Hey Now…Hey Now! This week’s featured Great Song of the ’80s is “Don’t Dream Its ‘Over;” from New Zealand’s Crowded House.

For lead singer Neil Finn, who wrote the song, it was a song that just sort of came together while he was noodling around on his brother’s piano.
On one hand, he was feeling kind of a lost soul, but on the other hand, he was urging himself to keep pushing on.

The single, from the group’s self titled debut album, was released in October of 1986, but it took until early ’87 to finally catch on. When it did, however, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” became an international hit, charting in 11 countries.

As you might suspect, it topped the charts in New Zealand, but it also went to #1 in Canada.

Here in the US, it was a 3-chart hit: #2 on the Hot 100, #5 on The Adult Contemporary Chart, and #11 on The Rock Chart.

It also won a number of awards and accolades in New Zealand and Australia…including a win for “Best Video” at the Australian Music Awards. It currently, it\ sits at #2 on the list of New Zealand’s Top Songs of All Time, and for the rest of the world, it certainly stands as a Great Song of 1987!
It’s a good bet that that Neil Finn was glad he didn’t “dream it was over!

== Mike Cook