Daily Tunes: Dean's Dream ( VAPERS )

Today's Throwback Thursday Daily Tune is me playing guitar with VAPERS in Feb 2017.
This video was filmed in Brooklyn, NY by @MaaikeBroekhuijsen
The song we're playing is called "Dean's Dream" and was originally written and performed by The Dead Milkmen.
(I think this was recorded during soundcheck.)
All likes, comments, and subs are greatly appreciated!

"Dean's Dream" is a standout track by the American punk rock band The Dead Milkmen, featured on their 1985 debut album Big Lizard in My Backyard and their 1984 album Somebody Shot Sunshine. Released on May 31, 1985, as part of the former, the song captures the band’s signature blend of satirical humor and raw punk energy. Written by the core lineup—Rodney Linderman on vocals, Joe Genaro on guitar, Dave Schulthise on bass, and Dean Sabatino on drums—the 1:49-minute track is a fast-paced burst of jangly guitar riffs, punchy drums, and Linderman’s vocals, which balance sarcasm with an oddly earnest delivery.

The lyrics of "Dean's Dream" weave a surreal, dreamlike narrative that feels both absurd and strangely relatable. The song opens with a bizarre "Friday night cookin' show" featuring horse meat, where the narrator spends Thursday evening in a freezer talking to a horse. The story spirals into escaping a theater to meet a girl with long blonde hair, riding in a tan van driven by Hawaii Five-O’s Steve McGarrett, and culminating in a slow-motion confrontation with tough guys, where the narrator is stabbed but declares, “I’m all right.” This vivid, disjointed imagery evokes the disorientation of waking from a strange dream, earning fan descriptions like “super fucking punk” for its mysterious yet infectious vibe.

While the song’s meaning is open to interpretation—possibly referencing drummer Dean Sabatino or even Dean Ween of Ween, though unconfirmed—it showcases the band’s talent for blending everyday absurdity with cultural nods. Formed in 1983 in Philadelphia, The Dead Milkmen carved a niche in the hardcore punk scene with their irreverent humor and catchy melodies. “Dean's Dream” exemplifies this on Big Lizard in My Backyard, an album that gained traction on college radio alongside tracks like “Bitchin’ Camaro.” The song’s inclusion on Death Rides a Pale Cow: The Ultimate Collection in 1997 underscores its lasting appeal.

Fans have embraced “Dean's Dream” for its memorable lyrics and personal resonance, with one Reddit user noting it as their most-played Spotify track in a year. Performed live since January 14, 1984, starting in Dean Clean’s basement in Sellersville, PA, and as recently as May 18, 2024, by Joe Jack Talcum, the song has been played 99 times and covered by bands like Teenage Bottlerocket and Inspaceno!. Available on Spotify, YouTube, and lyric sites like Genius, “Dean's Dream” remains a testament to The Dead Milkmen’s ability to craft short, punchy songs that invite listeners to find meaning in their chaotic, dreamlike charm.