I Dreamed A Dream - Cover Versions

Cover Versions

Numerous popular singers have recorded cover versions of "I Dreamed a Dream". Neil Diamond recorded the song for his 1987 live album Hot August Night 2 and released the song as a single. It peaked at #13 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in November 1987 and at #90 on the UK Singles Chart. Diamond's version features a lyrical alteration at the end of the song; instead of "Now life has killed the dream I dreamed" Diamond sings, "But life can't kill the dream I dreamed."

Other male singers who have recorded the song include rock singer David Essex on his 1987 album Centre Stage, Phantom of the Opera star Michael Crawford on his 1987 album The Phantom Unmasked and on his 1992 release "With Love", LuPone's Evita co-star Mandy Patinkin on his 1994 album Experiment, British theater star Michael Ball (Marius in the Original London production of Les Mis) on his 1996 album The Musicals and Neal Schon, Michael Landau on guitar and David Foster on piano their 2001 album Voice (instrumental version).

In 1991, Aretha Franklin included a version of the song on her album What You See is What You Sweat. Although not released as a single, Franklin has performed the song at various venues, including the 1993 inaugural celebration for U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Other female singers who have recorded versions of the song include English singer and stage actress Elaine Paige, from a 1993 performance at Birmingham Symphony Hall which was included on her 1995 album, Encore, original Annie title cast member Andrea McArdle in the 1996 recording On Broadway, New Zealander singer Hayley Westenra and British pop star Petula Clark, each in 2001, Canadian singer-songwriter Allison Crowe in 2005, and Broadway actress Susan Egan in 2008. In 2008 Italian rock noir band Belladonna covered the song in their London show. In 2010 popera singer Rose Jang covered the song for her "Songs of Hope" digital album by Mnet Media

The song was covered on the Glee episode "Dream On" by Shelby Corcoran and Rachel Berry, portrayed by Idina Menzel and Lea Michele respectively. This song took the place of a meeting between Shelby and Rachel, who found out during that episode that Shelby was her birth mother. At the end of that episode, Rachel met Shelby for the first time in real life (the sequence where Shelby and Rachel sung "I Dreamed a Dream" was, in fact, something akin to a dream sequence).

Josh Groban and Michael Ball sung a duet at the end of Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Broadcast December 21, 2010).

Joe McElderry recorded the song for his second album Classic.

Katherine Jenkins released a French cover of the song in her 8th studio album Daydream.

Kika Edgar recorded a Spanish cover titled Un sueño que alguna vez soñé for her album Broadway.

In 2011, Celtic Woman performed "I Dreamed a Dream" as part of their 2011 'Believe' tour, recorded by PBS at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. The song was one of two songs sung as 'A Tribute to Broadway', the other song being 'Circle of Life' from the Disney movie The Lion King. The song, which was only released on DVD and as part of the TV special, was sung by Lisa Kelly and Chloë Agnew.

In December 2012 Pop Classical Crossover artist Romina Arena released an Italian version of the song. "Un Sogno Che Sognai" was released December 4, 2012 on Perseverance Records as a single.