..:: audio-music dot info ::..


Main Page     The Desert Island     Copyright Notice
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz


Robert Plant: Dreamland

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Mercury Records
Released: 2002.06.12
Time:
 54:32
Category: Pop/Rock
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Rating: *******... (7/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.robertplant.com
Appears with: Led Zeppelin
Purchase date: 2007.10.23
Price in €: 13,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Funny in My Mind [I Believe I'm Fixin' to Die] (Adams/Baggot/Deamer/Jones/Plant/Thompson/White) - 4:45
[2] Morning Dew (Dobson/Rose) - 4:26
[3] One More Cup of Coffee [Valley Below] (Dylan) - 4:03
[4] Last Time I Saw Her (Adams/Baggot/Deamer/Jones/Plant/Thompson) - 4:41
[5] Song to the Siren (Beckett/Buckley) - 5:53
[6] Win My Train Fare Home [If I Ever Get Lucky] (Adams/Baggot/Deamer/Jones/Plant/Thompson) - 6:03
[7] Darkness/Darkness (Young) - 7:25
[8] Red Dress (Adams/Baggot/Deamer/Jones/Plant/Thompson) - 5:23
[9] Hey Joe (Roberts) - 7:12
[10] Skip's Song (Spence) - 4:47

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Robert Plant - Vocals, Producer, Concept

Justin "Scarecrow" Adams - Guitar, Darbouka, Gimbri
John Baggot - Percussion, Drums, String Arrangements
Bob Cole - Pedal Steel
Charlie Jones - Bass
Porl Thompson - Guitar
Clive Deamer - Percussion, Drums

Ginny Clee - Background Vocals
Raj Das - Background Vocals, Remastering

Phill Brown - Producer, Engineer
Danny Austin - Assistant Engineer
Denis Blackham - Mastering
Maria Mochnacz - Photography
Joe Spix - Artwork, Design
Andie Airfix - Artwork, Design
André Thompson - Direction
Roy Williams - Direction
Bill Curbishley - Management
Dan Hersch - Remastering
Bill Inglot - Remastering
Ed Vulliamy - Liner Notes

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


2002 CD Universal 586962
2002 CD Universal International 63025

Dreamland is a creative piece with a new band and an inspired and eclectic collection of covers. The disc radiated a Zeppelin-like spirit on classics including "Darkness, Darkness," "Morning Dew," "One More Cup of Coffee," "Hey Joe," and the smashing original, "Red Dress." Two rare bonus cuts include "Dirt In A Hole" and a remix of "Last Time I Saw Her."

This is the seventh solo album from former Led Zeppelin vocalist, Robert Plant. 'Dreamland' is a collection of new material and cover versions of classic songs written by artists such as Bob Dylan and Tim Buckley. The single 'Morning Dew' is also included.



At their best, cover albums have a strange way of galvanizing an artist by returning to the songs that inspired them; the artists can find the reason why they made music in the first place, perhaps finding a new reason to make music. Robert Plant's Dreamland - his first solo album in nearly ten years and one of the best records he's ever done, either as a solo artist or as a member of Led Zeppelin - fulfills that simple definition of a covers album and goes beyond it, finding Plant sounding reinvigorated and as restless as a new artist. Part of the reason why this album works so well is that he has a new band -- not a group of supporting musicians, but a real band whose members can challenge him because they tap into the same eerie, post-folk mysticism that fueled Led Zeppelin III, among other haunting moments in the Zep catalog. Another reason why this album works so well is that it finds the band working from a similar aesthetic point as classic Zeppelin, who, at their peak, often reinterpreted and extrapolated their inspirations, piecing them together to create something startlingly original. That's the spirit here, most explicitly on the blues medley "Win My Train Fare Home (If I Ever Get Lucky)," but also throughout the record, as he offers radical reinventions of such cult favorites as Bob Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee," Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren," and the Youngbloods' "Darkness, Darkness," along with such staples as "I Believe I'm Fixin' to Die" and "Hey Joe." What's amazing about this album is that it is as adventurous and forward-thinking - perhaps even more so - as anything he's ever done. He's abandoned the synthesizers that distinguished each of his solo albums and replaced them with a restless, searching band that pushes every one of these songs past conventional expectations (and, in the case of the two strong originals, they make the new tunes sound as one with the covers). Dreamland rarely sounds like Led Zeppelin, but its spirit is pure Zeppelin; this, in a sense, is what he was trying to do with the Page and Plant albums - find a way back into the mystic by blending folk, worldbeat, blues, rock, and experimentalism into music that is at once grounded in the past and ceaselessly moving forward. He might have co-authored only two pieces here, but Dreamland is a fully realized product of his own vision - as unpredictable and idiosyncratic, as fulfilling and full of mystery as anything he's ever released.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine - All Music Guide



