If I Can Dream - wikipedia If I Can Dream This article is about the song. For the reality series, see If I Can Dream ( web series ). For the album, see If I Can Dream ( album ). `` If I Can Dream '' Single by Elvis Presley B - side `` Edge of Reality '' Released November 5, 1968 Recorded June 1968 Genre Soul, pop, gospel Length 3 : 10 Label RCA Records Songwriter ( s ) Walter Earl Brown Elvis Presley singles chronology `` Almost in Love '' / `` A Little Less Conversation '' ( 1968 ) `` If I Can Dream '' / `` Edge of Reality '' ( 1968 ) `` Memories '' / `` Charro ! '' ( 1969 ) `` Almost in Love '' / `` A Little Less Conversation '' ( 1968 ) `` If I Can Dream '' / `` Edge of Reality '' ( 1968 ) `` Memories '' / `` Charro ! '' ( 1969 ) `` If I Can Dream '' Song by Elvis Presley from the album Elvis Released November 22, 1968 Recorded June 1968 Genre Soul, gospel, pop Length 3 : 10 Label RCA Records Songwriter ( s ) Walter Earl Brown `` If I Can Dream '' is a song made famous by Elvis Presley, written by Walter Earl Brown and notable for its direct quotations of Martin Luther King, Jr. The song was published by Elvis Presley 's music publishing company Gladys Music, Inc. It was recorded by Presley in June 1968, two months after King 's assassination. The recording was first released to the public as the finale of Presley 's ' 68 Comeback Special. Although the song is not technically gospel music, Presley performed the song with the intensity and intonations of southern gospel. It has since appeared on various Presley gospel and / or inspirational compilations. Contents 1 History 2 Recordings and success 3 Compilations 4 In popular culture 5 See also 6 References 7 External links History Brown was asked to write a song to replace `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' as the grand finale on NBC 's `` Elvis '' ( June 20 -- 23, 1968 ). He wrote `` If I Can Dream '', and when Presley heard it he proclaimed `` I 'm never going to sing another song I do n't believe in. I 'm never going to make another picture I do n't believe in. '' The song was published by Elvis Presley 's company Gladys Music, Inc. When Colonel Tom Parker heard the song demonstrated by Earl Brown, he said : `` This ai n't Elvis ' kind of song. '' Elvis was also there, unbeknownst to him, and he said : `` I 'd like to try it, man. '' Earl Brown said that when Elvis recorded the song, Brown saw tears rolling down the cheeks of the three back up singers. One of them whispered to him : `` Elvis has never sung with so much emotion before. He means every word. '' Recordings and success Band - related errors prevented the first take from becoming the master. After filming for the TV special was completed for its eventual editing, then broadcast in December of the year, the song was released as a single - `` If I Can Dream / Edge of Reality '' - in November 1968. It charted on Billboard 's Hot 100 for 13 weeks, peaking at # 12, with more than one million sales ; though the RIAA has only certified the song as gold ( 500,000 units shipped ) as of March 27, 1992. In Canada the song peaked at 6 on RPM 's top singles chart, lasting more than several weeks. Compilations The song has appeared in many Presley compilations since its release, a number of which are related to the ' 68 Comeback Special or Inspirational meshes. Sony BMG remastered the song in 2004, for future compilations. The song is referred to as stereo mix ( as opposed to the 2004 remaster honorific ) in ' 68 Comeback Special releases after 2004. Other compilations, such as Platinum - A Life In Music, include alternative takes on the song that are not as polished as the official takes. For instance, the background vocalists are not present in most of these takes, specifically with `` If I Can Dream ''. In popular culture Barry Manilow did the song on his Live on Broadway album in 1990, it was also included on the subsequent box set compilation album The Complete Collection and Then Some... On American Idol 6, Celine Dion sang `` If I Can Dream '' as a duet with Presley, using special effects. It was later included on The Best of Celine Dion & David Foster ( 2012 ). In the 2005 CBS miniseries