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Dream of Life
Studio album by Patti Smith
Released	June 1988 (1988-06)
Recorded	1987
Studio	Hit Factory (New York City) A&M (Los Angeles)
Genre	Art punk
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

Dream of Life is the fifth studio album by Patti Smith, released in June 1988 on Arista Records.

Recording and release

Dream of Life was her first album after the dissolution of The Patti Smith Group, and the only album that she made with her husband Fred "Sonic" Smith. 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 March 17, 1990. "Paths That Cross" is dedicated to the memory of Samuel J. Wagstaff. The cover photograph is by Robert Mapplethorpe.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Tribune
Los Angeles Times
Mojo
NME	6/10
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Rolling Stone
Spin
The Village Voice	A−

Dream of Life received generally favorable reviews from critics, who ranked the album number 31 in The Village Voice's 1988 Pazz & Jop critics' poll. It was also ranked number 49 on Sounds magazine's list of the best albums of the year.

Track listing

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

CD reissue

Personnel

Charts

References

1. "the Patti Smith Setlists". Retrieved 2020-08-08.
2. Ruhlmann, William. "Dream of Life – Patti Smith". AllMusic. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
3. 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.
4. Kot, Greg (June 17, 1996). "Back For More". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
5. Cromelin, Richard (July 10, 1988). "Smith's 'Dream': Strong, Simple, Spruced Up". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
6. Aston, Martin (October 2015). "Dancing with Ghosts". Mojo. No. 263. p. 83.
7. Solanas, Jane (July 9, 1988). "Dreamtime". NME. p. 33.
8. Moon, Tom (July 24, 1988). "Patti Smith issues bold statements". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
9. Palmer, Robert (August 25, 1988). "Dream of Life". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
10. Marchese, David (September 2008). "Discography: Patti Smith". Spin. Vol. 24, no. 9. p. 108. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
11. Christgau, Robert (August 30, 1988). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
12. "The 1988 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. February 28, 1989. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
13. "Sounds Top 50 Albums". Sounds. December 24–31, 1988. p. 53. Retrieved June 29, 2008.
14. "European charts". Retrieved 2008-02-29.
15. "Billboard chart". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-02-29.

External links

• Dream of Life at AllMusic

• 1988 albums
• Albums produced by Fred "Sonic" Smith
• Albums produced by Jimmy Iovine
• Arista Records albums
• Patti Smith albums