Dream Weaver
1975 single by Gary Wright
title: "Dream Weaver" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1975-songs", "1975-singles", "gary-wright-songs", "warner-records-singles", "songs-written-by-gary-wright", "cashbox-number-one-singles", "rpm-top-singles-number-one-singles", "indian-mythology-in-music", "progressive-pop-songs", "songs-about-dreams", "songs-about-outer-space", "paramahansa-yogananda"] description: "1975 single by Gary Wright" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Weaver" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 1975 single by Gary Wright ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Dream Weaver |
| image | Dream Weaver by Gary Wright US single side-A.png |
| alt | side-A label |
| caption | Side A of the US single |
| type | single |
| artist | Gary Wright |
| album | The Dream Weaver |
| B-side | Let It Out |
| released | December 1975 |
| recorded | 1975 |
| genre | {{flat list |
| *Soft rock{{cite web | url |
| *progressive pop{{Citation | last1 |
| length | 4:17 (album version) |
| 3:15 (single version) | |
| label | Warner Bros. |
| writer | Gary Wright |
| producer | Gary Wright |
| next_title | Love Is Alive |
| next_year | 1976 |
| :: |
| name = Dream Weaver | image = Dream Weaver by Gary Wright US single side-A.png | alt = side-A label | caption = Side A of the US single | type = single | artist = Gary Wright | album = The Dream Weaver | B-side = Let It Out | released = December 1975 | format = | recorded = 1975 | studio = | venue = | genre = {{flat list|
- Soft rock
- progressive pop}} | length = 4:17 (album version) 3:15 (single version) | label = Warner Bros. | writer = Gary Wright | producer = Gary Wright | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = Love Is Alive | next_year = 1976
"Dream Weaver" is a song by the American singer Gary Wright, released as the first single from his third studio album The Dream Weaver in December 1975.
Origins and instrumentation
The track features Wright on vocals and keyboards and Jim Keltner on drums. According to Wright, the song was inspired by Autobiography of a Yogi, which was given to him by George Harrison. Paramahansa Yogananda's poem "God! God! God!" made reference to "the idea of the mind weaving dreams". The expression "Dream Weaver" was popularized by John Lennon in 1970 in his song "God", taken from his solo album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. This song depicts Lennon's declaration that he was the dream weaver of the 1960s, breaking away from the influences and dogmas that influenced his life.
All instrumentation was created using keyboards except for Keltner's percussion. Gary Wright re-recorded "Dream Weaver" twice, first in 1986 (spelled "Dreamweaver" this time) for the Fire and Ice film soundtrack, then a longer version for the Wayne's World film soundtrack in 1992.
Personnel
- Gary Wright - lead vocals, ARP Solina String Ensemble, Minimoogs, drum machine
- David Foster - Fender Rhodes electric piano
- Jim Keltner - drums
Instrumental credits taken from Mixonline.
Chart performance
In 1976, the song became a hit in the US; it peaked at #2 on the Billboard chart. It was kept from #1 by both "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" by The Four Seasons and "Disco Lady" by Johnnie Taylor. "Dream Weaver" did get to #1 on Cashbox.
Weekly singles charts
::data[format=table] | Chart (1975–1976) | Peak position | |---|---| | last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=343}} | 24 | | Canada (RPM) Top Singles | 1 | | Canada (RPM) Adult Contemporary | 1 | | US Cash Box Top 100 | 1 | ::
Year-end charts
::data[format=table]
| Chart (1976) | Rank |
|---|---|
| Canada | 24 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 37 |
| US Cash Box | 17 |
| :: |
Certifications
In popular culture
The song has been heard in many films and television programs. According to Wes Craven, the song (and its keyboard intro/outro) inspired the concept behind the 1984 film A Nightmare on Elm Street. Wright re-recorded the song for the soundtrack of the 1992 film Wayne's World.
References
References
- (November 12, 2011). "Explore: Soft Rock | Top Songs | AllMusic".
- Sendra, Tim. "Various Artists - ''Highway Rock: Dancing in the Moonlight'' (1998) Review".
- (2000). "Night Moves: Pop Music in the Late '70s". St. Martin's Press.
- "The Dreamweaver".
- (December 2009). "Classic Tracks: Gary Wright's "Dream Weaver"".
- [{{BillboardURLbyName
- [https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1976-03-27 Hot 100: Week of March 27, 1976] billboard.com
- "Cash Box Top Singles - 1976".
- Kent, David. (1993). "Australian Chart Book 1970–1992". Australian Chart Book.
- "Top Singles – Volume 25, No. 01 April 03, 1976". [[RPM (magazine).
- (1976-04-17). "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada".
- "Top 100 1976-03-27". [[Cashbox (magazine).
- "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08, 1977". [[Library and Archives Canada]].
- "Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976".
- "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1976". [[Cashbox (magazine).
- Craven, Wes. "DVD audio commentary". A Nightmare on Elm Street.
- "The Five Most Culturally Significant Wayne's World Songs". LA Weekly.
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