93. I Have a Dream (Voulez-Vous 1979)

 

I Have a Dream is another single release from the Voulez-Vous album that is ranked low in my list. It was a major hit for Abba when it was released, but currently it is more frowned upon by fans. Partly because it does not sit well on the album among up-tempo and high-energy dance tracks and partly because of the infamous use of children's choir in the latter part of the song.

I've always been quite indifferent towards I Have a Dream. I don't hate it but I don't recall ever liking it terribly much either. Let's listen to it and find out what I think about it now.


I Have a Dream is a totally inoffensive track, that stands out awkwardly on the a-side of Voulez-Vous between the title track and Angeleyes. The lyrics about "believing in angels" and the "final destination" sound strange coming from the lyricist Björn Ulvaeus, who has during the last decades been an outspoken atheist. The melody is simple and not too challenging. So on the surface nothing much to get excited about.

When you listen carefully you find there is more to the song. I Have a Dream has one of the warmest Anni-Frid Lyngstad vocals ever, that makes you feel as if she is singing this song just for you. The vocals are built verse by verse, first adding the rest of the group to the background and in the final chorus the children. Unlike in Little Things (where the voices of the children feel tagged on), the children's choir here is mixed in the background giving the vocal blend a new beautiful layer. The sound of the children has never been a problem to me in this song. To break the sweetness, guitarist Janne Schaffer plays the electric sitar, that stings just enough to make a difference.

In contrast to Angeleyes, the recording and production of I Have a Dream makes something out of a rather bland composition. If the song had a little more edge in the melody and a slightly more inventive arrangement I would love this song much more than I do. I don't dislike it, but it is still not the best of what Abba has to offer.

Pay attention to:
  • how the vocal track is built layer by layer during the song
  • the necessary difference the electric sitar makes
Coming up... Santa Rosa

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