| "See You in My Nightmares" | |
|---|---|
 The planned cover art for the single release | |
| Song byKanye West featuringLil Wayne | |
| from the album808s & Heartbreak | |
| Released | November 24, 2008 |
| Recorded | 2008 |
| Studio |
|
| Genre | Club |
| Length | 4:18 |
| Label | |
| Songwriters |
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| Producers |
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"See You in My Nightmares" is a song by American rapperKanye West, featuring fellow rapperLil Wayne, from the former's fourth studio album,808s & Heartbreak (2008). The song was written by West,No I.D.,Jeff Bhasker and Lil Wayne. with production from the former two. It was scheduled to be released as the album's thirdsingle on March 10, 2009, ultimately being canceled in favor of "Amazing". Aclub number with anelectronic beat, it relies onstrings andsynths. Lyrically, West and Lil Wayne discuss relationship troubles.
The song received mixed reviews frommusic critics, who were generally split in their feelings of Lil Wayne's appearance. Critical commentary was mostly focused on the rapper's vocal style, while a few reviewers were negative towards his lyricism. In 2008, "See You in My Nightmares" charted at number 21 on the USBillboard Hot 100 and number 27 on the USPop 100, alongside reaching number 22 on theCanadian Hot 100. The song has since been certifiedgold in the United States by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA). West performed it in February 2009 for his secondlive album,VH1 Storytellers (2010). In the former year, a remix of the song was used forSpike Jonze's filmWe Were Once a Fairytale, which stars a drunken West in a club. The song was later covered by Vida Sophia in December 2015.
In July 2007,Lil Wayne brought out West during his first show at theBeacon Theatre in New York City. West released his third studio albumGraduation two months later, which features a guest appearance from Lil Wayne on "Barry Bonds"; this marked the first collaboration between the two.[1] In the lyrics of fellow album track "The Glory", West makes a reference to him. Lil Wayne released a remix of his hitsingle "Lollipop" in May 2008, featuring West.[1] The former released his sixth studio albumTha Carter III the following month, and West contributed production to its tracks "Comfortable" and "Let the Beat Build". On both of the tracks, Lil Wayne shouts out West.[1] Prior to "See You in My Nightmares", West and Lil Wayne had both frequently usedAuto-Tune.[2]
After Kanye's mother Donda West died, his mentorNo I.D. was contacted by American rapperMalik Yusef, who told him to spend time with the artist.[3] No I.D. initially rejected the decision due to their differing personalities, but later started to communicate with Kanye West more after persuasion from Malik Yusef.[3] West and No I.D. then travelled to Hawaii to work with rapperJay-Z on his eleventh studio albumThe Blueprint 3 (2009), before West decided on transferring to working on808s & Heartbreak in the state.[3] The recording took place at Avex Recording Studio inHonolulu, Hawaii, and at Glenwood Studios inBurbank, California.[4] The song was produced by West, while co-produced by No I.D.[4] The producers wrote the song alongsideJeff Bhasker and Lil Wayne.[4] It experienced aleak on November 12, 2008, being reported to have the title of "Tell Everybody That You Know" at the time.[5]Manny Marroquin served the role ofmix engineer for "See You in My Nightmares", with engineering assistance from Christian Plata and Erik Madrid, and an 11-piece orchestra was also used for the song that was conducted by Larry Gold.[a][4] "See You in My Nightmares" was recorded during the three week period that West worked on the entirety of the album in 2008.[6] Reflecting on the album for its 10th anniversary in 2018, recording engineerAnthony Kilhoffer recalled the heavy amount of effort that was put into the song's production. He elaborated, specifying that it was tweaked across different studios in a perfectionist manner while West was in Asia and Europe on theGlow in the Dark Tour (2007–2008).[7]
