Flying in a Blue Dream

Flying in a Blue Dream
Studio album by Joe Satriani
Released	Original: October 30, 1989 Re-Issue: May 27, 1997
Recorded	December 1988-August 1989 at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, CA; Hyde Street Studios; Different Fur; Coast Recorders; Alpha & Omega Recording, San Francisco, CA
Genre	Instrumental Rock
Length	64:39
Label	Original: Relativity Records Re-Issue: Epic Records
Producer	Joe Satriani, John Cuniberti
Joe Satriani chronology
Dreaming #11 (1988) Flying in a Blue Dream (1989) The Extremist (1992)

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Allmusic

Flying in a Blue Dream is a 1989 album by instrumental rock solo artist Joe Satriani. It is his third studio album (Dreaming #11 is a mostly live EP, although it featured one new studio track "The Crush of Love").

Album information

Tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 13 contain lead and background vocals by Satriani himself. Flying in a Blue Dream marks Joe's first record to feature himself playing harmonica and banjo but is noted for Satriani's use of echoing harmonics throughout much the album including the track "Flying in a Blue Dream" itself. The Satch Tapes, which was first issued on VHS cassette in 1993 and later on DVD in 2003 includes two music videos from the album, "I Believe" and "Big Bad Moon" as well as excerpts from an MTV performance where he played "The Feeling" on banjo with Johnathan Mover playing percussion. The song "One Big Rush" is also featured in the 1989 John Cusack movie Say Anything.

Satriani commented in a guitar magazine interview that he frequently had dreams as a child that he was flying over a blue, crystallized world and that this is where the song partially got its title from.

The track "Back to Shalla-Bal" refers to Marvel Comics' The Silver Surfer returning home with hopes of restoring his relationship with Shalla-Bal, the empress of Zenn-La. This is a reference to the cover of his album Surfing with the Alien, which used The Silver Surfer as cover art.

Satriani's father died during the recording of this album. The track,"Into The Light", was composed in his memory. Satriani's parents were very supportive of his artistic goals, as were his sisters, Joan and Carol, who have both designed artwork for several of Joe's guitars.

Re-release

Along with Satriani's releases up to his 1995 self-titled album, Flying in a Blue Dream was re-issued in 1997 on Epic Records. The Relativity Records version is now out of print.

This album is included in Joe Satriani Original Album Classics box set, released by Epic Records in 2008.

Track listing

All songs by Joe Satriani.

1. "Flying in a Blue Dream" – 5:28
2. "The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing" – 5:05
3. "Can't Slow Down" – 4:46
4. "Headless" – 1:28
5. "Strange" – 4:55
6. "I Believe" – 5:50
7. "One Big Rush" – 3:20
8. "Big Bad Moon" – 5:13
9. "The Feeling" – 0:52
10. "The Phone Call" – 3:00
11. "Day at the Beach (New Rays from an Ancient Sun)" – 2:03
12. "Back to Shalla-Bal" – 3:15
13. "Ride" – 4:58
14. "The Forgotten (Part One)" – 1:10
15. "The Forgotten (Part Two)" – 5:08
16. "The Bells of Lal (Part One)" – 1:19
17. "The Bells of Lal (Part Two)" – 4:08
18. "Into the Light" – 2:25

Personnel

• David Bett – Art Direction
• Mick Brigden – Art Direction
• Jeff Campitelli – Percussion, Drums, Programming, Drums (Electric)
• John Cuniberti – Percussion, Sitar, Producer, Engineer
• Ken Friedman – Photography
• Bernie Grundman – Mastering
• Stuart Hamm – Bass
• Stephen Hart – Assistant Engineer
• Jeff Katz – Photography
• Matt Kelly – Assistant Engineer
• Daniel Levitin – Sound Consultant
• David Luke – Assistant Engineer
• David Lune – Assistant Engineer
• Chad Munsey – Assistant Engineer
• Stuart Namm
• Simon Phillips – Drums
• Dave Plank – Assistant Engineer
• Michael Rosen – Assistant Engineer
• Joe Satriani – Banjo, Bass, Guitar, Harmonica, Percussion, Arranger, Keyboards, Programming, Vocals, Producer
• Pete Scaturro – Programming, Design
• Michael Semanick – Assistant Engineer
• Tom Size – Assistant Engineer
• Bob Smith – Percussion, Drums, Programming, Drums (Electric)
• Matt Wallace – Assistant Engineer
• Neil Zlozower – Photography

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1989	The Billboard 200	23

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	"Big Bad Moon"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	17
1989	"One Big Rush"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	17
1990	"Back to Shalla-Bal"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	31
1990	"I Believe"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	36