I Dreamed A Dream
by Susan Boyle
  • Record Label: Sony
  • Release Date: Nov 23, 2009
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 46 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 46
  3. Negative: 14 out of 46

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  1. Turine
    Nov 8, 2010
    8
    Not too shabby for a 48 year old. Her covers on some songs are amazing, particularly 'I Dreamed A Dream' and 'Wild Horses'.
    Her original song 'Who I was Born to Be' is very meaningful and very perfect for SuBo to sing.
    All in all, a pretty good album, I can say.
  2. Shiira
    Feb 14, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Beautiful voice. Beautiful woman. It was love at first sight. I wish I could see her live. I wish she would cover The Go-Between's "The Statue", or The Blue Nile's "Downtown Lights".… Expand
  3. AnnM
    Dec 1, 2009
    10
    A lovely lady with a beautiful voice. I am not disappointed at all. I cried the moment I heard her sing Wild Horses. I love this album.
  4. JonS
    Dec 2, 2009
    9
    For Boyle fans ... this is a great first album from a lady who sings from her heart which is what most listeners want to hear. I appreicate the effort as do thousands of fans across the universe.
  5. ZekeP
    Dec 6, 2009
    4
    This is exactly what I expected. EXACTLY. It's straight out of the "stock, over-produced and neutered" drawer that always gets opened around Christmas (aka Acquistionfest) time. Bland, inoffensive renditions of enjoyable pop songs and show tunes that will appeal to the middle-aged/older crowd. These kinds of album will make ideal gifts for those who have no idea what to buy their This is exactly what I expected. EXACTLY. It's straight out of the "stock, over-produced and neutered" drawer that always gets opened around Christmas (aka Acquistionfest) time. Bland, inoffensive renditions of enjoyable pop songs and show tunes that will appeal to the middle-aged/older crowd. These kinds of album will make ideal gifts for those who have no idea what to buy their friends and relatives. It appeals to everyone and yet no-one in particular. Many copies will be consigned to bargain bins, charity shops and the attic come next year. Susan Boyle will eventually join similar "artists" like the now overlooked Hayley Westenra after the hype dies down and her producers/handlers find newer one-hit-wonder ca$hcows. The tragedy is that Susan would fare so much better if her voice wasn't processed and autotuned and she had enough idea of what career path she wanted to travel. As much as I hate these light-entertainment fad talent shows, she could fairly accurately be called "voice of the people" - an ordinary individual with an extraordinary talent. But that will be wasted if all she ever does is lacklustre versions of other people's material, and knowing the people who control her career, that's exactly what will happen. Still, she'll have no problem keeping her cat fed now, so it's not all bad. Maybe she'll buy a couple more? Everyone could use a cat or two.… Expand
  6. LarC
    Dec 7, 2009
    4
    She has a nice voice and good control, but no sense of creativity in her treatment of the songs. She's about as vanilla as they come. Her CD is good for one, maybe two listenings, but probably no more.
  7. RichardZ
    Dec 2, 2009
    10
    Absolutely Wonderful. The whole thing is extremely well balanced and wonderful. Absolute must buy.
  8. AnthonyP
    Dec 2, 2009
    4
    Boring. all hype. who cares about the story. i only care about the music, which quite frankly, borders on sucking. sure, she has a nice voice...that sounds rather ordinary, right about average for an operatic voice. this CD, with all the hype behind it, just became an overproduced messed, that if not for the story, we'd never care about.
  9. Saml
    Dec 3, 2009
    10
    Absolutely ¡AMAZING!
  10. Robert
    Dec 4, 2009
    4
    Mediocrity at its finest.
  11. MarieN
    Dec 6, 2009
    2
    There are so many good singers that probably deserve more attention than Susan Boyle. She has a nice voice but it is at the same time very limited. I believe that is why all the songs are slow ballads. No, this is not a record I would buy.
  12. DavidI
    Dec 3, 2009
    2
    Boyle has the sparkle of a hard boiled egg on this set of infinitely dull songs. She's been made over, tarted up, set-up and transfigured but she and her singing are still just as plain as her name suggests. Look at her on the cover holding back or covering up the fat on her face so that she appears to have a thin face - the producers and photographers must have thought they really Boyle has the sparkle of a hard boiled egg on this set of infinitely dull songs. She's been made over, tarted up, set-up and transfigured but she and her singing are still just as plain as her name suggests. Look at her on the cover holding back or covering up the fat on her face so that she appears to have a thin face - the producers and photographers must have thought they really pulled a fast one there. The songs on the CD are in a similar way a cover up. They are lifeless and drab, the accompaniment worthy of elevator musak and Boyle's singing is inconsistent and patchy at best. She had one moment of glory on Britian's Got Talent - it was a moment in which she unconsciously admonished all those who judged her on her appearance - it was a glorious moment for the underdog but that moment is long gone and does not come through on this CD. It's a big step from being an underdog to being a star. All those people who were eager to cash in on her world wide instant stardom wanted to make that step a small one so they could get their share of Boyle's market. No doubt got their pocket's full but unfortunately Boyle doesn't have the talent her producers would like her to have.… Expand
  13. JordanF
    Dec 5, 2009
    10
    By far some of the best music I've heard in quite a while. Thanks Susan.
  14. GradyP
    Nov 26, 2009
    10
    This is mostly just to balance out the surprisingly low user score, but Susan Boyle is great!! Thanks for the amazing album!

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 8
  3. Negative: 1 out of 8
  1. Boston Globe
    60
    There are some lovely vocal performances here and some well-appointed and understated arrangements. But not one of Boyle’s versions transcends the original or adds much of an emotional shading, other than a consistent undercurrent of melancholy that makes the album feel increasingly drab.
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  2. Entertainment Weekly
    67
    For fans of Boyle's original Britain's Got Talent clip, the result might be a bit of a letdown, especially in snoozily competent versions of 'Daydream Believer' and Madonna's 'You'll See,' which offer none of her jarred-lightning charm.
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  3. Los Angeles Times
    50
    Boyle is perfectly comfortable singing actual hymns like 'Amazing Grace,' though her take on them is pretty much on a level with any local church's choir star. She's at her worst when she pushes harder; she doesn't know how to build drama, and her throat seems to constrict as she reaches for bigger notes.
    Read full review
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