Musically, "See You in My Nightmares" is aclub number, with anelectronic beat.[8][9] Going against the composition of the other tracks on808s & Heartbreak, no drum sounds are featured.[10] The song is reliant onstrings[11] and electric[10][12]synths,[2][13][14] the former of which werearranged by Gold. The strings were engineered by Jeff Chestek, with assistance from Rick Friedrich, Montez Roberts, and John Stahl.[4] In the background, the song features acello,violas, bass, and violins.[4][10]Keyboards are also included in the composition, which were contributed by Bhasker.[4] Throughout the song, West's voice is Auto-Tuned as he sings in an aggressive tone.[10][12][15] Lil Wayne raps in Auto-Tune, with him contributing thehook and a verse.[9][10][16]
In the lyrics of the song, West and Lil Wayne touch on relationship troubles with their ex-lovers.[8][14] On the hook, the latter raps about a break-up: "I got the right to put up a fight/ But not quite cause you cut off my light/ But my sight is better tonight/ And I might see you in my nightmare."[9] West dismisses his ex-lover during his performance, asserting that he has rid his mind of her.[11] At the start of Lil Wayne's verse, he shouts "Baby girl, I'm finished" in his signature snarl.[10]
West's fourth studio album808s & Heartbreak was released on November 24, 2008, including "See You in My Nightmares" as the tenth track.[17] The song had been set for release to USrhythmic crossover andtop 40 radio stations as the album's third single on March 10, 2009.[18] Instead, "Amazing" was sent to US radio stations as the third single on the scheduled date.[19][20] However, "See You in My Nightmares" receivedairplay during March 2009.[21]
The song was met with mixed reviews frommusic critics, with them mostly being ambivalent about Lil Wayne's feature. Adam Conner-Simons frommusicOMH stated that "See You in My Nightmares" demonstrates where the album "crystallises a distinct musical moment", giving the song the title of a "mesmering" duet between West and the rapper.[8] Conner-Simons further commented that due to "two of the rap game's most respected MCs dropping the macho facade", utilizing Auto-Tune and putting out "a passionate club-banger about relationship troubles", West "is effectively ushering in a bizarre newemo-rap subgenre".[8] Writing forPopMatters, Dave Heaton remarked that West's choice to guest Lil Wayne on the song was smart, appreciating his "tough" voice as a perfect fit for "the milieu".[22] In hisConsumer GuideMSN Music column,Robert Christgau observed that even though the quality of the songs deters in the second half of808s & Heartbreak, "they come rushing back with the Lil Wayne ditty".[23] TheLos Angeles Times contributorAnn Powers opined that Lil Wayne's feature is "all swagger, no tears".[24]USA Today's Steve Jones recommended the song as one of the tracks to download from the album.[25]
Expressing a divided opinion of "See You in My Nightmares" inNo Ripcord, Cara Nash analyzed that while the song "may prove more commercially viable" with Lil Wayne's appearance, his "thug like vocals" are disruptive of the album's "introspective flow".[26] Brandon Perkins fromUrb admitted that despite the addition of Lil Wayne's "supersized ego", the song turns out to be "surprisingly flat and forgettable", believing certain lyrics from the rapper stick out for their "cringe-worthy absurdity".[27] In a negative review forSpin,Charles Aaron characterized the song as a "disjointed oddity" that Lil Wayne raps foolish lyrics on in his typical Auto-Tuned style.[13] Aaron continued, affirming that the combination of his rapping and "chintzy synth-strings sweep[ing] by" makes it "time to scan for an exit" from the album.[13] James Reed ofThe Boston Globe complained about Lil Wayne's talent being "squandered on 'See You in My Nightmares'".[28] Offering a similar viewpoint,Slant Magazine's Wilson McBee said the rapper's feature is representative of "the worst of his recent Auto-Tuned,soft-rock indulgences".[29] Reviewing808s & Heartbreak forPitchfork, Scott Plagenhoef selected the song as one of its low points.[30]
Upon the release of808s & Heartbreak, "See You in My Nightmares" debuted and peaked at number 21 on the USBillboard Hot 100, standing as the week's highest entry.[31] The song spent four weeks on the Hot 100 in total.[32] In the same week as its debut on the chart, the song entered the USBillboardPop 100 at number 27, becoming the highest entry on another chart for the United States.[33] "See You in My Nightmares" was later certifiedgold by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for amassing 500,000 certified units in the US on September 23, 2020.[34]
