"Dreamin'" by Will to Power

Song#:  3174
Date:  06/27/1987
Debut:  89
Peak:  50
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Dance-Pop, Freestyle



Pop Bits:  Miami-based radio DJ/mixer Bob Rosenberg wanted more than just toying with other people's music. He had aspirations to write and record his own original music. Rosenberg decided to get in the studio and record a song he composed titled "Dreamin'." He got some assistance via a couple of vocalists, April Newman and Laurie Miller (who earlier had been an original member of Exposé) and when the tune was finished, he issued it out as a 12" single around the Miami area on own Thurst label. Although he hadn't officially created a group, he credited the one-off song as by Will to Power. The tune ended up becoming a regional hit and Epic Records took notice. They made a deal with Rosenberg to distribute the song nationally and when released, it became a club hit reaching #15 on the Dance chart. It crossed over the Pop chart where it spent quite a few weeks trying to breakthrough, but in the end it could only peak at the halfway point. Still, that was good enough for Epic who asked Rosenberg if he had enough material for an album. Although he didn't, he said yes (of course!) and quickly set out to work up more tunes for a debut album. As it began to take shape, Rosenberg formed an official trio called Will to Power with vocalist Suzi Carr (who sang backup vocals on "Dreamin'") and saxophonist Dr. J.

ReduxReview:  This came out at a time when freestyle was really prevalent in Miami and was breaking wider nationally. When compared to some of the other freestyle tracks making the Pop chart, this one was a bit weak. It sounded like an independent record and the hook wasn't as forceful or memorable. A good majority of the freestyle songs of the time were sung by women, so having Rosenberg's slight voice take the lead didn't help. Folks apparently danced to it in the clubs since it made the Dance Top 20, but it wasn't nearly strong enough to make headway on the Pop chart.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  Music apparently ran in the Rosenberg family. Bob Rosenberg's mother was Philadelphia-born pop singer Gloria Mann. She began singing with bands in the 40s, but it wasn't until the mid-50s that she began recording solo singles. After a couple of failed attempts for two labels, she signed on with Sound Records and recorded a version of "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)," a song made famous by the doo-wop group The Penguins in 1954 (#8 Pop/#1 R&B). Mann's version did well enough to reach #18 on the Pop chart in 1955. She followed it up quickly with the song "Teen Age Prayer" (a #6 hit for Gale Storm in 1955), which got to #19. She then got signed to Decca, but after a series of singles, the only one that charted was her remake of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (#59, 1956). After a brief stint with ABC-Paramount that yielded no hits, Mann's recording career faded away.

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