"Dreamtime" is a song by American singer-songwriter

Daryl Hall Daryl Franklin Hohl (born October 11, 1946), known professionally as Daryl Hall, is an American rock, R&B, and soul singer. He is best known as the co-founder and principal lead vocalist of Hall & Oates, with guitarist and songwriter John Oa ...

, one half of the duo

Hall & Oates Daryl Hall & John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, were an American Rock music, rock duo formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1970. Daryl Hall was generally the lead vocalist, while John Oates primarily supplied electric guitar and ba ...

. Co-written with John Beeby, the song was issued as the

lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...

to Hall's second solo album ''

Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine ''Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine'' is the second solo album by American singer-songwriter Daryl Hall, released in 1986. The album features his only top-ten solo single, "Dreamtime", which peaked at number five on the ''Billboard'' Hot ...

'' (1986) on July 21, 1986. "Dreamtime" peaked at number 5 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in October 1986 and reached number three on the ''

Radio & Records ''Radio & Records'' (''R&R'') was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It started as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006 and became a relaunched sister ...

'' pop airplay chart.

Formatting

The original recording is 4:45 in length. The

music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...

extends the track length to 5:12.

Critical reception

Kent Zimmerman of the ''

Gavin Report The ''Gavin Report'' was a San Francisco-based radio industry trade publication. The publication was founded by radio performer Bill Gavin in 1958. Its Top 40 listings were used for many years by programmers to decide content of programs. The ...

'' responded positively to "Dreamtime", saying it is a "riveting record layered with hooks and soulful roots." His colleague Dave Sholin also responded favorably in that he "leaves his mark of originality on this full blown production that's pop all the way." A staff review from ''Cash Box'' was also welcoming of the track, praising its "blustery, infectious production." In his four-star review of the parent album,

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

writer

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...

singled out the song, calling it "tremendous" and "a swirling slice of arty new wave

psychedelia Psychedelia usually refers to a Aesthetics, style or aesthetic that is resembled in the psychedelic subculture of the 1960s and the psychedelic experience produced by certain psychoactive substances. This includes psychedelic art, psychedelic ...

that stands in direct contrast to anything Hall & Oates sent into the Top Ten".Allmusic review; retrieved February 23, 2012
/ref>

Track listings and formats

7-inch single # "Dreamtime" – 4:48 # "Let It Out" – 4:27 12-inch single # "Dreamtime" – 5:00 # "Let It Out" – 4:25 # "Dreamtime" (7" Version) – 3:57 12-inch dance mix single # "Dreamtime" (Dance Mix) – 7:55 # "Dreamtime" (Instrumental) – 7:49 # "Let It Out" – 3:50

Personnel

– lead and backing vocals, electric guitar, keyboards * David A. Stewart – guitar solo *

Tom "T-Bone" Wolk Tom "T-Bone" Wolk (December 24, 1951 – February 28, 2010) was an American musician and bassist for the music duo Daryl Hall & John Oates and a member of the ''Saturday Night Live'' house band. Early life Wolk was born and raised in Yonkers ...

– bass guitar, electric guitar * Tony Beard – drums * Michel de la Porte – percussion * Kate St. John and June Montana – additional backing vocals *

Michael Kamen Michael Arnold Kamen (April 15, 1948 – November 18, 2003) was an American composer (especially of film scores), orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, songwriter, record producer and musician. Early life Michael Arnold Kamen was born in ...

– string arrangements and conductor

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{authority control 1985 songs 1986 singles Daryl Hall songs Songs written by Daryl Hall RCA Records singles