FIRST TIME HEARING Dream Academy - Life In A Northern Town | REACTION 

I’ve said it before: this song can make you homesick for a place you’ve never even been.

"It felt like the world would freeze, with John F. Kennedy and the Beatles." Gets me every time.

Beautiful song. Nostalgic for us who remember it from the eighties, but they are actually singing about and being nostalgic themselves about the sixties. Everyone, the older they get, gets nostalgic about the times of their youth.

This song has such a feel to it. The way it's sung and played evokes so much warmth.

🎵 "And the children drank lemonade . . ."🍋🥤 "And the morning lasted alll dayyy . . . " 🌄 🎶

This came out just months after I moved out of my childhood home. It was only 8 miles but it felt like hundreds. Thank you, Lynn, it's been decades since I've heard this song.

What a beautiful song. I flew from London to Singapore on Christmas Eve 1985. I'm a nervous flyer, so I had my earphones in during taxi-ing. This song started to play just as the packed Singapore Airlines 747 "Big Top" started its take-off roll. We seemed to be on the ground forever, but just as the song reached its climax, the plane left the ground for the start of our 15-hour non-stop flight. This song will forever remind me of that moment. We were safely in the air, it was Christmas Eve, there were sprigs of holly over each window, everyone was happy. A great memory. Thank you!

Great song that I’ve always felt sounds and feels like winter.

One of my favorite songs from the 80's it's on my 80's playlist, great vocals & instrumentations.

One of my all time favorite songs.

Imagine this scenario: All the excellent british synth pop literally dominating the world, all the loud California Glam Metal, Madonna exploding all over the place, and out of nowhere comes this song just to make everything peaceful and beautiful again. There had never being anything like that song in the radio before.

I was in the Air Force when it came out. Brings me back to when I was around 20. Almost 61 now and the song does hit me hard.

The lyrics remind me of the times back in the 60s and 70s when I was a kid, and relatives would visit from out of town. I remember various family gatherings, playing outside till night, catching fire flies and putting them in a jar, (grownups made holes in the lid so they could breath) lighting up sparklers on the 4th of July after the sun went down..

Still get goosebumps whenever I hear this song. Takes me back to the mid-80’s instantly. One hit wonder that has such a unique sound. Wonderfully produced.

This song was a massive hit here in the UK. I was brought up in a town in the north of England just like the one he's singing about. It brings back memories of my childhood everytime i hear it.

I was 20 when this came out. I don't think you can truly appreciate how amazing it was to be young in the 80s.

This entire album is fantastic.

I’m from a northern town and they got the feeling exactly. I’ve always loved this song.

I love love love this song…bittersweet…it can get me crying at times…the message feels nostalgic.

The song is great but I love the video. I was 17 in 1983 and the yellow and white bus took me right back to then plus seeing Durham Cathedral and the Tyne and Wear Metro.

One of my all time fav one hit wonders

great song! Another great one by them is the instrumental version of The Smiths "Please, Please, Please, Let me Get What I Want", which can be heard during the museum scene in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" 👍

Give Dream Academy another listen with “The Love Parade” (from the same album)… you won’t be disappointed.

Your right, I was 25 when it came out and it always gave me goosebumps. Haven't heard it in decades so thank you!

“With John F Kennedy and The Beatles.” This is a sublime song ❤

When you consider the fact that back in the 80s we relied on MTV and the radio for our Music enjoyment it's no surprise that songs took root in our psyche in a more organic, sneaky way. When a top 20 song is always playing in the background it becomes a part of the fabric of your memories of that time. So a song like this with a haunting nostalgic Vibe hits us extra hard 30 years later.

loved this track, and I still play it now and again.

Like a book in my library I haven't opened for a very long time. Interesting how dust can bring a tear to your eye.🖖

Beautiful song.

It's one of those feel good songs that stayed with you All day! ❤

This is a Christmas song. That is it is usally played around Christmas. It has a cozy feeling to it.

Another great song on this album is "The Love Parade." An audio treat. Very ‘80s yet very unique.

Perfectly done song.

I have to stop what I'm doing and just get lost in this track. Its so haunting and emotional.

I love this song so much. It’s on my regular playlist. I come from a northern town in England, I get it.

