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If I Can Dream

Rating:
4.8 / 5

Words & Music: Walter Earl Brown

There must be lights burning brighter somewhere
Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue
If I can dream of a better land
Where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Tell me why, oh why, oh why can't my dream come true

There must be peace and understanding sometime
Strong winds of promise that will blow away
All the doubt and fear
If I can dream of a warmer sun
Where hope keeps shining on everyone
Tell me why, oh why, oh why won't that sun appear

We're lost in a cloud
With too much rain
We're trapped in a world
That's troubled with pain
But as long as a man
Has the strength to dream
He can redeem his soul and fly

Deep in my heart there's a trembling question
Still I am sure that the answer gonna come somehow
Out there in the dark, there's a beckoning candle
And while I can think, while I can talk
While I can stand, while I can walk
While I can dream, please let my dream
Come true, right now
Let it come true right now
Oh yeah

Recordingdate: 1968/06/23, first released on: single (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of If I Can Dream:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(keyboards)
(harmonica)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(bongos)
(percussion)
(percussion)

Availability

Find available albums with If I Can Dream.

Elvisonmymind wrote on July 24, 2008
Superb song! Wonderful! One of my favorite all time.
mbc77 wrote on September 14, 2008
probably one of my favorite elvis songs. he sang this one very well.
JerryNodak wrote on September 21, 2008
A tremendous song. An outstanding vocal from Elvis.
Narek wrote on October 22, 2008
It always has been my favorite song. It never ceases to inspire me. I think this is the most passionate and sincere performance Elvis ever gave.
Elvislover626 wrote on December 24, 2008
This is my all-time favorite Elvis song! Everytime I hear it it sends chills up my spine. He puts so much power into it. It's just wonderful!
Beauregard Rippi wrote on February 10, 2009
The first Elvis song (or one by any other artist) to bring me to tears... and I was 16 at the time. 40 years later it still does it!
My boy, my boy wrote on July 26, 2009
A marvelous song performed by Elvis....but please spare me the duet with ugly Celine.
Marty_TCE wrote on July 26, 2009
Absolute perfection. A wonderful way to end the '68 special - probably my all time favourite Elvis song, inspirational and uplifting. TCB
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on July 26, 2009
He should have dropped "Can't Help Falling In Love With You" and closed with this gem !
JLpResLey wrote on July 26, 2009
Now, this is something else, it´s out of this world. An outstanding vocal performance by Elvis. Sometimes I wish he had sung it more often, especially live in the seventies. But maybe it is a good thing that he didn´t. See, now we only have fantastic versions of this song, there´s no throw away versions. And I´m pleased with that.
Steve V wrote on July 26, 2009
This was promoting a hugely successful TV show, a comeback for Elvis performing 'live' again, and it is one of his very best records ever with lyrics totally in tune with what was happening in 1968. How this failed to make top 5 is beyond me. I know people that don't even like Elvis that like this song. Just shows how much damage those damn movie songs caused all those years prior.
drjohncarpenter0117 wrote on July 26, 2009
An iconic song matched by a performance that still sends shivers down my spine now. FANTASTIC, Thanks Elvis,
david69 wrote on July 26, 2009
This is such a great SONG Elvis gives such a great performance of the song This is the first elvis song that I heard when I became a fan 7 years ago (now 20 years old)
derekd wrote on July 26, 2009
A 5 star recording. Was this the song that started the great comeback or with Guitar Man & US Male already released was 'Dream' the height of the comeback. One thing is for sure. This single should have got to #1 in the Uk. It was a gem. Never skip it.
dgirl wrote on September 04, 2009
I know many people who rate this as Elvis' greatest song. They may be right.
Gorse wrote on December 18, 2012
He digs deep into his soul singing this one, giving one of the most memorable impassioned filmed sequences from his whole career.
sugartummy wrote on March 19, 2013
I still don't know if this was sung live on the show, because there are pre-recorded versions. Doesn't matter much, it's just amazing.
TheMemphisFan wrote on August 21, 2015
~ June 29, 1968 (black leather stand-up shows) -- Elvis was lip-syncing to the pre-recorded track of "If I Can Dream" from June 23, 1968 at Western Recorders Studio... which was later issued as the single. ~ June 30, 1968 (white suit performance to end show) -- Elvis sang live to the pre-recorded rhythm track from June 23, 1968. This time Elvis sang, "... all the doubt and fear" instead of just "the doubt and fear". The "white suit" performance was much better than the so-called master recorded a week earlier, imo.
Milky White Way wrote on May 13, 2022
I remember watching a tribute show in the UK where all these really famous artists performed Elvis songs. The show ended with the actual 68 comeback ending with If I can dream. This time Elvis singing Elvis. He blew every artist out of the water and my non Elvis fan friend said “he’s in a totally different league, no one can come close to that performance. Probably Elvis’ best ever performance and it is now iconic. Every body knows this white suit performance like they know Martin Luther Kings dream speech and the two are so beautifully linked. Elvis at his very best.
DerekH wrote on December 11, 2022
What can I say about this gem, I remember taping it and playing it non stop or weeks on end, if ever a single deserved to get to #1 it was this one. 5 star +
Mystery Train wrote on December 12, 2022
His greatest recording bar none. My understanding is he never again sang it live. This song is so good it should be a worldwide anthem.
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