Dreamland is Robert Plant's first solo album - in name at least--for nigh on a decade. Plant's latest backing band - who toil under the slightly naff cabaret-circuit moniker of Strange Sensation - have a lithe and serpentine approach to fusing American revivalist folk with the blues and modernist alt-rock (Plant even namechecks the Flaming Lips as an influence) - all this in spite of the fact that they are drawn from such non-Kerrang!-subscribing musicians as Porl Thompson (The Cure), Justin Adams (Jah Wobble), Clive Deamer (Portishead) and John Baggott (Portishead, Massive Attack). Occasionally, this spontaneity finds them following their investigative noses down a blind alley - "Hey Joe", for all its free-form psychedelia, has "jam session" written all over it--but these trifling shortcomings are eclipsed by the hauntingly meditative "Morning Dew" (Bonnie Dobson's flicker of light in the darkness of 1960's nuclear war neurosis) and terrifically reinterpretative versions of familiar standards and neglected jewels, particularly Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren" (with warm Arabian strings) and an Anglicised-roots-via-heavy-rock shuffle through Bukka White's "Fixin' To Die". Often, covers albums are rot-stopping attempts to stall for time issued by dried-up "has-beens" but Dreamland exudes devil-may-care, barrier-smashing self-belief.

Kevin Maidment - Amazon.co.uk



Dreamland, das neue Album von Robert Plant, ist nicht nur für ausgehungerte Led Zeppelin-Fans ein Ohrenschmaus, sondern auch für die Cure-Gemeinde dank Mitwirkung von Ex-Gitarrist Porl Thompson. Plant hält sich an die Tugenden großer Köche, die aus einem bewährten, traditionellen Nahrungsmittel wie etwa der Kartoffel durch ungewöhnliche Zutaten und Zubereitung Neues kreieren. Statt Bratkartoffeln oder Pommes zaubert er auf der Basis von Blues, Folk und Hardrock zehn exotische Gerichte für Feinschmecker, verfeinert und verfremdet mit Psychedelic oder Acid Rock der 60er-Jahre, House-Jazz und experimentellem Ambient. Spielerische Improvisationen, kosmische Effekte, originelle Arrangements und Instrumentierung machen selbst bekannte Nummern wie das Folk-Stück "Morning Dew", Dylans "One More Cup Of Coffee" und den Blues-Klassiker "Win My Train Fare Home" zu völlig neuen Hörerlebnissen. Alles vereint sich in "Hey Joe", das mit Jimi Hendrix'-Hitversion gerade mal einen Gitarrenlauf teilt, und hier zu einem brillanten, mysteriösen und diabolischen Gefühlsdrama eskaliert, vom anfangs gezupften Einton bis zum delirischen Gitarrenrasen. Orientierungspunkt bleibt Plants Stimmakrobatik, sozusagen das Salz in der Suppe, die laut geköchelt werden sollte.

Ingeborg Schober - Amazon.de


While there's nothing particularly retro about the proceedings on DREAMLAND, Robert Plant's first solo album of the 21st century finds him reaching back to his roots. This entails not so much a return to the turbo-blues bombast of Led Zeppelin, but a look even further back to the country blues that inspired the young, pre-Zep Plant, and to the kind of psych-folk troubadours whose magic filled the air when "Stairway to Heaven" was just a gleam in Jimmy Page's eye. Towards this end, Plant deconstructs/reconstructs old blues tunes such as "Fixin' To Die" and "Win My Train Fare Home" as well as tackling material by the likes of Tim Buckley (the shimmering "Song to the Siren," Skip Spence (the Moby Grape-era "Skip's Song"), and Bob Dylan (a Middle Eastern-tinged take on "One More Cup of Coffee"). Though most of Plant's solo career has frankly not been rife with memorable songs, he comes up with a number of impressive original tunes here, showing that he knows how to keep up with the present and the future as well as the past.

