Every #1 Country Single of the Eighties: Mickey Gilley, “Put Your Dreams Away”

“Put Your Dreams Away”

Mickey Gilley

Written by Wayland Holyfield and Richard Leigh

Radio & Records

#1 (2 weeks)

September 24 – October 1, 1982

Billboard

#1 (1 week)

October 2, 1982

Mickey Gilley’s latest No. 1 single incorporates some traditional elements into his signature sound.  

The countrypolitan sheen remains on “Put Your Dreams Away,” with the driving musical element still being that soft piano that was all over Gilley’s earlier hits. But there is also a heavy dose of steel guitar, giving “Dreams” a little bit of country flair to make it stand out from his previous records.

It helps to compensate for a mediocre lyric.  The idea here is sound but the writers couldn’t find much to do with it.  It’s just a guy telling a girl over and over again that she can stop dreaming. He’s here.

Gilley doesn’t sound entirely convincing, but he does have a bit more twang in his voice than we usually get, so at least it’s an interesting change of pace.  It was enough to kick off a string of three consecutive No. 1 singles.

“Put Your Dreams Away” gets a B. 

Every No. 1 Single of the Eighties

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