Released in April 1984, “I Can Dream About You” is the signature hit from American singer-songwriter and producer Dan Hartman. With its sleek blend of synth-driven pop, blue-eyed soul, and soft rock, the song became a major international hit and remains a defining love ballad of the 1980s.
“I Can Dream About You” was originally written by Hartman for the film Streets of Fire (1984), a stylized action-romance movie featuring music as a central theme. In the film, the song is performed on-screen by the fictional group The Sorels, but the actual vocals heard are Dan Hartman’s. Because of its high-profile feature in the movie, the song quickly gained attention and was released as a single from the Streets of Fire soundtrack with “Blue Shadows” by The Blasters on the B-side, and later included on Hartman’s own album I Can Dream About You.
Prior to this hit, Hartman had already built a career as a songwriter and performer—he’d had a 1978 disco hit with “Instant Replay” and had worked with artists like Edgar Winter and Johnny Winter. But “I Can Dream About You” brought him a new level of mainstream recognition.
Musically, the track sits at the intersection of pop, soul, and soft rock, with strong R&B influences and a polished synth-pop production that defined mid-80s adult contemporary radio. The lyrics of “I Can Dream About You” focus on unrequited love and emotional distance. The narrator is separated from the person he loves—either physically or emotionally—but finds solace in the dream of being together.
“I Can Dream About You” was a major hit, reaching No. 3 in Australia and No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The success of the single revitalized Hartman’s solo career, leading to a popular album of the same name and further establishing him as a skilled songwriter with crossover appeal in pop, R&B, and rock markets.
Dan Hartman – I Can Dream About You – Lyrics