Dream of Life

This article is about the album by Patti Smith. For the documentary about her, see Patti Smith: Dream of Life.

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

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

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 ^[1] 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	[2]
Chicago Sun-Times	[3]
Chicago Tribune	[4]
Los Angeles Times	[5]
Mojo	[6]
NME	6/10[7]
The Philadelphia Inquirer	[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]
Spin	[10]
The Village Voice	A−[11]

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.^[12] It was also ranked number 49 on Sounds magazine's list of the best albums of the year.^[13]

Track listing

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

Side 1

No.	Title	Length
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 2

No.	Title	Length
5.	""Dream of Life""	4:38
6.	""Where Duty Calls""	7:46
7.	""Looking for You (I Was)""	4:04
8.	""The Jackson Song""	5:24

CD reissue

Side 1 & 2

No.	Title	Length
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 Bob Glaub – bass on "Going Under" Errol "Crusher" Bennett – percussion on "Looking for You (I Was)" Gary Rasmussen – bass Hearn Gadbois – percussion Jesse Levy – cello on "The Jackson Song" Kasim Sulton – bass Malcolm West – bass on "The Jackson Song" Margaret Ross – harp on "The Jackson Song" Robin Nash – backing vocals on "Going Under" Sammy Figueroa – percussion

Technical Scott Litt – associate producer, mixing, assistant producer Thom Panunzio, Kevin Killen, Jay Healy, Jim Michewicz, Brian Sperber – engineer Robert De La Garza, Roger Talkov, Rob Jacobs, Rich Travali, Marc DeSisto, Dave McNair, Bill Dooley – assistant engineer Shelly Yakus – mixing Bob Ludwig, Vic Anesini – mastering Maude Gilman – design Robert Mapplethorpe – photography

Charts

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Austria	26
Netherlands	47
Norway	9
Sweden[14]	15
Switzerland	9
UK Albums Chart	70
U.S. Billboard 200[15]	65