Winter Dreams (Brandon's Song)

"Winter Dreams (Brandon's Song)" is a song by American recording artist Kelly Clarkson, from her sixth studio album, Wrapped in Red (2013). Produced by Greg Kurstin, Clarkson co-wrote the song with Ashley Arrison and Aben Eubanks for her husband (then-fiancé, now ex-husband) Brandon Blackstock, stepson of American recording artist Reba McEntire. A slow-tempo Christmas neo-jazz pop song, "Winter Dreams" features a 50-piece chamber orchestra conducted and arranged by film composer Joseph Trapanese. Its lyrical theme mainly depicts love and escapism during the holidays, in which Clarkson sings about spending her first holiday with Blackstock, to whom the song is also dedicated. Unlike the deep lyrical themes of "Every Christmas", in which she refers to her life before meeting Blackstock, Clarkson had described "Winter Dreams" with a lighter fare, referring to it as her holiday life after meeting him.

"Winter Dreams (Brandon's Song)"
Song by Kelly Clarkson
from the album Wrapped in Red
Recorded2013
Genre
Length3:22
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)
  • Kelly Clarkson
  • Ashley Arrison
  • Aben Eubanks
Producer(s)Greg Kurstin

Upon the release of Wrapped in Red, "Winter Dreams" has received a fairly positive response from music critics, who described it as a sweet but not too saccharine Christmas song. Along with other tracks from the album, it entered the Billboard Holiday Digital Songs chart as an album cut at number 12 on the week ending November 16, 2013.

Production and composition
"I wrote "Every Christmas" about those deep emotions that you go through during the holidays, when it's supposed to be a happy time, but you're just like, "OK, every Christmas, I keep thinking it's going to change, and it doesn't," Then "Winter Dreams" is kind of after we were together and we got engaged. Christmas changes, it morphs, it comes to life a little more... It’s just a happier time."

Clarkson on the contrasting themes of "Every Christmas" and "Winter Dreams" after being with Blackstock.[3]

Discussions for Clarkson's sixth studio album being a Christmas release began in December 2012, during which she also began to write holiday-themed material.[4] Clarkson, weary of being expected to release only pop and country songs, approached Greg Kurstin to produce the whole album, and together they began recording in May 2013.[4] Kursin, who had a jazz musical background, experimented on various jazz styles and sounds which Clarkson welcomed.[4] During the song's recording production, he brought in Joseph Trapanese to arrange and conduct a 50-piece chamber orchestra at the EastWest Studios in Los Angeles.[4]

A slowtempo Christmas neo-jazz[1] pop[2] song, "Winter Dreams" was written by Clarkson with Ashley Arrison and Aben Eubanks, her longtime friends.[3] Eubanks, her guitarist, also wrote the songs "Wrapped in Red" and "Every Christmas" on the album.[3] Clarkson wrote the song for then-fiancé (now her husband) Brandon Blackstock, whom she married on October 20, 2013, just days before the Wrapped in Red's release.[5] Blackstock, a talent manager, is a stepson of recording artist Reba McEntire, Clarkson's longtime collaborator and friend. She described "Winter Dreams" as an antithesis of "Every Christmas", with the former about after finding love during the holidays and the latter about before it.[3] Matt Casarino PopMatters found the music as reminiscent as Grizzly Bear's "Two Weeks" (2009), but blossoms into a heartfelt, joyful ode to holiday love.[6]

Critical response

Cassarino, describing it as charming, remarked that listeners can easily picture the snowflakes on Clarkson's eyelashes as she sings it.[6] In his review, Brandon Baker of Philadelphia described it as a "total cheesefest", but also noted it as an excellent representation marital bliss.[7] Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani described "Winter Dreams" as a sweet (but not too saccharine) tribute to her new husband, but borders on a commercial jingle.[8] Melinda Newman of HitFix described the track as "perky and sweet" and fits in well with the lighthearted tone of the other originals, even if it suffers in comparison.[9] In his review for Breathecast.com, Timothy Yap wrote that "Winter Dreams" is an indulgent love song that as its title suggests—is dreamy, cozy and so romantic.[1]

Chart performance

On the week ending November 16, 2013, "Winter Dreams" charted on the Billboard Holiday Digital Songs chart as an album cut at number 12.[10] It also charted on the Gaon Singles Chart in South Korea at number 94 on the week ending November 23, 2013.[11]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the Wrapped in Red liner notes.[12]

Recording

  • Produced at Echo Recording Studio, Los Angeles, California
  • Orchestra recorded at EastWest Studios, Los Angeles, California

Personnel

Charts
Chart (2013) Peak
position
South Korea International Singles (GAON)[11] 94
US Holiday Digital Songs (Billboard)[10] 12

References
  1. Yap, Timothy (November 3, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson "Wrapped in Red" Album Review (Video)". Breathecast. Gospel Music Association. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  2. "Sony Music Licensing". Sony Music Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  3. O’Sullivan, Erin (October 12, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson: I Want A Baby For Christmas". Access Hollywood. NBCUniversal. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  4. Fox, Marisa (October 18, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson in the Red Zone With "Wrapped in Red": The Billboard Cover Story". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 125 (41). Retrieved February 21, 2014. (subscription required)
  5. Luscombe, Belinda (October 12, 2013). "Behind the Scenes at the Kelly Clarkson 10Q". Time. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  6. Casarino, Matt (November 1, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson: Wrapped in Red". PopMatters. PopMatters Media, Inc. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  7. Baker, Brandon (November 25, 2013). "Album review: Kelly Clarkson 'Wrapped in Red'". Philadelphia. Metrocorp. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  8. Cinquemani, Sal (October 23, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson: Wrapped in Red — Music Review — Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  9. Newman, Melinda (October 28, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson sparkles on 'Wrapped In Red' holiday album". HitFix. HitFix, Inc. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  10. "Kelly Clarkson Album & Song Chart History". Billboard Holiday Digital Songs for Kelly Clarkson. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  11. "Gaon Digital Chart 2013년 11월 5주차" (in Korean). GAON. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  12. Wrapped in Red (booklet). Kelly Clarkson. RCA Records. 2013. 88883-77623-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
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