Thank you Mr. G. I've been waiting (a long time) for someone to react to this song. It was unique for it's time and one of my (many) favorites from that era.

I loved this when it came out, just was a breath of fresh air, and the dynamics were extraordinary. And I find out that it was produced by one of my favorite guitar players David Gilmore, and I had already been playing for years! Great reaction as always, brother.☮️🤘🎸

I love this song so much. I only ever really knew 2 Dream Academy songs but they are both in the top 20 or so of songs from that era for me.

The song has an aura. Makes you close your eyes and imagine another world.

This song has some tremendous covers all over youtube, from high school choir all the way up to country artists Sugarland and Little Big Town doing an amazing rendition on stage together. I highly recommend you go check out those covers as well as The Dream Academy live on various television shows from around the globe.

Having been 16 in 1963, when I heard this in the late 80’s, in my late 30’s, it almost made me cry. Now in my late 70’s, it just about knocked the breath out of me. Seeing THAT clip of video of Kennedy….so much promise. Destroyed in an instant. We all remember where we were when we heard. And then paired with that clip, the scream of all the Beatles’ young fans ( I was one). Oh man. I remember.

😊😊Thank you Salvo !! Great memories 😊😊

This is from a pivotal point in my life and, at the time, evoked joy, fear of the unknown, and meeting harsh challenges head-on in my early twenties. All the early learning experiences that shaped the man I am today. Now I can reminisce, remembering both good and bad, taking pride in the wild ride I took to get to my sixties.

Yes, I'm old now - So I can offer you a similar kind of song to react to, SG - "Northern Lights" (1978) by a prog rock group called, Renaissance - and there was at least 1 live version of it on here before . . . Annie's voice was mesmeric in this song as her vocal abilities were simply amazing!

Most people who know this song never knew it was produced by David Gilmour.

Still beautiful

In the outtro he quotes two songs from the sixties: "Forget that Girl" (Monkees) and "Take it easy on yourself" (Walker Brothers "Make it easy on yourself"). This song just transports me back to the 80s. God, what a feel.

I LOVE THIS SONG...THIS ALBUM AND THIS GROUP! They should have been much bigger than they were. The follow up single The Love Parade is a great song as well...WOULD KILL TO SEE YOUR REACTION TO IT. I play the album several times throughout the year...since 1985!! There is such a feeling of nostalgia to it but it's more the feeling of nostalgia I had for it back then because I never stopped listening to it. They also did a cover of Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want by the Smiths....would love that reaction too! Better version than the original! Unfortunately they fell on the heap of one hit wonders...they were so much better than that. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REACT TO THE LOVE PARADE! YOU WON'T BE SORRY!

Love the song choice, Lynn ❤

Such an emotively gorgeous song.......Illuminating 1963 (the year I was born) as a pivotal year in history...Takes me straight back to 1985 when I was only 22.❤

Wow, thanks for this one. Hadn't heard it in a long time. Beautiful.

I managed a record store, we got this record before the radio started playing it and yes it does get nostalgic. I saw it live on Saturday night Live.

This is a great song! ❤

Thank you so much, i loved, this thing is happened to me, i know so many songs, and days ago Dario G passed away, he make a song with this back grond, SUNSHINE, impossible not to dance, i was listen Dream Academy yesterday,..............

i was seventeen when this came out. you made me tear up talking about the nostalgia we must feel hearing this years later. you are so right, thanks for your insight 💜

Have loved this song since it came out, hits different now than it did when i was 14 . Now it makes me look back at my own past vs when it came out i just enjoyed the song and the references for others.

Blast from the past! Thanks!

This is one of two songs that makes me cry

One of my 3 fav songs of the 80's. It just gives me such a vibe, like it transports me back to that time in my life. I just close my eyes and I'm there. I was 25 when it came out. That time in my life was amazing & it just bringsme joy to hear it. I have a playlist called Songs That Touch My Heart - it's on there!💜

Love this song

always loved this song since it was first released, and its just as good today.

Sal-Don’t forget to listen to the extended version!! Starts to break it down at 3:21 or so!! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RWMKAYRU9qE.htmlsi=1_lXa-0XTYAqFSF-

I was 16-17 when this song was released...one of my best friends at the time passed away, suddenly, just February of last year....so, for me, this song invokes memories of simpler, more innocent times when just being pals, hanging out, was all that mattered in the world...when growing apart was inconceivable, and all that the future held was irrelevant because we had all we needed in that carefree now.

