O… M… G. I fell for this in a big way. These Dreams, the B side, was my preferred of the two and the reason I bought it.
Originally released in 1986 These Dreams made number 1 in the Billboard US Hot 100, but had only managed number 62 in the UK singles chart. Following the success of 1987’s Alone, it was re-released in 1988, together with Never – a song that had not previously been released in the UK.
This time, the Bernie Taupin and Martin Page penned power ballad made it to number 8 in the UK singles chart. Unusually for me, I didn’t note the date that I had bought this single on the sleeve – most of my collection has my untidy scrawl somewhere, either directly on the sleeve or on a tatty sticker barely hanging on these days.
I think that I probably bought this as much for the fact that I loved Alone, rather than for the merits of These Dreams. Some of my record buying choices were strange you see, although they were also probably pragmatic too – I missed out on one record by a band so I bought their follow up single… One to ponder there.
Anyway, Heart were a visual manifestation of a certain 80s music feeling. Overblown, with the hair and the costumes, they were like Dynasty on vinyl. I hated Dynasty, but loved Heart. Is that a strange admission to make?