Everybody Has a Dream

Album: The Stranger (1977)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Joel (from USA Today July 9, 2008): "That was actually written a long time prior to The Stranger, and it was written as a folk song. We redid the approach like a Joe Cocker gospel thing. It just felt like a great way to sum up the album, sort of a gospel celebration."

Comments: 3

  • Neil from Detroit, MiAlong with "Get It Right The First Time", this song was one of the most underrated songs on the album. On a personal level, the song has served as a very motivational, driving force in my life due to its passionate meaning.
  • Richard from Somerdale , NjThis song goes into a playing of The Stranger at the end, as Joel whistles the tune at the intro and end of the song. It kinda serves as a ender to the album, as Stranger's "main" song is The Stranger. It also creates a slight connection to one of Joel's other albums, The Nylon Curtain. At the end of Where's The Orchestra? (Nylon Curtain's closing song, great song by the way) fades out with a slower version of Allentown (Curtain's main song, also great), and finishes the album. The main difference is that at the end of Everybody Has a Dream, it plays an almost-direct copy of the mysterious piano/whistling solo from Stranger, while Where's The Orchestra plays a more tranquil and peaceful version of Allentown.
  • Joseph from Oyster Bay, NyAs per. Phill Ramone (Producer of "The Stranger") this song was written around 1971 and suposed to be on the Cold Spring Harbor album.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Mike Campbell

Mike CampbellSongwriter Interviews

Mike is lead guitarist with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and co-writer of classic songs like "Boys Of Summer," "Refugee" and "The Heart Of The Matter."

Donny Osmond

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.