Sweet Dreams (Beyoncé song)
"Sweet Dreams" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé from her third studio album I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). Originally titled "Beautiful Nightmare", it leaked online in March 2008. The song was written and produced by Beyoncé, James Scheffer, Wayne Wilkins, and Rico Love. Columbia Records released "Sweet Dreams" as the album's sixth single, to mainstream radio and rhythmic contemporary radio playlists in the United States on June 2, 2009, and elsewhere on July 13. It is an electropop song whose instrumentation includes synthesizers, a keyboard, and snare drums. Beyoncé employs slinky vocals to sing the lyrics, which describe a romantic relationship that the female protagonist believes could be a dream.
"Sweet Dreams"
June 2, 2009
March 2008
South Beat Studios
(Miami Beach, Florida)
3:28
- Beyoncé Knowles
- James Scheffer
- Wayne Wilkins
- Rico Love
- Beyoncé Knowles
- James Scheffer
- Wayne Wilkins
- Rico Love
Music critics praised the beats, synthpop sound and Beyoncé's vocals in "Sweet Dreams". Some critics noted that the sliding bassline gave the song a dark quality and resembles the one used in some of Michael Jackson's songs on Thriller (1982). "Sweet Dreams" gained popularity for its electronic style, which contrasts her earlier R&B, urban, and funk-tinged releases. The song was nominated for the Viewers Choice Award at the 2010 BET Awards. "Sweet Dreams" peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Sweet Dreams" topped the charts in New Zealand, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in many countries, including Australia, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom. "Sweet Dreams" was certified platinum in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
The song's accompanying music video was directed by Adria Petty, and was filmed in Brooklyn, New York. It mainly uses a green screen and computer-generated effects, making the clip minimal and performance-based. The video sees Beyoncé wearing a golden robot suit designed by French fashion designer Thierry Mugler. Critics described it as high-fashion and noted that she reprised some of the choreography from her 2008 video for "Single Ladies". Beyoncé promoted the song by performing it live at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards and occasionally during the I Am... World Tour (2009–10). "Sweet Dreams" was recognized as one of the most performed songs of 2009 at the 27th American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Pop Music Awards. The song was used in a Crystal Geyser Water Japanese advertisement that featured Beyoncé.
Production and recording[edit]
Initially titled "Beautiful Nightmare", "Sweet Dreams" became one of the first songs composed for Beyoncé Knowles' 2008 double album I Am... Sasha Fierce.[1] Record producer Rico Love regarded writing "Sweet Dreams" with Knowles as "the experience of a lifetime".[2] When Knowles went to the South Beat Studios in Miami Beach, Florida,[3] she was not prepared to record and had to attend the opening concert of her husband Jay-Z's tour.[2] However, when she heard a demo of the song, she was impressed and wanted to record it immediately.[2][4] She sang and recorded “Sweet Dreams” in 15 minutes.[5]
Knowles, Wayne Wilkins and Jim Jonsin did some additional writing and produced the song alongside Love at the same studio.[3] Knowles and Love worked on the vocal arrangements; Knowles appreciated Love's background vocals in the hook and retained them.[2] Jim Caruana assisted in recording the music.[3] Love then recorded Knowles' vocals;[3] the recording session lasted for an hour.[2] Lastly, Wilkins mixed the track.[3] "Sweet Dreams" appears on the Sasha Fierce disc of I Am... Sasha Fierce as it allowed Knowles to portray her alter ego Sasha Fierce, whom Knowles described as her "fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken [...] and more glamorous side".[6]
Composition and lyrical interpretation[edit]
"Sweet Dreams" is an electropop song[9] that incorporates elements of rock and old-school funk music.[8][10] The song is built on undulating electro rhythms[11] and a thumping beat;[12] its groove fits into hip hop phrasing.[13] It is mainly driven by a keyboard[7] and also has guitar, piano,[14] synthesizer,[11] snare drum[1] and bass instrumentation.[15] Many music critics noted that several components of "Sweet Dreams" are reminiscent of the songs on Michael Jackson's 1982 album Thriller. James Montgomery of MTV News said that the "gnarly low end" sounds like Jackson's song "Beat It" (1983).[1] Nick Levine of Digital Spy noted that the electronic bassline is similar to those used in Jackson's songs "Thriller" (1983) and "Bad" (1987).[9] Arielle Castillo of the Miami New Times noted that Jackson could use the beat of "Sweet Dreams" to bring up to date his Thriller-era style.[7]
The lyrics of "Sweet Dreams" are about a female protagonist who has some insecurities about her new romantic relationship;[12] she is confused about whether her relationship with her partner is a "sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare".[16] The song starts with a bassline, which is occasionally interrupted by spare snare kicks, drum fills and Knowles' chanting, "Turn the lights on".[14][15] She then adopts slinky vocals to begin the first verse.[8] The "expansive-yet-molecular" chorus[1] then starts with the line, "You can be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare / Either way, I don't wanna wake up from you".[15] The song is written in the key of E-flat minor with a tempo of 122 beats per minute. Beyoncé's vocals span from D♭4 to E♭5 in the song.[17]
Critical reception[edit]
Reviews[edit]