CDUniverse.com



Led Zeppelin remains one of the most recognizable and legendary names in rock, and with good reason. Following the tragic death of drummer John Bonham, the band called it a day in 1980 and singer Robert Plant went solo. Twenty-two years and several hit singles later, Plant is set to release his seventh solo album, Dreamland. A collection of covers, traditionals, a few originals and even a recording of an unearthed Skip Spence song, Dreamland is a forum for Plant to reflect and enjoy the music that made him pick up a mic in the first place. "Hey Joe" has the piss and vinegar of Jimi Hendrix's version, while "Funny In My Mind (I Believe I'm Fixin' To Die)" sounds almost Cajun with a bit of guitar squalls thrown in for good measure. Most of these songs may be old, but with the help of an ace backup band (which includes the original guitarist for The Cure and the drummer for Roni Size), the tunes still sound fresh and stand out as some of the best music Plant has recorded since his Zep heyday.

Brad Filicky - ©2008 CMJ Network, Inc.



Back when he was the voice of Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant's enthusiasms included country blues, Middle Eastern music and Sixties folk. These days, his taste in songs remains the same, but the way he plays them has changed. While the inspirations for Dreamland -- Bukka White, Tim Buckley, Jesse Colin Young -- seem very Led Zeppelin III, there's nothing Zeppelinesque about the music.

A disappointment? Not if you prefer Plant in ballad mode. There's a lovely understatement to the White-derived blues "Funny in My Mind," while the dreamy, symphonic "Song to the Siren" out-aches Tim Buckley's original. Best of all is the lack of bombast: Plant's slow-burning "Hey Joe" (a nod to folkie Tim Rose) leaves plenty of room for the guitars to cut loose, but stops short at letting them rape and pillage. And that restraint is what ultimately illuminates this album, from the tart take on Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee" to the dreamy, elegiac cover of Moby Grape's "Skip's Song."

J.D. CONSIDINE
(RS 902 - August 8, 2002)



Rolling Stone (8/8/02, p.77) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...This album will not disappoint if you prefer Plant in ballad mode...his restraint is what ultimately illuminates this album, from the tart take on Dylan's 'One More Cup Of Coffee' to the lovely, elegiac cover of Skip Spence's 'Skip's Song'."

Uncut (1/03, p.95) - Ranked #18 in Uncut's "100 Best Albums of the Year"

Uncut (8/02, p.115) - 4 out of 5 - "...He's still got the voice...a pleasingly psychedelic edge....a fine collection..."

CMJ (7/22/02, p.14) - "...Some of the best music Plant has recorded since his Zep heyday."

Mojo (Publisher) (7/02, p.96) - "...Plant revisits where his head was at in '67 [before Led Zep]...he belongs in the English Romantic tradition and...he's also half in love easeful death, a darkling mood much explored herein..."
 

 L y r i c s


Funny In My Mind (I Believe I'm Fixin To Die)

Feelin' funny in my mind, lord,
I believe I'm fixin' to die
Oh funny in my mind, lord,
I believe I'm fixin' to
I don't mind dyin'
But I sure hate to leave my children cryin'.

Well now look over yonder to that buryin' ground
look over yonder to that buried
It sure seems lonesome, lord
When the sun goes down

Oh, Why, Oh Why, Oh, Why

Black smoke risin', lord,
it's risin' up above my head up above my head
black smoke risin', up above my
And tell Jesus to Make up my dyin' bed

Left my home just to be with you
Well now, left my home just to be with
You got me here now that's the way you do
Come on, Come on, Come On.

Take me back drive me one more time
Take me back drive me one more
I do...? it's all down the line

I'm Feelin' funny in my mind, lord,
I believe I'm fixin' to die
Feelin' funny in my mind, lord,
I believe I'm fixin' to
I don't mind dyin'
But I sure hate to leave my children
I don't mind dyin'
But I sure hate to leave my children
I don't mind dyin'
But I sure hate to leave my children cryin'


Morning Dew

Walk me out in the morning dew my honey
Walk me out in the morning dew today;
Can't walk you out in the morning dew my honey
Can't walk you out in the morning dew at all

Thought I heard a young girl crying mama,
Thought I heard a young girl cry today-
Oh I didn't hear no young girl crying mama,
Oh I did not hear no young girl cry today!

Thought I heard a young man crying mama-
Thought I heard a young man cry today-
Oh I didn't hear no young man crying mama
Oh I did not hear no young man cry today!

Now, there's no more morning dew
Now, there's no more morning dew-
What they've been saying all these years is true
Now, there's no more morning dew!


One More Cup Of Coffee

Your breath is sweet
Your eyes are like two jewels in the sky.
Your back is straight, your hair is smooth
On the pillow where you lie.
But I don't sense affection
No gratitude or love
Your loyalty is not to me
But to the stars above.

