Up until the Heart album, the band wrote the majority of their own material. They signed with Columbia Records in 1985 and received assistance from some experienced songwriters. Bernie Taupin and Martin Page collaborated on this one. Taupin is best known as Elton John's lyricist, but in the mid-1980s, he wrote lyrics outside of Elton's orbit, including two big hits.
"I didn't quite vibe off of that title, and although I'd only just started with Bernie, the bridge was the chorus to me - it said 'these dreams' was the bridge," Martin Page explained. "I inserted the bridge into the chorus and used 'boys in the mist' in the verses."
Heart covered the song and it became their first number one hit.
On this song, Nancy Wilson sang lead vocals. Her sister Ann usually handled lead vocals, but when they heard the demo, they thought Nancy's voice suited it. Nancy was suffering from a bad cold when she first recorded her vocals, but their producer Ron Nevison liked some of the raspiness. When Nancy felt better, they recorded more takes in her normal voice, with Nancy doing her best to recreate the raspy parts Nevison preferred.
This song was dedicated on the album to Nancy Wilson's friend Sharon Hess, who died of leukemia.
"Sharon was a fan who commissioned a custom, handmade blue acoustic guitar for Nancy." Her dying wish was to meet Nancy and give it to her. She was granted her wish, and she was able to spend several days in the recording studio with the band while they worked on this album. Four weeks later, on Nancy's birthday, she died.
The song was chosen for the dedication simply because it was the only song on the album where Nancy sang lead vocals.
Lyrics
Spare a little candle Save some light for me figures up ahead Moving in the trees White skin in linen Perfume on my wrist And the full moon that hangs over these dreams in the mist Darkness on the edge Shadows where I stand I search for the time On a watch with no hands I want to see you clearly Come closer than this But all I remember Are the dreams in the mist These dreams go on when I close my eyes Every second of the night I live another life These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away Is it cloak 'n dagger Could it be spring or fall I walk without a cut Through a stained glass wall Weaker in my eyesight The candle in my grip And words that have no form Are falling from my lips These dreams go on when I close my eyes Every second of the night I live another life These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away There's something out there I can't resist I need to hide away from the pain There's something out there I can't resist The sweetest song is silence That I've ever heard Funny how your feet In dreams never touch the earth In a wood full of princes Freedom is a kiss But the prince hides his face From dreams in the mist These dreams go on when I close my eyes Every second of the night I live another life These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away These dreams go on when I close my eyes Every second of the night I live another life These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away
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