It transports me to Michigan's UP

I was a teenager when this came out and you're right, it's super nostalgic! ❤ Great insight. 😃

Wore this cassette out, all their albums were awesome. This album was my getaway my younger 21 year old sister was dying of cancer and I would escape to this I was 24. The song makes me happy and sad at the same time

Really enjoy your reactions. A great era of music this.

Very evocative.

Sonically Stunning!

This brings me back to working at a corner store as a teen. It got a lot of radio play when it came out

The fact that David Gilmore produced it - WOW!!

I always loved this song, and it never fails to make me feel . . .something. I'm not sure what. But I always get goosebumps when the drums kick in. I definitely feel like it's kind of unique. I heard an interesting fact which is that Nick, the lead singer, modeled his vocals and instrumentation after Nick Drake. And I would LOVE to have Sal react to some Nick Drake - I think he would really like it. 🙂 Thanks again Lynn! 😊

Timeless classic! Even as a kid, before I knew what melancholy was, always made me feel a certain way. If this was released now, it’d still be a hit. Fun fact: they recorded an instrumental version of The Smiths’ Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want that was used in the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

I love this song and you are right, it is nostalgic. Another one hit wonder which you might like is “Northern Lights” by Renaissance.

❤Great band. I also love their cover of The Smiths' Please, Please. Please Let Me Get What I Want from the awesone Ferris Bueller's Day Off soundtrack.

Remember hearing this back in the 80s and enjoyed it when covered in the country genre with Sugarland.

Ear candy song. As you finished the video, every time I hear it I’m back in college in the 1980s.

The only live version of this song I've seen is when Little Big Town and Sugarland covered it. It is amazing!

Great song and memories!! I’m catching up on your reactions! BTW…Big Congratulations on 87K subscribers! 🎉🎉🎉

A super nostalgic 80s sound for us UK based foggies 😅 Ah-hey-ma-ma-ma🎶 Dee-doo-din-nie-ya-ya🎵 Ah-hey-ma-ma-ma🎶 Hey-y-yah🎶 Life in a northern town🎶🎵

Oh this will be good!!

Back when America was proud, free and you could afford stuff.

I'm so glad you picked this! You kind of skipped over the part that it's a tribute to Nick Drake. He was a wonderful musician who died too young. I think he put out 3 albums maybe. His most famous song is Pink Moon.

Since the song namechecked the Beatles, you should try their cover of Love, originally by John Lennon. Also, a 90s dance act Dario G samples the chorus chant, and turned it into a dance anthem Sunchyme, which is straightforward and effective. Worth checking out too.

always loved this song from the first time I heard it in my late-teens. if you've ever seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off, there's a Dream Academy cover of a song by The Smiths ("Please Please Please, Let Me Get What I Want") that you might like

Nice :)

❤❤❤❤❤

I had just moved from Toronto to Detroit (I know, I know)

You should check out Sugarland, Little Big Town and Jake Owen doing this on one of the country awards shows.

May I suggest "The Whole Of The Moon" by The Waterboys.

The song is one of my all time favourites, but the other official video is better. They did 2.

I think a live version would be disappointing, She couldn't play all the various instruments live. Loved this song since day one, bought the album.

I think we don't understand how drastic things were in Northern England. From what I understand there were still scarred landscapes from WWII and buildings. But they as a people were getting these life changing events around them. At least this is what I am getting.

Sugarland and Little Big Town version is by far superior!! Must give it a listen.

that's interesting. I can feel nostalgia for times I never lived in.

This song reminds me of a dream I had one time. Some one shot a shotgun at me and I dove head first over a hedge. When I landed I actually rolled out of bed and hit the floor and woke up. 😂 Still one of my favorite songs.

Take it easy on yourself ...

I've been wanting you to listen to this song. However, I was disappointed that you chose the short version that was mostly video. There is an extended (live) version that shows them playing all the instruments. The video you watched has only very short segments of them playing from the live version. Search for "Life in a Northern Town - Extended Version". I think it's about 2 minutes longer. That's the live performance you were looking for. Here is a link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RWMKAYRU9qE.html

Buckleys Angel, are you here?

This song somehow reminds me of Abba.