"Sweet Dreams" was acclaimed by critics, some of whom praised its dark tone and electropop sound that is different from Knowles' previous work. James Montgomery of MTV News wrote that Knowles' vocals, which he called, "icy and cool, slippery like mercury [and] nothing to scoff at either", help make the song an "undeniable smash" that is unique compared to the work of other artists.[1] Jennifer Vineyard of the same publication argued that the rock elements and smooth vocals contribute to Knowles' "fierce" alter ego, who "dares the listener to dream of her, warning that it might be a 'beautiful nightmare'."[8] Arielle Castillo of Miami New Times noted that "Sweet Dreams" is another one of Jim Jonsin's productions with a keyboard-propelled arrangement, but unlike the material Jonsin crafted for Soulja Boy, the song is "swirling, and darker".[7] Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle and Gary Trust of Billboard magazine agreed and said the song is one of Knowles' purest dance songs and is "an irresistible call to the dance floor".[27][28] Describing "Sweet Dreams" as a "cool dance track", Dennis Amith of J!-ENT complimented its arrangement, calling it "experimental" with "cool transitions".[29]
Adam Mazmanian of The Washington Times described the song as "a gritty slow grind with a salacious bassline" and noted that Knowles "delivers a near parody of a good-girl voice" while singing the chorus.[15] Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork Media wrote that "Sweet Dreams" sounds like a song Rihanna would sing.[30] Echoing Dombal's sentiments, Nick Levine of Digital Spy wrote that the best song on the Sasha Fierce disc is a "dark[ish] electropop track called 'Sweet Dreams', [which] actually sounds like the cousin of Rihanna's 'Disturbia'".[31] On a separate review for the single, Levine awarded "Sweet Dreams" a rating of four stars out of five, and commented that the song seduces listeners with its catchy chorus hook, and thereafter keeps them intrigued by "placing a hint of darkness just beneath the shiny, synthy surface".[9] Spence D. of IGN Music wrote that though "Sweet Dreams" is not a "stellar track", it is superior to other album tracks, including "Diva" and "Radio".[11] Similarly, Vicki Lutas of BBC Music wrote that even though "Sweet Dreams" appears to lack something, it is undeniably a good song overall.[16] She added that "Sweet Dreams" may not be Knowles' finest or most memorable work, but it remains her best offering since her 2003 song "Crazy in Love".[16] Lutas also commended Knowles' vocal delivery, which he described as "beautiful and soft, yet strong and powerful".[16] Talia Kraines of the same publication wrote that "Sweet Dreams" is one of the standout tracks on the Sasha Fierce disc though she believed Knowles did not get as experimental as she did on her 2006 song "Ring the Alarm".[32]
Recognition and accolades[edit]
"Sweet Dreams" earned Knowles the Best Female Vocal accolade at the 2009 Music MP3 Awards.[33] It was nominated for Best R&B/Urban Dance Track at the 25th Annual International Dance Music Awards, but lost to the Black Eyed Peas's 2009 song "I Gotta Feeling".[34] It was also nominated for the Viewers Choice Award at the 2010 BET Awards.[35] The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) recognized "Sweet Dreams" as one of the most performed songs of 2009 at the 27th ASCAP Pop Music Awards.[36] On the occasion of Knowles' thirtieth birthday, Erika Ramirez and Jason Lipshutz of Billboard magazine ranked the song at number 21 on their list of Knowles' 30 biggest Billboard hits, and noted that its electropop sound, which was in contrast to Knowles' previous singles, showcased her range of talent.[37] On The Village Voice's 2009 Pazz & Jop singles list, "Sweet Dreams" was ranked at number 115.[38] In 2013, John Boone and Jennifer Cady of E! Online placed the song at number five on their list of ten best Knowles' songs, writing that Knowles "stepped away from R&B roots with this surreal electropop tune, which features these standout lyrics: 'My guilty pleasure, I ain't going nowhere / As long as you're here, I'll be floating on air' (which, from Bey's mouth, sounds like the greatest threat ever)".[39]
Chart performance[edit]
"Sweet Dreams" debuted at number 97 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart issue dated August 8, 2009.[40] It peaked at number ten for two non-consecutive weeks on the charts issued dated November 7 and 21, 2009.[41][42] The song became Knowles' thirteenth top ten Hot 100 single as a solo artist during the 2000s, and tied her with Ludacris and T-Pain for second-most top tens on the chart since 2000; Knowles' husband Jay-Z lead with fourteen in that period.[43] Knowles' is the third song titled "Sweet Dreams" to reach the top ten of the Hot 100 chart, following "Sweet Dreams" by Air Supply in 1982 and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics in 1983.[43] For the week ending September 12, 2009, it topped the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart; it became Knowles' eleventh number-one song, and was the fourth song from I Am... Sasha Fierce to top that chart.[44] "Sweet Dreams" tied Knowles with Kristine W for second-most number one songs on the Hot Dance Club Songs during the 2000s.[44] "Sweet Dreams" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting sales of one million digital copies.[45] As of October 2012, it had sold 1,691,000 digital downloads in the US.[46]
In the United Kingdom, "Sweet Dreams" debuted at number 52 on the UK Singles Chart on July 18, 2009.[47] It peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart on August 9, 2009 for three consecutive weeks,[47] and became Knowles' eighth top ten single in Britain as a solo artist.[48] In Australia, the song peaked at number two on the ARIA Singles Chart on August 9, 2009.[49] The song spent 38 consecutive weeks on the ARIA Singles Chart, where it last charted on March 1, 2010;[50] it was certified 4× platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) in 2023, for 280,000 equivalent units.[51]
Credits are taken from I Am... Sasha Fierce liner notes.[3]