Jim Steinman "Rock ’n Roll Dreams ..."

Pat, I noticed in your book (I have the 9th ed.) you list the 6:25 version of this song as "LP version" and the 5:25 version as the "45 version." Since Steinman's LP didn't actually contain "R&R Dreams" but it was included on a 45 that came inside the sealed LP, was THAT 45 (presumably what you call the LP version) any different from the commercial single? I have the commercial single and it contains the 5:25 song and "0:53 Choral Reprise", which totals almost 6:25. I assume that this would not differ from the long 6:25 version included with the LP. (My LP was something I bought used, years later, and there was no 45 included.) It seems to me the "45 version" (5:25) on the CD you cite in the book is not the 45 version, as my 45 is approximately 6:25. Is this shorter (5:25) version available on the promo 45?

The "Bad For Good" CD contains the bonus cuts "R&R Dreams Come Through" and "The Storm". These were not ON the LP but were IN the LP .. the LP jacket, that is. A rather unique situation. So can we even call any version the "LP version"?

Since the only version available commercially was the 6:25 version (which was included with the LP and was on the commercial 45), I would refer to the 2 shorter versions as "dj edits". Even though radio usually ommitted the choral reprise, the commercial versions all had the reprise -- so those shorter versions are simply radio edits, and the longer version is the main version (ie. the single and album have the same version.)

I would argue that the song was included INSIDE the LP as a 45 and should be considered as any song on an ALBUM, with an asterisk/footnote/header that says, "technically, the LP contained "R&R Dreams" as a 45, inserted within the shrinkwrap. Hope that helps.

I have just pulled out my promo 45 for this. Firstly, the DJ 45 short version has a listed time of (4:28), as Pat correctly states in the database, but has an actual time of (4:34). This version fades out, and is the only version of this song I have EVER known that does NOT include the "choral reprise." The "long version" of my promo 45 exactly mirrors my commercial 45. They both state a time of (5:18), with "Choral Reprise" listed separately, with a stated time of (:53). Adding these two listed times together, it comes out to a total of (6:11). However, the actual long version and commercial 45 time combined is, in fact, :14 seconds longer, at (6:25), the same as two of the CDs currently in the database. Personally, I feel that the two current (5:25) database CD versions of this song (the ones that omit the "choral reprise") are totally bogus, since, 1) they are NOT the correct DJ 45 short version, and, 2) there was never ANY other Cleveland Int'l/Epic 1981 release of this song that omitted the "choral reprise." I do acknowlege that some radio stations "dumped out" of the choral reprise back then, but, to my knowledge, those were in-house radio station decisions, and did not occur via a unique, legitimate vinyl option, provided to radio that way by the record label.

I think we need to revisit this one again... As was suggested previously, the database states:

DJ copies of this 45 run (4:34) not (4:28) as stated on the record label and (6:25).

But in my humble opinion, this explanation is a bit oversimplfied because it doesn't acknowledge how the record label states the song and the choral reprise separately. These comments also don't acknowledge any commercial 45 info... Abagon has informed me his commercial 45 copy lists "ROCK AND ROLL DREAMS COME THROUGH" which runs 5:23, not 5:18 as stated on the label, and the "CHORAL REPRISE", which runs :58, not :53 as stated on the label, for a total run time of 6:22 with approximately :01 of silence in between. (This length, however, is several seconds shorter than what Jim reported previously for his commercial copy.) I think it should also be mentioned that "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" did not appear directly on Jim Steinman's Bad for Good vinyl LP, but was included with the LP as a bonus 45.

I'm sorry... I know this song creates a nightmare as far as database notations go, but I think the situation lends itself to some additional detail than what is currently provided in the database.

Edited by Todd Ireland

Just an observation for those who own the short promo 45 for this song. It seems as though they crossfaded into part of the choral reprise and then faded out of it. It actually seems pretty smooth.

I'm glad I was able to find a nice copy of the promo recently.

Edited by eriejwg