Elsewhere, the song entered two charts following the album's release. It opened at number 22 on theCanadian Hot 100, standing as the highest entry of the week.[35] The song lasted for one week on the chart.[36] In the United Kingdom, the song reached number 111 on theUK Singles Chart.[37]
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In February 2009, West delivered a performance of the song as the opening number for his secondlive albumVH1 Storytellers (2010).[38] Prior to performing, West expressed disappointment in how mosthip hop artists do not grow musically, differing from him.[38] He segued from the performance into one of fellow808s & Heartbreak track "RoboCop".[38] West delivered a performance of the former for his headlining set at the 2009Wireless Festival inHyde Park, London, during which he rocked his customaryaviator shades and black suit jacket.[39] He was on a raised section of the stage for the performance, being surrounded by four topless dancers that woretiaras and body paint.[39]
For West's two night concert of808s & Heartbreak in full at theHollywood Bowl in September 2015, he performed "See You in My Nightmares" solo as the set's 10th track.[40][41][42] This stood as West's first performance of the track since July 2009, and he wore loose garments in white and off-white shades while performing.[42][43] West was backed by a small band and a medium-sized orchestra, while the lights were off and the stage was covered in a bright blood red color.[43][44] In the middle of the track, West requested to be accompanied by a piano after shouting: "Stop the track ... stop the track."[43][45] He approached his band for a comment, before walking over to his string section to turn a page on the conductor'ssheet music.[40] West acknowledged the issues, jokingly characterizing the show as a dress rehearsal.[40][43]
American filmmakerSpike Jonze had talks in private with West about reuniting with him on amusic video for "See You in My Nightmares" in February 2009, after they had previously collaborated on the video for the latter's "Flashing Lights" in 2007.[46] During the week of March 23, 2009, news began to circulate publicly that West and Spike Jonze were working together on the former's music video.[21] The following week, the latter's production partnerVincent Landay toldMTV News that he and West had "teamed up again, but this time, it's for ashort film".[21] Landay continued, clarifying that the film was shot for fun and is "not necessarily [a video for 'Nightmares'], but the song is featured in it", while revealing that editing was ongoing at the time.[21] West and Spike Jonze themselves had agreed on expanding the video into the short filmWe Were Once a Fairytale, which was directed by the latter and premiered at the 2009Los Angeles Film Festival on June 24.[46][47] The film takes its title from the song's lyrics, though does not star Lil Wayne.[48] During a scene of the film that features a remix of "See You in My Nightmares" playing in the background through the speakers in a club,[49][50] West portrays a drunken version of his public persona as he stumbles around.[47][51][52] West becomes aggressive and desperate while his disruptive antics gather stares from surprised attendees, before he gropes some of them and shouts: "Do you like my song? This is my song!"[51][52]
West collaborator"The World Famous" Tony Williams released his single "Nightmares" on February 24, 2010, which is a rendition of "See You in My Nightmares" that features Cello Tha Black Pearl and Tada.[53] The rendition was shared by West on his blog.[53] On December 14, 2015, Vida Sophia of Danishdream pop project Bye Barat posted her cover version of the song toSoundCloud. The cover's production haspsychedelic elements and heavily featuresreverberation, while Vida Sophia sings in a soft, calm voice.[15]
Information taken from808s & Heartbreak liner notes.[4]
Recording
Personnel
Additional musicians
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[36] | 22 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[37] | 111 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[32] | 21 |
| USPop 100(Billboard)[33] | 27 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[34] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
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