Common Trouble Processes Loss and Grief with ‘Into the Dream’
‘Songwriting is a therapy for me, and I would probably go insane without it.’
“Into the Dream” is the latest example of Dan Wolfe’s ability to create timeless, affecting compositions that are expansive and nuanced, as well as personal and universal.
Dan Wolfe, lead songwriter for D.C.-based collective Common Trouble, describes “Into the Dream,” as one of their most personal songs yet. Wolfe wrote the song after experiencing recurring dreams about a past relationship.
If this sounds like your typical story of love and heartbreak, think again. Because “Into the Dream” runs much deeper.
“My song was inspired by recurring dreams I had about Heather, a past girlfriend, who died several years ago of breast cancer,” said Wolfe. “The dreams helped me to process the loss and grief.”
“Into the Dream” draws from folk and singer-songwriter traditions, and the track is nostalgic and wistful. There’s a softness to the composition that envelops the listener like a warm embrace. Wolfe notes the intentionality behind handling the song with care given its subject matter.
“I started writing this song in 2020 in the summer around 3 a.m. I wasn’t intending to write a song; the chorus just came out, and it sounded so beautiful. I knew in my gut that it had to happen, and I wanted it to be perfect before sharing it with others.”
And every time I close my eyes I always see you right in front of me I hold on tight, but every night You slide away from me and back into the dream And I think it’s time for me to leave
Wolfe sings lead vocals on “Into the Dream” and plays rhythm guitar, upright bass, sitar guitar, and drum parts. After completing the composition, he explored orchestration and layering of instruments and voices.
“I recorded a 73-voice angelic choir, one voice at a time, to get the right emotional texture,” he explained. The backing vocals are indeed a standout in an understated way, and personally, one of my favorite elements in the track.
Wolfe also knew that he would need to enlist the support of his creative community to capture the song’s full potential.
Collaborators span from D.C. to Nashville, including Irv Campbell (piano), Fred Hof (lead guitar), Connor Holdridge (lead guitar); and on background vocals, Stephanie Katavolos, Sam C. Jones, Amanda Dove, Eliza Harrison Smith, Heather Mariella, Heather M. Darnell, Stacey Jocoy, Melissa Decharge, and Wolfe’s dad Lanny. Jarrett Nicolay at Mixtape Studios co-produced the track with Wolfe and managed mixing and mastering.
“It was a herculean team effort,” said Wolfe. “It was an amazing thing that everyone I asked to collaborate with accepted.”
No stranger to the music scene, Dan Wolfe founded Common Trouble in Hollywood, California in 2009. The band has since received multiple national awards, including two Great American Song Contest wins for “Welcome to L.A.” and “Silhouette.”
While the supporting lineup for Common Trouble has changed over the years, Wolfe’s steady presence and fresh artistic vision have allowed the band to enjoy continued success and longevity.
At its core, “Into the Dream” is a song about love – specifically, the things we let go and the memories that stay with us for a lifetime. It takes listeners on a magical journey, where the past, present, and future momentarily exist as one.
“It’s a tough thing to be this vulnerable and share something so personal with friends and people I did not know well, but I knew that Heather deserved this tribute,” said Wolfe.
Watch the official music video for “Into the Dream” and listen to the song on major platforms, including Spotify.
“Into the Dream” is the latest example of Dan Wolfe’s ability to create timeless, affecting compositions that are expansive and nuanced, as well as personal and universal.