One more cup of coffee for the road,
One more cup of coffee 'fore I go
To the valley below.

Your daddy he's an outlaw
And a wanderer by trade
He'll teach you how to pick and choose
And how to throw the blade.
He oversees his kingdom
So no stranger does intrude
His voice it trembles as he calls out
For another plate of food.

One more cup of coffee for the road,
One more cup of coffee 'fore I go
To the valley below.

Your sister sees the future
Like your mama and yourself.
You've never learned to read or write
There's no books upon your shelf.
And your pleasure knows no limits
Your voice is like a meadowlark
But your heart is like an ocean
Mysterious and dark.

One more cup of coffee for the road,
One more cup of coffee 'fore I go
To the valley below.


Last Time I Saw Her

The last time I saw her face
Her eyes were bathed in starlight
And her hair hung long
The last time she spoke to me
Her lips were like the scented flowers
Inside a rain-drenched forest

But that was so long ago that I can scarcely feel
The way I felt before
And if time could heal the wounds
I would tear the threads away
That I might bleed some more

The last time I walked with her
Her laughter was the steeple bells
That ring to greet the morning sun
A voice that called to everyone
To love the ground she walked upon
Those were good days

The last time I held her hand
Her touch was autumn, spring and summer
And winter too
The last time I let go of her
She walked a way into the night
I lost her in the misty streets
A thousand months, a thousand years
When other lips will kiss her eyes
A million miles beyond the moon
That's where she is

But that was so long ago that I can scarcely feel
The way I felt before
And if time could heal the wounds
I would tear the threads away
That I might bleed some more

The last time I saw her face
Her eyes were bathed in starlight
And she walked alone
The last time she kissed my cheek
Her lips were like the wilted leaves
Upon the autumn covered hills
Resting on the frozen ground
The seeds of love lie cold and still
Beneath a battered marking stone
It lies forgotten


Song To The Siren

Long afloat on shipless oceans
I did all my best to smile
'Til your singing eyes and fingers
Drew me loving to your isle
And you sang
Sail to me
Sail to me
Let me enfold you
Here I am
Here I am
Waiting to hold you
Did I dream you dreamed about me?
Were you hare when I was fox?
Now my foolish boat is leaning
Broken lovelorn on your rocks,
For you sing, 'Touch me not, touch me not, come back tomorrow:
O my heart, O my heart shies from the sorrow'

I am puzzled as the newborn child
I'm as riddled as the tide.

Should I stand amid the breakers?
Should I lie with Death my bride?
Hear me sing, 'Swim to me, Swim to me, Let me enfold you:
Here I am, Here I am, Waiting to hold you'


Win My Train Fare Home

If I ever get lucky mamma
Win my train fare home
If I ever get lucky babe
Win my train fare home

I'm goin' back to the border
Where i'm better known
Hey
Oh your calf is hungry mamma
Hey baby i believe he needs a suck
Oh your calf is hungry babe
Mamma i believe he needs a suck

Oh your milk it's turning blue
I believe he's out of luck
Hey yeah
Yeah
Oh
Oh
Oh
Mmm

You know you got me crawling
And the grass grows very high
I'm just gonna keep on crawling baby
Until the day I die
Crawl up to your window
Crawl up to your door
Crawl anywhere you want now babe
I'm gon' crawl across your floor
Oh oh oh yeah
Oh oh oh yeah
Oh...

Yeah yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Hey

Well that's all right mamma
Baby that's all right for you
Oh that's all right babe
Oh mamma that's all right for you
Keepin' low down dirty
Any old way you do
Well well well oh

You know you got me crawlin' now baby
The grass grows very high
I'm just gon' keep on crawlin' now baby
Until the day i die
Wanna crawl into your window babe
Crawl into your door
I'll anyway you want now baby
Gonna crawl across your floor
Crawl across your floor


Darkness, Darkness

Darkness, Darkness be my pillow,
Take my hand and let me sleep,
In the coolness of your shadow,
In the silence of your deep.

Darkness, Darkness hide my yearning,
For the things I can not see,
Keep my mind from constant turning,
To the things I can not be.
Darkness, Darkness be my blanket,
Cover me with this endless night,
Take away oh this pain of knowing,
Fill this emptiness with light,
Emptiness with light now.

Darkness, Darkness long and lonesome,
As the day that brings me here,
I have found the edge of sadness,
I have the known the depths of fear,
Darkness, Darkness be my blanket,
Cover me with the endless night,
Take away oh this pain of knowing,
Fill this emptiness with light now,
Emptiness with light now.

