In the late 70s, he and his childhood friend Steve George founded the band Pages (most notable for "I Do Believe In You") in Phoenix, Arizona. The outfit Mr. Mister sprang out of that project 1982. The two continued to apply their tight harmonies to background vocals on albums by successful pop artists like Laura Branigan while working on their own material as well. About the time when the first Mr. Mister album, titled 'I Wear the Face', came out in early 1984, Page was offered the chance to replace Bobby Kimball as lead singer of Toto. He even was also later offered Peter Cetera's place in the jazz rock outfit Chicago.
Page refused both offers, confident in Mr. Mister's potential. The single "Hunters of the Night" managed to become a near-hit, reaching the #57 slot on the Billboard Hot 100, and the new wave fueled album had brought them with producer Peter McIan, who had been behind releases by Dear Enemy and Men at Work. Still, the line-up of Page, George, Pat Mastelotto, and Steve Farris failed to reach a mass audience as the album just didn't sell that well.
Mr. Mister's second album, 1985's 'Welcome To The Real World', featured emotive lyrics from Page's cousin John Lang and became the breakthrough that the guys had been hoping for. The group had three top 10 singles, two of which even coming #1 hits on the U.S. pop charts. The band's compelling ballad "Broken Wings" had become a part of the national pop consciousness, particularly serving as a sort of 'signature song' for the outfit. In those days of widespread success, they toured with legendary diva Tina Turner, for whom their song "Stand And Deliver" was written. This song eventually appeared on Mr. Mister's third album, titled 'Go On', which the band said contined "some of the best stuff we ever did".
With expectations sky-high for the band, the guys planned on taking a more mature approach lyrically, standing up against the notorious materialism and celebration of greed during that decade, and the album had a sound that hinted at progressive rock. Nevertheless, 'Go On' failed to achieve commercial success, and the band members found themselves getting lost in the 80s pop/rock shuffle. Guitarist Steve Farris left around 1989, which seemed to spell the beginning of the end for the group. Still, the band began working on a fourth album, called 'Pull', with session guitarists. Dropped by their label before that work could be released, the band decided to break up for good.
That album remained unreleased for something like two decades, although one track ("Waiting In My Dreams") later appeared on a popular greatest hits collection. The release in its entirely finally surfaced in 2010 on the indie label Little Dume Recordings, a company project of Richard Page's that had also published solo efforts by him such as 'Peculiar Life'. After the band's split, Page continued to work as a composer (for example, he co-authored Madonna's 1994 Golden Globe nominated song "I'll Remember") and as a background singer for several artists. Page additionally produced a solo album, called 'Shelter Me', in 1996 that featured guest appearances by all his former band-mates.
Steve Farris has toured with Whitesnake and also recorded songs with artists such as Tori Amos and 4 Non Blondes. Pat Mastelotto has played with groups such as King Crimson and XTC. Steve George served as musical director for American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins until 1997, also having toured with the star Jewel. Finally, John Lang became a part of the alternative rock group Djinn (not to be confused with the DJ of the same name and other artists), an obscure band that gained some interest when they produced their 1998 album 'All-Time'.
Waiting In My Dreams
Mr. Mister Lyrics
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And watch my thoughts go by
I hear the beating of a heavy heart
No words of wisdom can inspire
Out the window, nothing much changes
A street full of strangers and you're not there
You're waiting in my dreams, oh-oh
Waiting in my dreams, oh-oh
The only time you're next to me
Waiting in my dreams, oh-oh
You're waiting in my dreams
In the morning, a woman cries
And through her tears, she speaks to me
I feel the turning of a rusty key
Unlock a world where we are free
I spend a lifetime hungry for someone
Now the clock's running, I know you'll be there
You're waiting in my dreams, oh-oh
When I close my eyes you're all I see
(All I see)
Waiting in my dreams, oh-oh
The only time you're next to me
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh
I spend a lifetime hungry for someone
Now the clock's running, I know you'll be there
I can feel you
You're waiting in my dreams, oh-oh
When I close my eyes you're all I see
(All I see)
Waiting in my dreams, oh-oh
The only time you're next to me
Waiting in my dreams, oh-oh
You're waiting in my dreams, oh-oh
When I close my eyes you're all I see
(All I see)
Waiting in my dreams, oh-oh (Oh-oh)
The only time you're next to me
The only time I see your face at night
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
The song "Waiting in My Dreams" by Mr. Mister is a sentimental, emotional ballad about longing for someone who is not physically present. The opening lyrics set the scene for the song, with the singer alone and unable to sleep, his thoughts racing. He hears the beating of his own heart, heavy with emotion and perhaps a sense of anxiety or fear. He looks out the window and sees a street full of strangers, highlighting the feeling of isolation and disconnection he's experiencing.
The chorus of the song is where the theme of the song becomes clear. The person the singer is longing for is only present in his dreams. When he closes his eyes, this person is all he sees, and as he sings "you're waiting in my dreams," it's clear that this feeling of longing is mutual. The dream world is the only place where they can be together, and this creates a poignant sense of both hope and sadness.
Line by Line Meaning
In the evening, I lie awake alone
At night, I am alone and awake in my thoughts
And watch my thoughts go by
I observe my thoughts as they pass through my mind
I hear the beating of a heavy heart
I can sense the sadness and heaviness in my own heart
No words of wisdom can inspire
I feel lost and unable to find inspiration or guidance
Out the window, nothing much changes
The world outside remains the same, with no noticeable difference
A street full of strangers and you're not there
I see unfamiliar faces on the street, but the one I long for is absent
You're waiting in my dreams, oh-oh
My beloved is present in my dreams, waiting for me
When I close my eyes you're all I see
In my mind's eye, my thoughts are filled only with you
The only time you're next to me
The only time we are together is in my dreams
In the morning, a woman cries
As dawn breaks, I hear a woman weeping
And through her tears, she speaks to me
Despite her sadness, she communicates with me
I feel the turning of a rusty key
I sense the unlocking of something old and forgotten
Unlock a world where we are free
The unlocking reveals a world in which we are liberated
I spend a lifetime hungry for someone
I have spent my whole life longing for a companion
Now the clock's running, I know you'll be there
With time ticking away, I have faith that you will be there for me
You're waiting in my dreams, oh-oh (Oh-oh)
Even in my troubled dreams, you wait for me
The only time I see your face at night
At night, only in my dreams, do I get to see your face
Contributed by Arianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.