"The Love Parade" by The Dream Academy

Song#:  2696
Date:  04/19/1986
Debut:  91
Peak:  36
Weeks:  11
Genre:  Dream Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  This UK band scored a left-field hit with the folkish "Life in a Northern Town" (#7 Pop, #7 Rock, #2 AC). It was the first single taken from their self-titled debut album. For a follow-up this subdued tune was selected. It was a pretty good fit for AC where it got to #13, but it could only manage Top 40 showings at Pop (#36) and Rock (#37). Unfortunately, it would be the band's last single to reach the Pop chart. Their second album, Remembrance Days, would be released early in '87, but none of its singles would hit any chart and the album disappeared quickly. They would issue out one more album in 1990 before calling it a day.

ReduxReview:  This breathy, bossa-nova-ish track is a lovely listen, but I don't think it made for a very good single. It's just a bit too low-key to really crack the Pop chart. I'm surprised it even made the Top 40. I think there was a missed opportunity with "The Edge of Forever." Although they tested it out earlier in the year, after it was used in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (see below), it should have been pushed out as an official single and promoted. It may have not been a Top 10'er, but I think it might have gotten close. I have always been disappointed that "Indian Summer," the lead single from their second album, didn't chart. I thought it was a brilliant tune and was a worthy successor to "Life in a Northern Town." For some reason, it just got ignored. The rest of the album wasn't very good, but that song was a winner. I think it was their attempt to recapture the feel of "Life in a Northern Town" and for me it worked. I guess for the general public, it didn't.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  In the summer of '86 the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off, starring Matthew Broderick, was released. The comedy would be a significant hit finishing at the 10th highest grossing film of the year. Two songs from The Dream Academy would be featured in the film. "The Edge of Forever," a track from their debut album, was used in a scene and their instrumental remake of The Smiths' "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" was used in another. The vocal version of that song was released as a one-off single in the UK and it got to #83. Prior to it being included in the film, "The Edge of Forever" had hit the US Rock chart getting to #37. It was not officially released as a single in the US, so it was unable to reach the Pop chart. Back in '86, there was no official soundtrack release for Ferris Bueller's Day Off despite it containing plenty of songs. Director/writer/producer John Hughes thought that the songs, though effective in the film, did not work together as an album. Later in 2016, a limited edition soundtrack for the film was released that included songs from the film (including the two by Dream Academy) and the musical score composed by Ira Newborn.

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