"Not so long ago, we were so in phase… you and I could never forget the days…"
Wilson Phillips, the vocal trio comprising of three daughters of famous 1960s’ pop and rock musicians, (Sisters Carnie and Wendy Wilson are the daughters of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, and Chynna Phillips is the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips’ of The Mamas & the Papas), were introduced to the music loving public in early 1990.
Their platinum debut album, the self-titled "Wilson Phillips", contained five pop and adult contemporary hit singles. Three of those, "Hold On", "Release Me" and "You're in Love", all reached the peak position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "Impulsive" reached US #4, and the fifth and final single "The Dream..." reached a respectable #12, the lowest peak of all the singles, but overall, still a decent chart showing.
"The Dream…" was followed up by the band’s cover of Elton John’s 1973 #2 smash "Daniel". The remake was not included on their debut LP, but instead featured on the 1991 "Two Rooms" LP, a tribute to the songwriting team of Elton and Bernie Taupin. Wilson Phillips’ Elton cover hit US #7 on the A/C charts, but did not cross over to the hot 100.
"But then the fire seemed to flicker… cold wind came and it carried us away… But we’ll get it back someday, baby."
Lyrically, "The Dream"’s first verse deals with a dying romance and the desire to recapture what had made the love so strong early on, while the second verse deals with the 1960s and the social revolution of that era. As the song wraps up, the focus returns to that of the couple from the beginning of the song. I interpret this to mean that the couple were young and newly in love in the ‘60s, probably united by shared social concerns of the time, but by the ‘90s, their romance was fading. The song is the woman’s plea to regain what they shared together, in those earlier years.
Carnie leads off the first verse, and is then joined by her sister Wendy and friend Chynna on additional verses and during the chorus. There’s not really a lead vocalist here, as the ladies operate as a group and complement each other’s vocals to produce this radio friendly melody.
I was all about Wilson Phillips in the early ‘90s. Their harmonies are divine, and their soft rock melodies strongly echo the influence of not only their famous fathers’ respective groups, but also ‘70s singer/songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Carole King, James Taylor, and Dan Fogelberg.
Plus, I had a serious crush on Wendy. There, I said it.
"Not so long ago, in a purple haze… people dreamed out loud, they were not afraid."
However, I wonder if there was a Wilson Phillips backlash of any type. They were certainly omnipresent at the time on radio, MTV, and VH-1, with their four huge hits (and the moderate hit of "The Dream") being released over a year and a half long spread following the debut LP’s release. They were nominated for multiple Grammies (Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, and Song of the Year for "Hold On"), and also two American Music Awards, but they did not win any of those. They did win a Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 single of the year, however, for "Hold On".
The ladies were all over the place in 1990 and 1991, and while I certainly didn’t mind, in hindsight, I could see that the overexposure may have hurt the act, making people less receptive to a follow up album. Indeed, only two modest hits charted from the 1992 release of the second LP "Shadows and Light"… the ballad "You Won't See Me Cry" reached #20, and the uptempo "Give It Up" which peaked at #30. Quite a departure from the smash hits of their debut.
Not to mention, Shadows and Light’s mature, darker tone and lyrics deviated from the upbeat positive ‘70s pop styled feel of their debut, which likely turned off fans of the debut LP. The group disbanded shortly after this, but they reunited in 2004 and released the covers LP "California" in which they tackled classic songs by the likes of the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, and Linda Ronstadt.
So take a trip back to the sunny sounds of early ‘90s adult contemporary pop with Wendy, Carnie, and Chynna, as they explain via song why "The Dream is Still Alive". And be sure to stay tuned for more great tunes from radio’s past right here on Kyle’s Radio Dial, where the dream for rediscovering great classic songs is always alive!
"The dream is still alive, after all this time. The flame keeps on burning. The dream is still alive, the one of you and I. And my heartache is healing…"
Still love their tunes and I did get to see them in concert when they opened for Richerd Marx at Kings Dominion. Lastly I think all of us guys back then had a thing for Wendy 😉
ReplyDeleteI'll bet that was a great show! I've been on a Kings Dominion kick lately, watching videos of rides and reading about the history of the park. To see Wilson Phillips there, and Richard Marx as well would have been awesome! :)
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