Elvis, the original Comeback Special segment is re-enacted in the final epilogue scene with Jonathan Rhys Meyers ( who portrays Elvis in the series ) lip synching to the song. The Elvis Presley version is also used as the title song for the new 2010 reality based television series of the same title created by Simon Fuller and produced by 19 Entertainment and CKX, Inc. CKX, Inc. owns 85 % of Elvis Presley Enterprises. In 2010 Terry Venables recorded a cover of the song in association with British newspaper The Sun. It featured the 60 - piece Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Harry Redknapp and Ian Wright filmed at Wembley Stadium The 2014 album Songs from a Stolen Spring features a version of the song performed by Mighty Sam McClain. The version is meshed with `` Bread, Freedom '' by Egyptian musician Ramy Essam. In 2015, a new version featuring Elvis Presley backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was released on the Elvis Forever album and an eponymous album which reached number 1 on the Australian, Scottish and UK Albums Chart. The song was used in the ending of the ESPN 30for30 about the Buffalo Bills. See also Elvis Presley portal List of anti-war songs African - American Civil Rights Movement ( 1954 -- 68 ) in popular culture References Jump up ^ `` IF I CAN DREAM ''. ACE Title Search. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 21. Jump up ^ `` Elvis Presley - Elvis Inspirational - Amazon.com Music ''. ^ Jump up to : `` Elvis - TheKingsCourt ''. Jump up ^ Barry Manilow The Complete Collection and Then Some... booklet, page 42, 1992 Arista Records - text edited by Maureen Lasher. Jump up ^ `` RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - December 25, 2015 ''. https://www.riaa.com. External link in work = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` Search : RPM ''. Jump up ^ `` Elvis Presley - Elvis Inspirational - Amazon.com Music ''. Jump up ^ `` Amazon.com : Platinum - A Life In Music : Elvis Presley : MP3 Downloads ''. Jump up ^ `` Songs From A Stolen Spring ''. Valley Entertainment. Retrieved 14 November 2014. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Elvis Presley singles discography 1950s 1954 `` That 's All Right '' / `` Blue Moon of Kentucky '' `` Good Rockin ' Tonight '' / `` I Do n't Care if the Sun Do n't Shine '' `` You 're a Heartbreaker '' 1955 `` Baby Let 's Play House '' `` I Forgot to Remember to Forget '' / `` Mystery Train '' 1956 `` Heartbreak Hotel '' / `` I Was the One '' `` I Want You, I Need You, I Love You '' / `` My Baby Left Me '' `` Do n't Be Cruel '' / `` Hound Dog '' `` Blue Suede Shoes '' / `` Tutti Frutti '' `` Money Honey '' `` I Got a Woman '' `` Tryin ' to Get to You '' `` Blue Moon '' `` I 'll Never Let You Go ( Lil ' Darlin ' ) '' / `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry ( Over You ) '' `` Shake, Rattle and Roll '' / `` Lawdy Miss Clawdy '' `` Love Me Tender '' 1957 `` Too Much '' / `` Playing for Keeps '' `` All Shook Up '' `` Peace in the Valley `` ( Let Me Be Your ) Teddy Bear '' `` Paralyzed '' ( UK ) `` Jailhouse Rock '' `` Party '' / `` Got a Lot o ' Livin ' to Do ! '' ( UK ) 1958 `` Do n't '' `` Wear My Ring Around Your Neck '' `` Hard Headed Woman '' / `` Do n't Ask Me Why '' `` King Creole '' ( UK ) `` One Night '' 1959 `` I Need Your Love Tonight '' / `` A Fool Such as I '' `` A Big Hunk o ' Love '' 1960s 1960 `` Stuck on You '' / `` Fame and Fortune '' `` It 's Now or Never '' `` Are You Lonesome Tonight ? '' 1961 `` Surrender '' / `` Lonely Man '' `` I Feel So Bad '' / `` Wild in the Country '' `` ( Marie 's the Name ) His Latest Flame '' / `` Little Sister '' `` Ca n't Help Falling in Love '' / `` Rock - A-Hula Baby '' 1962 `` Good Luck Charm '' / `` Anything That 's Part of You '' `` She 's Not You '' `` Return to Sender '' / `` Where Do You Come From '' 1963 `` One Broken Heart for Sale '' `` ( You 're the ) Devil in Disguise '' `` Bossa Nova Baby '' / `` Witchcraft '' 1964 `` Kissin ' Cousins '' / `` It Hurts Me '' `` What 'd I Say '' / `` Viva Las Vegas '' `` Such a Night '' / `` Never Ending '' `` Ask Me '' / `` Ai n't That Loving You Baby '' `` Blue Christmas '' 1965 `` Do the Clam '' / `` You 'll Be Gone '' `` Crying in the Chapel `` ( Such an ) Easy Question '' `` I 'm Yours '' `` Puppet on a String '' / `` Wooden Heart '' 1966 `` Tell Me Why '' / `` Blue River '' `` Frankie and Johnny '' / `` Please Do n't Stop Loving Me '' `` Love Letters '' `` Spinout '' / `` All That I Am '' `` If Every Day Was Like Christmas '' 1967 `` Indescribably Blue '' `` Long Legged Girl ( With the Short Dress On ) '' / `` That 's Someone You Never Forget '' `` There 's Always Me '' / `` Judy '' `` Big Boss Man '' / `` You Do n't Know Me '' 1968 `` Guitar Man '' `` U.S. Male '' / `` Stay Away '' `` You 'll Never Walk Alone '' `` Your Time Has n't Come Yet, Baby '' / `` Let Yourself Go '' `` Almost in Love '' / `` A Little Less Conversation '' `` If I Can Dream '' / `` Edge of Reality '' 1969 `` Memories '' / `` Charro ! '' `` How Great Thou Art '' `` In the Ghetto '' / `` Any Day Now '' `` Clean Up Your Own Backyard '' `` Suspicious Minds '' / `` You 'll Think of Me '' `` Do n't Cry Daddy '' 1970s 1970 `` Kentucky Rain '' `` The Wonder of You '' `` I 've Lost You '' `` You Do n't Have to Say You Love Me '' / `` Patch It Up '' `` I Really Do n't Want to Know '' / `` There Goes My Everything '' 1971 `` Rags to Riches '' `` Life '' / `` Only Believe '' `` I 'm Leavin ' '' `` It 's Only Love '' `` Merry Christmas Baby '' / `` O Come All Ye Faithful '' 1972 `` Until It 's Time for You to Go '' `` He Touched Me '' `` An American Trilogy '' / `` The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face '' `` Burning Love '' / `` It 's a Matter of Time '' `` Separate Ways '' / `` Always on My Mind '' 1973 `` Steamroller Blues '' / `` Fool '' `` Raised on Rock '' / `` For Ol ' Times Sake '' `` I 've Got a Thing About You Baby '' `` If You Talk in Your Sleep '' / `` Help Me '' `` Promised Land '' / `` It 's Midnight '' `` My Boy '' / `` Thinking About You '' `` T-R-O-U-B-L-E '' `` Bringing It Back '' / `` Pieces of My Life '' 1976 `` Hurt '' / `` For the Heart '' `` Moody Blue '' 1977 `` Way Down '' `` My Way '' / `` America the Beautiful '' 1978 `` Unchained Melody '' / `` Softly as I Leave You '' Book Portal WikiProject Barry Manilow singles 1970s `` Mandy '' ( 1974 ) `` Sandra '' ( 1974 ) `` It 's a Miracle '' ( 1975 ) `` Could It Be Magic '' ( 1975 ) `` I Write the Songs '' ( 1975 ) `` Tryin ' to Get the Feeling Again '' ( 1976 ) `` This One 's for You '' ( 1976 ) `` Weekend in New England '' ( 1976 ) `` Looks Like We Made It '' ( 1977 ) `` Daybreak '' ( 1977 ) `` It 's Just Another New Year 's Eve '' ( 1977 ) `` Ca n't Smile Without You '' ( 1978 ) `` Even Now '' ( 1978 ) `` Copacabana '' ( 1978 ) `` Ready to Take a Chance Again '' ( 1978 ) `` Somewhere in the Night '' ( 1978 ) `` Ships '' ( 1979 ) `` When I Wanted You '' ( 1979 ) 1980s `` I Do n't Want to Walk Without You '' ( 1980 ) `` Bermuda Triangle '' ( 1980 ) `` I Made It Through the Rain '' ( 1980 ) `` Lonely Together '' ( 1981 ) `` The Old Songs '' ( 1981 ) `` Somewhere Down the Road '' ( 1981 ) `` Let 's Hang On ! '' ( 1982 ) `` Oh Julie '' ( 1982 ) `` Memory '' ( 1982 ) `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter '' ( 1982 ) `` Read ' Em and Weep '' ( 1983 ) `` When October Goes '' ( 1984 ) `` Run to Me '' ( 1985 ) `` I 'm Your Man '' ( 1986 ) `` Keep Each Other Warm '' ( 1989 ) 1990s `` If I Can Dream '' ( 1990 ) `` I 'd Really Love to See You Tonight '' ( 1997 ) 2000s `` River '' ( 2003 ) `` Unchained Melody '' ( 2006 ) `` Love Is a Many - Splendored Thing '' ( 2006 ) 2010s `` Santa Claus Is Coming to Town '' ( 2012 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=If_I_Can_Dream&oldid=798286368 '' Categories : 1960s ballads Elvis Presley songs Protest songs Anti-war songs 1968 singles 1968 songs Pop ballads RCA Records singles Songs in memory of Martin Luther King Jr. Hidden categories : CS1 errors : external links Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Nederlands Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Svenska ไทย Edit links This page was last edited on 1 September 2017, at 01 : 14. 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Question: when did elvis record if i can dream
Answer: June 1968