Flying in A Blue Dream - Album Information

Album Information

Tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 13 contain lead and background vocals by Satriani himself. Flying in a Blue Dream marks Joe's first record to feature himself playing harmonica and banjo but is noted for Satriani's use of echoing harmonics throughout much the album including the track "Flying in a Blue Dream" itself. The Satch Tapes, which was first issued on VHS cassette in 1993 and later on DVD in 2003 includes two music videos from the album, "I Believe" and "Big Bad Moon" as well as excerpts from an MTV performance where he played "The Feeling" on banjo with Johnathan Mover playing percussion. The song "One Big Rush" is also featured in the 1989 John Cusack movie Say Anything.

Satriani commented in a guitar magazine interview that he frequently had dreams as a child that he was flying over a blue, crystallized world and that this is where the song partially got its title from.

The track "Back to Shalla-Bal" refers to Marvel Comics' The Silver Surfer returning home with hopes of restoring his relationship with Shalla-Bal, the empress of Zenn-La. This is a reference to the cover of his album Surfing with the Alien, which used The Silver Surfer as cover art.

Satriani's father died during the recording of this album. The track,"Into The Light", was composed in his memory. Satriani's parents were very supportive of his artistic goals, as were his sisters, Joan and Carol, who have both designed artwork for several of Joe's guitars.