In the late '60s he was a member of the rock band People!. People! released its first album I Love You in 1968 and had a Top 20 hit with the song, "I Love You" (written by Chris White of The Zombies).
Norman left People! and released his first solo album, Upon This Rock, in 1969. This could be considered the first Christian rock album, and included one of Norman's most memorable songs I Wish We'd All Been Ready. He followed up with the 1972 LP Only Visiting This Planet, which included an anthem for the burgeoning Christian rock movement, Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music. What made the album particularly significant was the combination of credible rock and roll music with songwriting that critiqued both American society and the contemporary church. Norman's songwriting stunned many in the Christian music scene by its bold references to subjects ranging from the Vietnam War to venereal disease and even the U.S. space program. The album was named the most significant album in Christian music history by a mid-1980s critic's poll in CCM Magazine, though it had slipped lower (though still in the top ten) in a similar CCM Magazine poll in the mid-1990s.
Norman's albums were a mixture of rock styles, with lyrics that were usually very serious, but occasionally very silly, (especially when performing with his best friend Randy Stonehill, whose first albums in the 1970s were produced by Norman).
In the late 1970s, Norman formed Solid Rock Records, which went on to release Stonehill's Welcome to Paradise and The Sky is Falling. He also produced Tom Howard's A View From The Bridge, and Mark Heard's Appalachian Melody among titles from other artists and himself.
But perhaps the most controversial involvement in Norman's career occurred over Daniel Amos' Horrendous Disc LP. The album had been dropped by Maranatha! Records after the label decided to quit releasing rock and roll albums and focus on children's releases and gospel music. So the band, now without a record contract, began to shop the project around to various labels. After considering a number of offers including the Warner Brothers' label Curb Records, Daniel Amos settled on Norman's Solid Rock Records. Norman had the album mixed and took photos of the band for the album's cover, though most of the tracks were recorded back in 1978 with Mike "Clay" Stone (Queen, Frank Zappa) as producer. For reasons that remain a mystery, the album was shelved until its release in April 1981, weeks before the band's follow up on Newpax Records, ¡Alarma!, hit record stores. The incident continues to generate controversy among the fans of D.A. and Norman.
The late 70's marked a difficult time for Norman. He was severely injured aboard an airplane in 1978 when an overhead compartment door fell on his head. Norman claimed that this accident gave him a "bipolar trauma" which made it impossible for him to work to completion on albums; he did not record a studio album for the next twelve years. A dispute with Word Records resulted in the dismantling of the Solid Rock label in 1980. Norman moved to Europe and formed the Phydeaux label.
In 1992, he suffered a severe heart attack and was expected to live less than one week. He survived high-risk surgery and was left with very limited cardiopulmonary ability. Even though easily winded, he continued to perform, although very infrequently. He performed what was billed as his "final" concert in October of 2003. Then, in 2005 he announced two more "final" concerts: one in his adopted home of Salem, Oregon and the other at a seaside festival in Norway. Additional dates in the United Kingdom were also planned. A further concert by Norman (with two members of the band People!) took place in August 2006.
Norman was inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Larry passed away on Feb. 24th 2008 after a long battle with heart related problems.
www.larrynorman.com/
Sweet Dreams
Larry Norman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She lived happily ever after, yeah, but none of it is true.
What about King Midas, when everything turned to gold.
It's all right when we are children but not when we are old.
Sweet dreams. Sweet dreams. Sweet dreams.
Fading before the dawn.
They got perfect teeth and lovely tans,
Such a beautiful boy and girl.
But they don't know each other, they only met today.
When the photographer took the picture
And said the check is on its way.
Sweet dreams. Sweet dreams. Sweet dreams.
Fading before the dawn.
Somebody creates an image and waits for us to buy
They got our life planned out
From the time we get our personal number
'Til the day we die.
Living in a fairy tale just doesn't make sense.
Grass ain't never greener baby, growing beyond the fence.
Sweet dreams. Sweet dreams. Sweet dreams.
Fading before the dawn.
Larry Norman's song "Sweet Dreams" is a commentary on the unrealistic expectations and ideals perpetuated by society through fairytales, media, and consumerism. He starts by questioning the validity of popular fairytales, such as Cinderella's happy ending, implying that they may not be applicable or realistic in the real world, especially as we grow older. The lines "what about King Midas, when everything turned to gold, It's all right when we are children but not when we are old" suggests that chasing after material wealth and gold may lead to disappointment and disillusionment later in life.
Norman then turns his attention to society's expectations of physical beauty and relationships. He describes a perfect couple in a photo, highlighting their physical attributes, but reminds us that they don't really know each other and their relationship is only as deep as a single meeting. He suggests that this type of shallow and superficial relationship is emblematic of modern society, which values external appearances over inner qualities. Norman laments that society has everything planned out for us, from our personal numbers to the way we're supposed to live, and that we're constantly inundated with images that we're meant to aspire to.
Overall, "Sweet Dreams" is a song that laments the loss of authenticity and connection in modern society, and encourages us to focus on the things that really matter.
Line by Line Meaning
What about Cinderella and her glass shoe?
Cinderella's story may have a happy ending but it isn't real or possible.
She lived happily ever after, yeah, but none of it is true.
The happily ever after ending that many stories have isn't realistic or valid.
What about King Midas, when everything turned to gold.
King Midas's wish for gold made him unhappy and it's not something desirable.
It's all right when we are children but not when we are old.
The fairy tales that we believe in and find comfort in as children lose their appeal and practicality as we grow up.
Somebody creates an image and waits for us to buy
Marketers and companies design false personas to lure us into buying their products.
They got our life planned out
Many things are planned out for us by external sources instead of us figuring them out for ourselves.
From the time we get our personal number
We are constantly being tracked, labeled, and assessed in society.
'Til the day we die.
Our lives are predetermined and controlled until the day we die.
Living in a fairy tale just doesn't make sense.
Believing in an alternate, imaginary reality doesn't make sense or lead to practical solutions for real-world problems.
Grass ain't never greener baby, growing beyond the fence.
The things we need may be available to us, we just need to look in other places and explore beyond our comfort zones.
Sweet dreams. Sweet dreams. Sweet dreams.
Ironically, continuing to hold onto these false beliefs brings 'sweet dreams' at night but they're temporary and will be short-lived.
Fading before the dawn.
These dreams will fade away as we become more mature and begin to see the world as it really is.
Well, just look at a photo of a man and a woman in a perfect world.
The idea of a perfect world with perfect people is just as false and contrived as a fairy tale.
They got perfect teeth and lovely tans,
Focusing on appearance is frivolous and shallow.
Such a beautiful boy and girl.
The idea of beauty is manufactured to sell products and manipulate people.
But they don't know each other, they only met today.
A picture doesn't tell the whole story or capture the essence of human interaction and genuine relationships.
When the photographer took the picture
The notion of perfection is the result of perception, not reality.
And said the check is on its way.
The driving forces behind many things we desire and achieve are based on greed and monetary rewards.
Contributed by Adam S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
notusedexer
Great job with the images and lyrics!
JamTracks by Randy Struble
Awesome Larry, everything is Pro spot on!!
Brinkhost Webhosting en Webdesign
I have both the RMLP's "Stop This Flight" and "Rehearsal For Reality" and understand they were later taken off the market and re-release by Larry Norman because the (vinyl) versions of RM were not legal? Anyway,.. love them both. Never heard this song, great.Thanks for posting!
Lorenzo Lopez
your video was great from start to finish