"Just a Dream" is a song performed by American singer and rapper Nelly, released as the lead single from his 2010 album 5.0 and appears as the fourth track. The song was written by Mitch J, Nelly, Rico Love, Jim Jonsin and Frank Romano with Jonsin and Love producing the song. The song was released on August 16, 2010 to iTunes Stores around the world for digital download. It was released alongside the promotional single, "Tippin' In da Club". On October 6, 2010 the song was certified triple platinum by the RIAA.
Composition
Nelly said, "I think that the way the whole song plays out, with the beat and the lyrics, I think it comes together in the sense of it's almost a timeless song." Many have speculated "Just a Dream" is actually about Nelly's relationship with Ashanti. He responds in an interview for "That Grape Juice", "No it's not about Ashanti. It's just a song that I and my man came up with. It's a song that just relatable on all levels – rich, poor, black, white, child, adult – whatever level it is. If is what helps people to go out and support it then so be it." The music is a sample of the track "Variations sur Marilou" by the French singer Serge Gainsbourg.
Chart performance
"Just a Dream" made its first chart appearance, debuting on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number twelve and peaking at number three in its eighth week. The song also debuted at number 38 on Billboards Mainstream Top 40 chart, and debuted at number eight on the BillboardDigital Songs chart, selling 135,000 downloads in its first week. "Just a Dream" is Nelly's highest-charting song since his 2005 single "Grillz". and debuted at number 22 on the BillboardRap Songs chart. As of November 2013, the song has sold over 4 million copies in the United States. The song entered the Canadian Hot 100 on August 2010, at number 32. It debuted in Australia at number 24, on the New Zealand Singles Chart at number 29, Switzerland at number 52 and the UK Singles Chart at number 8.
Nelly won "Top Streaming Song" for "Just a Dream" at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards. At the 2011 MuchMusic Video Awards, Nelly was Nominated for "MuchMusic.com Most Watched Video" for "Just a Dream" but lost to Taio Cruz's "Dynamite". The song is also covered in the 2012 musical comedyPitch Perfect by Anna Kendrick.
Music video
Nelly shot the music video to "Just a Dream" on August 26, 2010 at Playa del Rey, Los Angeles. The director of the video is Sanji. Nelly goes sky high in a dramatic black-and-white video, sitting in his car while floating high above the ocean. Nelly looks down on his girl—Kat Graham—as she runs along the shore. He later he comes down to ground to take a trip to the club. While searching for his love, he mistakes a girl walking on the street—actress Bianca Siavoshy—for his girlfriend. His dream home, a wedding ring, and his car, items that had been floating above the beach, burst into flames, their ashes falling to the shore below. There are several shots of one of Nelly's eyes shattering as if made of glass. The car in the video is a custom-made Ford Mustang GT. The house in the video is a dollhouse called The Emerson House, made by toymaker Brinca Dada. It premiered on September 24, 2010. Shannon Brown of the Miami Heat makes a cameo appearance.
Track listing
;Digital download
"Just a Dream" - 3:57
Credits and personnel
The credits for "Just a Dream" are adapted from 5.0 album liner notes. ;Recording information
