxi[edit][]

1. "Dream On"
2. "Dream On" [Live]
3. "Walk This Way"

Chart Performance[edit][]

U.S.BillboardHot 100[edit][]

U.S.BillboardHot 100 Year-End Chart[edit][]

Live performances[edit][]

Long a concert staple, the song's piano part has been played live by Tyler. The band has also played "Dream On" with an orchestra on a couple of occasions. One of these performances, conducted byMichael Kamen, was performed live forMTV's 10th Anniversary (in 1991) and included on the soundtrack for the movieLast Action Hero. Additionally, in 2006, Steven Tyler andJoe Perryperformed the song live with theBoston Pops Orchestraat their Fourth of July spectacular. On September 19, 2006, Aerosmith dedicated the song to captured Israeli soldierEhud Goldwasser. On September 22, 2007, at a concert inAtlantic City, New Jersey, Aerosmith dedicated the song to one of their fans, Monica Massaro, who had been murdered earlier that year. In August 2010, Tyler performed much of the song on a grand piano on top of the "Green Monster" at an Aerosmith concert atFenway ParkinBoston, before the rest of the band joined in to close out the song. On May 25, 2013, Tyler performed a brief rendition of the song live during the finale of thetenth seasonofAmerican Idol. After the Boston Marathon Attacks, Tyler performed the song at the Boston Strong Concert.

Music video[edit][]

A coinciding video directed byMarty Callnerwas also created at the MTV 10th anniversary special performance with the orchestra.

Appearances on other albums[edit][]

The song has appeared on almost every Aerosmith greatest hits and live compilation, including:

• Live! Bootleg
• Greatest Hits
• Classics Live I
• A Little South of Sanity
• Big Ones(as a bonus track in CD 2)
• Young Lust: The Aerosmith Anthology
• O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits
• Devil's Got a New Disguise
• Music from the Original Motion Picture "Last Action Hero"

It also appears on both of the band's box sets.

Achievements[edit][]

The song "Dream On" is part of theThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Rolllist.^[7]-It is also ranked #173 onRolling Stone's list of the500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

On February 25, 2013, Massachusetts State Representative James Cantwell (D) of Marshfield and Massachusetts State Representative Josh S. Cutler (D) of Duxbury drafted a bill to name "Dream On" the Official State Rock song of Massachusetts.

Cover versions[edit][]

Anastacia version[edit][]

Anastacia covered the song for her fifth studio albumIt's a Man's World. The song was released as album's lead single, only in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

Release history[edit][]

Other covers[edit][]

• Ronnie James Dio,Yngwie Malmsteen,Stu Hamm,Gregg BissonetteandPaul Taylorcovered the song for the Aerosmith tribute albumNot the Same Old Song and Dance(Eagle Records, 1999). Additional guitars were by the album's producersBob KulickandBruce Bouillet.
• Danny Gokeysang this song onAmerican IdolSeason 8 in 2009 during the Top 4 round. He received negative reviews from the judges, and was also mocked in many media outlets for an long, ear-splitting scream at the end of the song.^[8][9][10]
• The song wassampledby American rapperEminemfor his song "Sing for the Moment", from his 2002 albumThe Eminem Show.Joe Perryplayed the guitar solo on the track andSteven Tyleralso sang the chorus for the track and Eminem said "sing", "sing with me" and "come on" in the chorus.
• "Dream On" was covered by the American rock bandTrainon an episode of the MTV show,Iconthat was dedicated to Aerosmith.
• The song was re-made byAndru Donaldsas the cover song for his album of the same name.
• "Dream On" was covered byThe Missionon their albumChildren.
• "Dream On" was also covered byFisheron theirUppers & Downersdual-disc album. The cover version performed by Fisher was featured in the series-finale episode of theNBCdramaWindfall.
• Michael Angelo Batioalso made an instrumental cover of this song in his albumHands Without Shadows.
• blessthefallcovered "Dream On" on the compilation cover albumPunk Goes Classic Rock, which is part of thePunk Goes...series.
• The song was remixed byImmortal Techniqueon his song "Angels & Demons", on his albumThe Martyr.
• In 2011,Reece Mastin, X Factor Australia winner, covered this song for hiseponymous album.
• American post-grunge bandColdcovered this song which later appeared on their fifth albumSuperfictionas bonus track.
• Instrumental jazz cover on this song was performed byAlex Skolnick Trioon their albumGoodbye to Romance: Standards for a New Generationin 2002.
• Amanda Brownsang this song in the live playoffs ofseason 3 of The Voice U.S..
• Greg X. Volz formerly ofPetracovered this song on the album "Come Out Fighting" in 1988
• Andy Mac Unfraidhperformed the song during the live shows of second series ofThe Voice of Ireland.

In other media[edit][]

• This song was parodied in the opening sketch ofSaturday Night Live, "Rock for Michael" on October 9, 1993.
• This song was also used inESPNSportsCenter's "Images of the Century", a video montage about memorable moments in sports history from the 20th century. The video montage was played at the end of the final installment ofSportsCenterin 1999.
• The song made an appearance as the closing theme to the Disney movieMiracle, as well as the trailer forMiracle.
• A live, orchestrated version of "Dream On" was also used in the movieLast Action Hero.
• It was used in the openingcut scenefor theTecmovideo gameDead or Alive Ultimate(Dead or Alive 2 Disc Only).
• It was used in a video tribute toKen Griffey, Jr.in his return toSeattleon June 22, 2007.
• A re-recorded version of the song appears inGuitar Hero: Aerosmith. It was one of the four songs that Aerosmith re-recorded for the game. It also appears in the demo for the game.
  • BeforeGuitar Hero: Aerosmithwas released, the song appeared as free downloadable content for thePlayStation 3andXbox 360versions ofGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rockto promote the release ofGuitar Hero: Aerosmith. The song was available from February 16, 2008 to February 18, 2008.
• "Dream On" appeared in Episode 49 ofCold Case, sung as Detective Rush witnessed the victim and his then-girlfriend as they were at the time of his death, driving into the distance in a vintage car.
• "Dream On" was played onHBO's Countdown for theOscar De La Hoya-Stephen Forbesfight in May 2008.
• "Dream On" is the title and featured song inEpisode 19of theFoxshowGlee, performed byMatthew Morrisonand guest starNeil Patrick Harrisin their audition for the stage musicalLes Misérables.
• "Dream On" also appeared in the movie trailer ofArgowhich was released in fall 2012.
• "Dream On" also appeared in the movie trailer ofDreamWorks' Turbowhich was released July 17, 2013.