Marcus Medford (1000026385
Professor Bowen
VPMA93H3
11-22-13
A Dream Of A Dream: Stevie Nicks vs. Dan Smith
When one artist cover's another artist's song the covering artist must bring their own
unique style to the rendition in order to make it original. In some cases, the two artists can be
very different in terms of their musical style, genre of expertise, vocal ability, and even
generation; all of which has an effect on the final product. When discussing how a cover of a
song differs from the original, some of the most important aspects to consider are the differences
in genre, production values, the tone or color and the interpretation of the meaning. In this essay
I will compare and contrast the musical aspects of the song "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac (Stevie
Nicks) with those a cover of the song done by Bastille (Dan Smith) featuring Gabrielle Aplin.
One of the immediate distinctions between the original version of "Dreams" and the
cover is that the two are of different genres. Nicks' version of Dreams is classified as soft rock
whereas Smith and Aplin's cover falls into the category of either synthpop or indie pop. Nicks'
choice of performing the song as a soft rock song as opposed to a hard rock or traditional rock
song is helpful because of the songs subject matter. The lyrics of Dreams revolves around a
break up, where the narrator is seemingly at peace or has at least accepted the break up and does
not seem to be emotionally distressed about it. The lyrics of the song match the soft rock genre
because soft rock is less assertive than traditional rock, usually because soft rock employs less
electric guitar and less drums; both of which are typically used for their powerful sounds. The
combination of the soft rock genre and the lyrics gives Nicks' version a very light and vulnerable
feel. Bastille's indie/synthpop version of Dreams creates a very different mood to that of not only
the original version of Dreams but to other songs of the indie or synthpop genre. In most indie or
synthpop songs, the synths are used to create a light, dreamy and bouncy mood. In Bastille's
version of dreams, in addition to creating a dreamy affect, the synths also have a haunting quality
where the synths sound like echoes of the lyrics and screams, like a nightmare. Smith's choice to
use the characteristics of synth and indie pop for darker purposes is probably because the lyrics
"darker" topic of a break up.
More complex production techniques can change the entire sound of a song through the
addition of various instruments and effects. Nicks' version and Smith's version of Dreams is a
great example of the changes and developments that have been made in terms of production over
the last couple of decades, as over 30 years separates the release of Fleetwood Mac's Rumors
(1977) and Bastille's Other People's Heartache 2 (2012). One could say that Fleetwood Mac's
version of Dreams is more simple than Bastille's version because the music made by traditional
instruments (guitar, drums, keyboard and bass) and not electronic instruments. Through the use
of only traditional instruments Fleetwood Mac is able to create a very calm and natural mood to
the song. The low key feeling of Fleetwood Mac's Dreams is probably partially due to the fact
that Nick's wrote the piece alone, in a bed, using only a keyboard (The Greatest Songs Ever!
Dreams, Blender Magazine). One can pick up on the feeling of loneliness from the song even
without knowing the history. In Bastille's version, the haunting, eerie feeling is created through
the production techniques and the electronic effects. The production tool's effect on the music
and on the singers voices makes the song come alive; making it more energetic and more
dramatic. Even for Bastille's synthy style, the production on Dreams is more complicated than
most of his songs, featuring more synth effects and more fluxuation. The flux paired with the
lyrics gives the song a feeling of emotional turmoil.
When an artist does a cover they perform another artist’s song usually keeping the lyrics
as is (except for the occasional vocal syncopation), so it is up to the covering artist to change
how the lyrics are delivered. In the two versions of Dreams, the differences in the vocal
deliveries of Nicks and Smith conveys a difference in the interpretation of the song's meaning.
Dreams is about the ending of a relationship that seems more like a falling apart than a break up.
Although the speaker recognizes/accepts that it was best that the couple split up she warns that
he will eventually become lonely and miss what he had (and what he lost) and the chorus she
reassures herself that she'll be okay. Nicks' vocals quite clearly match the lyrics meaning and
intention because she wrote and performed the song. Nicks' lyrical delivery also seems especially
earnest because at the time the song was written she as well as all the other band members were
going through separations' in some cases to other band members (Blender Magazine). Nicks
having wrote, performed and presumably felt the lyrics of the song brings the proper attitude,
articulation, pitch and dynamics to the lyrics, particularly "Now here you go again, you say you
want your freedom well who am I to keep you down". This line in particular shows how Nicks
accepts the break up and may have even initiated it, that calmness of is shown throughout other
aspects of the song. Bastille's version of Dreams is much more emotionally charged than
Fleetwood Mac's. In Bastille's version of Dreams, Smith is able to convey the sense of strong
emotion with his voice, using changes in his dynamics and pitch while remaining largely
unenergetic and melancholy. Aplin's backing and sometimes leading vocals amplifies the song's
emotional feel because many times both Smith and Aplin are singing and they both bring similar
energy. Although the lyrics to Dreams suggests that the speaker is okay with the break up that
sentiment does not seem to be shared in Bastille's version. During Smith and Aplin's
performance there are times where one can detect, apathy, sadness, anger and even bitterness in
their voices.
I feel as if Nicks' version is about the breaking up whereas Bastille's version is about
being broken up with. The production and the lyrical delivery suggests that Nicks' is more
content with the break up than Smith and Aplin. It's almost as if Bastille's version is a response to
Nicks' saying "No, I'm not okay. I'm hurt and I'm unhappy. You were right I do miss us". One
could argue that because Bastille's interpretation of the lyrics is so different to that of Fleetwood
Mac's that Smith and Aplin have failed to capture the original essence and meaning of the song
but I would argue that by countering its original meaning they have shown that they have a great
understanding of it.
When a cover is done well, the covering artist is able to maintain the essence of the song
while imposing their own style. Some of the most interesting covers involve cross genre
pollination because the differences in the conventions of the genre can completely change the
feeling of the song. The genre of choice, the tone of the song and the interpretation of the lyrics
can also have significant effect on how the cover sounds. Whether the changes are drastic or
subtle, each cover brings its own unique details to a song expanding listeners understanding and
appreciation of the story told by music.
Works Cited
1. N.a. “Dreams by Fleetwood Mac” on SongFacts. Date published unknown. Web.
18.11.13