Shattered Dreams

"Shattered Dreams" is a song by English musical group Johnny Hates Jazz from their debut studio album, Turn Back the Clock (1988). Written by the band's lead singer Clark Datchler, the song was released in March 1987 as the album's lead single. "Shattered Dreams" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 92 and gained popularity through extensive radio play and video rotation on MTV, eventually peaking at number five in May 1987 and spending three weeks at that position. It also reached the top 10 in Canada, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, and West Germany. In the United States, the song was released with an alternative music video shot entirely in black and white and directed by David Fincher, which Datchler preferred. The single topped Billboards Adult Contemporary chart for one week and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

Background
Singer Clark Datchler wrote "Shattered Dreams" in a small studio he had set up in the front room of his parents' house. He had an upright piano, a 4-track portastudio, a drum machine, and a keyboard in the studio. He wrote the song quickly, but the bongo solo took a while to conceive. Datchler knew he had written something special by his dad's reaction. Usually, his dad would offer musical advice if he asked for it, but would otherwise leave Clark alone. But this time, his dad walked in and told him he had written a big hit, and believed in the song's potential when few other people in the music industry did.

On the lyrics, Datchler said:

Versions
Clark Datchler and the group would soon part, and Datchler released an acoustic version of the song as a track on his 1990 Virgin solo single "Crown of Thorns". He later re-recorded a slower version on his 2007 album Tomorrow. The song has been covered by boyband Ultra, on their 1999 eponymous album; by house music artist Jaybee in 2005; by Russian singer Sergey Lazarev on his TV Show album, which was his first solo outing outside the post-Soviet zone and his first international single to be formally released in the United Kingdom, and reached number 19 on the Russian TopHit Top Radio Hits chart; and in 2009 by Quentin Elias, former singer for French boy band Alliage, by American Idol season 7 winner David Cook during his Declaration tour.

Critical reception
Jerry Smith of the Music Week magazine praised "Shattered Dreams" that he described as "an impressive and very catchy number with a smooth Americain style", and underlined its "rich harmonies and a polisheed sound".

Chart performance
"Shattered Dreams" peaked within the top ten in the majority of the nations where it was released, including the UK where it debuted at number 92 on March 28, 1987, climbed every week until reaching a peak of number five, a position it held for consecutive three weeks, and appeared on the chart for a total of 16 weeks. This chart performance allowed the single to rank at number 59 on the national year-end chart. In Ireland, it attained number three and charted for five weeks. In Continental Europe, "Shattered Dreams" was a successful single in many countries, including Germany where it jumped to number 18 after a start at number 71 on June 22, 1987, culminated at number seven in its fourth week, and fell off the chart after 15 weeks of presence. In addition, it was a top ten hit in Switzerland, Norway and Sweden, where it peaked at number five, six and seven, respectively. It made the top 15 in Italy, and was less successful in Austria, the Netherlands and the Flanders region of Belgium where it failed to entered the top 20, peaking at number 25, 26 and 36 in these nations. On the Music & Medias Pan-European charts, it charted first on the European Airplay Top 50, where it debuted at number 42 on May 2, 1987, then reached number six in its ninth week, while on the Eurochart Hot 100 singles, it started at 86 on May 16, 1987, and reached a peak of number 15 in its ninth week.

Outside Europe, "Shattered Dreams" missed the top 20 by two places in Australia. By contrast, it was a big hit in North America where it was released in 1988: on the US Billboard Hot 100, it reached number two for non consecutive three weeks, in its ninth, 11th and 12th weeks, being blocked from the number one slot first by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine's "Anything for You", then by George Michael's "One More Try". It made better on the Adult Contemporary chart which it topped in its seventh week, and reached number six in Canada. On the US charts mentioned above, it ranked at number 26 and 27 on their respective year-end chart of 1988.

Track listings

 7-inch and US cassette single
A. "Shattered Dreams" – 3:30
B. "My Secret Garden"

 UK maxi-cassette single
A1. "Shattered Dreams" (12-inch extended mix)
A2. "My Secret Garden"
B1. "Me and My Foolish Heart" (new version)
B2. "Living in the Past"

 12-inch single
A1. "Shattered Dreams" (12-inch extended mix) – 5:14
B1. "Shattered Dreams" (7-inch mix) – 3:30
B2. "My Secret Garden"

 Japanese mini-album
 "Shattered Dreams"
 "Shattered Dreams" (extended mix)
 "My Secret Garden"
 "I Don't Want to Be a Hero"

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

See also
List of Hot Adult Contemporary number ones of 1988

References

1987 songs
1987 singles
1988 singles
2006 singles
Black-and-white music videos
Johnny Hates Jazz songs
Music videos directed by David Fincher
Sergey Lazarev songs
Songs about dreams
Songs written by Clark Datchler
Virgin Records singles