THE JOY OF MUSIC
When A Cover Song Triggers Beautiful Memories
Meet newcomer Lanie Gardner and how her little video blew up the internet and stirred my memories once again
Music is magic. It is also a generational benchmark.
It comes with a timeline and may remind us of a particular decade in life.
Or it may be the music of our children, something we don’t quite grasp.
However, music can be timeless. It can have the power to inspire, to move us.
The year, 1977, Dreams becomes a huge hit for the band Fleetwood Mac, written and performed by music goddess, Stevie Nicks.
Fast forward, 2020, a young singer by the name of Lanie Gardner casually performs a cover of the song on social media, YouTube and TikTok and goes viral with 10 million views. Now, the cover has gained in popularity and in views with a number reportedly closer to 44 million across social platforms.
I happened to see it only because it was trending on the internet. It rekindled beautiful, raw memories for me.
But what most impressed me was this: imagine a song like Dreams being sung by a new generation not even born when it was released. That is the power of words, of music.
As a writer, I can appreciate the power of words. Words connect us; they touch us in remarkable ways. They can become timeless.
Listen to the lyrics in Dreams:
Thunder only happens when it’s raining,
players only love you
when they’re playing.
Women, they will come, and they will go,
When the rain washes you clean,
you’ll know.
You will know.Dreams by Fleetwood Mac
Songwriter: Stevie Nicks
But, as anyone who has heard this song knows, it is more than its memorable lyrics, it is the melody, the drumbeat, the music, the riffs, the mesmerizing voice that also draws you in.
Hearing the cover performance of Dreams brought back memories for me. It was a time in my life I was understanding shattered illusions, taking nothing at face value. I was becoming cynical, skeptical, yet in the recesses of my mind, empowered and hopeful. It was a time of personal growth.
You might ask what had happened to bring me to this shadowed place? Actually, it was a series of life events. It was a time when trust became something that had to be earned. It was a time that helped me recognize love and unloved in all its forms, even when real love came along. Dreams became a song I connected with.
“When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know.” — I felt the power of being cleansed, of renewal.
The imagery was poetic and powerful- thunder, rain, crystal vision. The line “have you any dreams you’d like to sell?” held a double meaning that overwhelmed me and made me understand how mystical and mercenary life can be.
Here is the cover, sung by emerging singer-songwriter, Lanie Gardner.
I really enjoy watching this and listening to the vocal range and tonality. And it was exciting to hear that Fleetwood Mac was impressed as well.
And here is the original by Fleetwood Mac. Stevie Nicks is beyond superstar status, and I will never forget the line- “When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know.”
© Connie Song 2022. All Rights Reserved.
