Shattered Dreams

Johnny Hates Jazz's big hit

It’s not every day that you hear a single with a bongo in it. As the story goes, this song came together quickly - except for the bongo solo. It’s off of Johnny Hates Jazz’s first album, Turn Back the Clock. The harmonies, groove, and sophisticated pop sound took it to #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart and it reached the top 10 around the world.

The lyrics are something everyone can relate to. Something they thought would be great that falls apart. Songwriter Clark Datchler wrote it after the breakup of his first serious relationship. He said:

Obviously when I wrote "Shattered Dreams" I had it in mind that it would revolve around divorce, not just a relationship break-up but something a little bit heavier. But actually, the way I think people relate to it is that there are all kinds of shattered dreams that we experience on an individual level or in partnerships or as a people, as a nation, as humanity. We are facing some very serious shattered dreams right now whether that be environmental, or economic, or philosophical even. There are ways that "Shattered Dreams" reaches out and touches people when they are going through difficult times. And in some ways, it's not necessarily a very hopeful song. But I think the energy of the song is still quite bright which makes it an interesting combination. It's kind of opposites of each other, but that is something I tend to do lyrically and musically, having serious subjects with more up-tempo music

The video is typical of the mid-80s aesthetic. Clips of the band performing interspersed with images to create a mood that matches the song. It’s all in black and white to make it even moodier. This video, directed by David Fincher (yes THAT David Fincher), is the second one shot and was preferred by Datchler. You can see the beginnings of Fincher’s style here.

Enjoy your song of the day!