Darkness, Darkness be my blanket,
Cover me with the endless night,
Take away oh, this pain of knowing,
Fill this emptiness with light now,
Ohh, with light now.

Darkness, Darkness be my pillow,
Take my hand,
And let me sleep,
In the coolness of your shadow,
In the silence of your deep,
In the silence of your deep,
In the oh oh hey yeah oh,
In the summer babe,
Oh yeah oh in the summer baby,
In the summer baby,
oh ooo yeah,
Come on come on come on baby,
Come on come on come on baby,
Come on come on come on baby.

In Rememberence Of My Big Brother Tony!


Red Dress

walk around my life
keep your money in your hand
look out where you're heading mamma
don't go running blind
shine lights and strut it out
keep your ear right to the ground
watch out for the strange cats
when the strange cats come around

mmm pretty little girl with a red dress on
pretty little girl shakin down

keep your eyes wide open
hold your head up high
you are not a stranger here
so much changes inside
hold your hand to hold you (?)
she would lend a helping hand
do not turn your back on the lady
when the lady comes around

mmm pretty little girl with a red dress on
pretty little girl shakin down

now now now now
some would say that love is blind
i blame it on the moon
some people say that love's unkind
they find it out of tune
mamma mamma mamma let's keep on dancing through
baby baby baby i'm dancing through for you
uh

pretty little girl with a red dress on
pretty pretty pretty little girl
shakin down

ooh ooh
dance down main street
if it's safe to the stroll
you have time to look around
saw a dame in the hole (?)
no one cares about the fool
worth the fine of gold
his only chance to plan
when satan buys his soul

mmm pretty little girl with a red dress on
pretty little girl shakin down
ah ha

pretty little pretty little pretty little girl (x 4)
mmm hmmm
oh ah oh yeah
oooh ho ooh pretty little girl
mamamamama pretty little pretty little girl
yeah yeah yeah yeah


Hey Joe

Hey Joe, where you goin' with that gun in your hand?
Hey Joe, where you goin' with that gun in your hand?
Goin' out to shoot my lady You know I caught her messin' 'round with another man
Goin' out to shoot my lady You know I caught her messin' 'round with another man

Hey Joe, you know I heard you shot your woman down
Hey Joe, you know I heard you shot your woman down
Yes, I did, I shot her, you know I caught her messin' 'round
Yes, I did, I shot her, you know I caught her messin' 'round

Hey Joe, where you gonna run to now?
Hey Joe, where you gonna run to now?
I'm gonna run, gonna run, gonna run, to the gallows pole
I'm gonna run, gonna run, gonna run, the hangman can't put a rope around me anyhow...


Skip's Song

If you'd seen the naked dream
I had of you
Would you care
And would you now come through

Take me far away
My wiles and mind can't beat a dream of death today
Hard to get by
When what greets my eye takes my breath away

In my dream you are around the stars
I watched your walls all fall away
You were bare of thoughts, we were to part
And we stayed that way

Some try to hide
Because they lied
They were not true
And they were afraid

They refuse to see
Or be free, be one to gods, they prayed
Cryin', Save me, save me!
Save me, save me, save me!
I'll save you, can I spend you?

And now this naked dream
I had of you
And Will you care
And will you now come through

Take me far away
My miles and mind can't beat a dream of death today
Hard to get by
When what greets my eye takes my breath away

Cryin', Save me, save me, save me!
I'll save you. Can I spend you?


Dirt In A Hole

The preacher bowed and turned to go
He threw some dirt into a hole
He wasn't needed anymore
He shrugged and cast away the cold
He rearranged his preachers clothes
The word of god is all he knows

Precious boy so young and fair
Guarding castles in the air
Pretty flowers in sweet array
Picked to die and fade away

Message from heaven
Sun in the sky
Message from heaven
News from on high

God bless the solder and his gun
Small sacrifice then justice done
He's every broken mothers son
Pretty flowers in sweet array
Picked to die and fade away

Message from heaven
Sun in the sky
Message from heaven
News from on High
Message from heaven
Sun in the sky
Message from heaven

Message from heaven
Message from heaven
Message from heaven

He threw some words into the air
He spoke the pain we all must share
How we will meet again out there

Precious boy so young and fair
Guarding castles in the air
Pretty flowers in sweet array
Picked to die and fade away

Precious boy so young and fair
Guarding castles in the air
Pretty flowers in sweet array,
Picked to die and fade away
 

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


Currently no Samples available!