Dreamin'

Fleetwood Mac with "Dreams"

According to lead vocalist and songwriter, Stevie Nicks, “I sat down on the bed with my keyboard in front of me. I found a drum pattern, switched my little cassette player on and wrote ‘Dreams’ in about 10 minutes.” What have you done in the last 10 minutes? (We know what you'll be doing in the next 10 minutes. See below.)

Jeezy, J.Cole, Kendrick Lamar with "American Dream"

Since 1776, people from all over the globe have made their way to the U-S of A to chase one thing... the American Dream. There isn't one definitive way to achieve that dream, and that's probably what makes it so great. Maybe your American Dream is 2.5 kids and a house with a white picket fence. Or maybe, like Jeezy, your American Dream is simply “a big ol’ bag of money.” Or, maybe, it's starting a sunglasses company out of your one-car garage.

Van Halen with "Dreams"

Now, we know this isn’t the official music video. Buuut if you like hard-driving 80’s rock, stunt jets, and getting really pumped up, then we think you’ll dig this Van Halen x Blue Angels mash-up. According to YouTube, this video has over 1.5 million views. We’ll take credit for a couple hundo of those.

Mariah Carey with "Dreamlover"

Last Friday at the Knoffice, someone asked the question: “Can anyone here hit the high note that Mariah Carey hits at the beginning of the song ‘Dreamlover’) Answer: absolutely not. Maybe one day, though. One can dream.

Gary Wright with "Dream Weaver"

A top-ten hit all the way back in 1976, this flowy, trippy song found a resurgence sixteen years later when it was featured prominently in the movie Wayne’s World. If you’ve seen the movie, it’s the scene where Wayne sees Cassandra on stage at the club. Schwing! Party on, Gary!

Tom Petty with "Runnin’ Down a Dream"

We’ve got to think that this song, written by Tom Petty in 1989, was inspired by his boyhood dreams of becoming a rock star and sharing his music with millions of people worldwide. On the road, tour bus aglow, wearing Fast Lanes, heading to the next big city. The music video doesn’t sync with that idea so well, however… it seems to be inspired by an animator’s acid trip and a band that didn’t feel like showing up for hair and make-up.

Billy Ocean with "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car"

Billy Ocean is the epitome of "smooooth”. But even he gets a little flustered from time to time, as witnessed by his reaction when his white whale-tail Porsche starts to fill up with water in the middle of the car wash. In the end, however, he still gets the girl (the one that happened to be wearing a gold cocktail dress under her car wash uniform.)

Aerosmith with "Dream On"

While it's hard to find a clear meaning for this Aerosmith hit, one thing is for sure: Steven Tyler was stoned as hell when he wrote it. He also wrote it before Aerosmith even formed as a band. Think of that... Tyler, sitting in the living room of his parents’ apartment, dreaming about being in a rock band and having it come true years later. Dream on, Steven.

Heart with "These Dreams”

We know they’re called Heart, but damn—look at that hair. Although the video seems ultra-dated and quintessentially 1986, the song itself actually holds up pretty well some 30+ years later. It’s clear, Heart knew how to put together killer rock tunes…and use a blowdryer.

Crowded House with "Don’t Dream It’s Over"

You know that emptiness you sometimes feel when something comes to an end? Maybe it's your birthday, or a great concert, or a summer-camp relationship. Hell, even this Dreamin’ playlist is wrapping up. This song, written by New Zealander Neil Finn and released in 1986, does a good job of capturing that “aw man, I guess it’s really done” feeling.

BONUS: Post Malone with "Hollywood Dreams Come Down”

Awww, Hollywood. Where dreams of becoming a star can either come true…or be shattered. This song, influenced heavily by Fleetwood Mac (see above), starts with Post Malone describing the Hollywood lifestyle he had always dreamt of being a part of…but, at about the 3-minute mark, things take a turn. “Last night we was going so hard / Now I can’t feel my heart.” Hang in there, Post, and keep that Hollywood dream alive.