Remember The Dream
To the tunes of
American Pie
and
Try To Remember
Performed by
FreeFall, Iteration 3
Long intro. Sorry. When Star Trek started growing, it became more than some TV show, or piece of entertainment. It sparked a dream within a lot of people, a dream of cooperation, and equality, of everyone being a part of something. The optimism of the program made people believe that they could do anything. Many became doctors, engineers, (and in the case of Whoopi Goldberg) actors. The original show had a promise to fulfill, but was cut short of that at the end of the third season when it was cancelled. Everyone that followed ‘the dream’ saw their hopes dashed, and their dreams die. But a strange thing happened, the dream started growing again. Soon, it became movies, a new series, several new series. And ‘the dream’ continued.
I had always had a special place in my heart for the song ‘American Pie’, and to write filk to it was something I did not want to do wrong. Working with this song was like touching the Holy Grail. It had to be done well, or not at all. I had heard other filk done to this, and one stood out. It was the story of King Arthur and the round table.
We had been in a practice session when for whatever reason Jim started singing a verse he had written to ‘American Pie’. I looked at him and said ‘That’s great. Is there more?’. Unfortunately, he had started writing this 10 years earlier, and all he got was one verse and a chorus. He told me that if I wanted to play with it, please do so.
The ideas running through my head were amazing. This had hit a spark that even I didn’t believe. It ran through my head over and over to the point that I could see and hear the performance happening, even before any words were ever written. It was at this point that I got the idea to throw in the introduction using another song. After two days, I sat down and started on the words. I kept all but two lines of Jim’s original verse (the first verse in the song), and changed two words in the chorus. I went to Shirley to help clean up some parts (which is what she does best), and we threw in some standard symbolism and made things match out. Three days after hearing Jim’s verse, I called him and told him we had a song. So in effect, this song took 10 years and three days to write.
The point in time of the writing is during the seventh (and final) season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Deep Space 9 was on the air, and they were creating a new series called Voyager. This was also the time that Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country (the last movie with the original cast) was in theaters. It was written from the point of view of cancellation of the original series, or from looking at the original series’ last day. It is looking back at the death of a dream, and its resurrection thanks to the fans, and the actors of that series.
Remember The Dream
By Brian Dean, James Kratzer, Shirley Dean
(Spoken part while ‘Try To Remember’ is hummed in background)
Over a quarter century ago, an idea was formed, a dream.
That dream was planted, and nurtured,
and grew to be what it is today. But there
was a time shortly after its birth,
that the dream almost died unfulfilled.
(sung to ‘Try To Remember’)
I still remember that day in September
when the dream was young and full of promise.
I still remember that day in September
when Trek was new and spread among us.
But, here in December, its hard to remember
when the dream was lost, and taken from us
Try to remember, and if you remember, then follow.
(sung to ‘American Pie’)
A long long time ago,
I can still remember how Star Trek used to make me smile,
But I knew if Kirk had his chance,
that he could make those Klingons dance,
and then we’d all be happy for a while,
But NBC just made me shiver,
with the bad news it delivered.
The series had been banished
the future held no promise.
I can’t remember if I cried,
when I heard the way the dream had died.
But something touched me deep inside,
the day that Star Trek died.
(chorus) So bye bye U.S.S. Enterprise
no more flying in our starship,
through the alien skies.
When cast and crew had said their final goodbyes,
knowing this would be the day the dream died.
This would be the day Star Trek died.
The dream took flight late one year
and Enterprise sailed passed our fears,
and then we knew the dream would grow.
Now Kirk and Spock were brave and bold
they faced a lot of mortal foes.
But there was one that they just could not stop.
It was NBC who stopped the dream
without a care, or so it seemed.
They brought it all up short
Enterprise could not find port.
We felt so lost like we were all alone
the dream we cherished could not take hold
The dream we loved would not grow old,
the day that Star Trek died
(chorus) When we were singing bye bye U.S.S. Enterprise
no more flying in our starship,
through the alien skies.
When cast and crew had said their final goodbyes,
knowing this would be the day the dream died.
This would be the day Star Trek died.
The dream we thought was dead and cold
had found a place where it could grow
and Star Trek seemed to live again.
And the optimism that it brought
was witnessed by a whole new lot
and they wanted to see a new show made.
A movie series then was born
the dream then prospered and took form.
Enterprise now flew far
sent out to reach the stars
Kirk and Spock proved that they were right
while facing Klingons and their might
But they remembered what it was like
the day that Star Trek died.
(chorus) When we were singing bye bye U.S.S. Enterprise
no more flying in our starship,
through the alien skies.
When cast and crew had said their final goodbyes,
knowing this would be the day the dream died.
This would be the day Star Trek died.
The dream then spread from shore to shore
the fans, they shouted we want more
a new generation had to know.
Across the screen was launched a show
Picard and Ryker would boldly go.
They felt that they could follow the dream.
And now Enterprise travels once more,
a much newer model than before,
its a galaxy class
and it can really warp out fast.
Well seven seasons has been nice
but now we’ve had to face it twice
I thought one time we’d paid that price
the day that Star Trek died
(chorus) When we were singing bye bye U.S.S. Enterprise
no more flying in our starship,
through the alien skies.
When cast and crew had said their final goodbyes,
knowing this would be the day the dream died.
This would be the day Star Trek died.
(slow part)
Trek Next Gen is off the air
and its moving to theaters where
It will fly on evermore.
I know that I will get my chance
to watch Picard make Ferengis dance
and that the dream will grow on for a while.
Now Deep Space Nine will take the lead
and Voyager pass on the dream
IDIC has so spoken
the dream can not be broken.
And to the crew I admire most
as they retire from their post
to these dreamers I raise a toast
from the day that Star Trek died.
(chorus) So bye bye U.S.S. Enterprise
no more flying in our starship,
through the alien skies.
When Kirk and Spock had said their final goodbyes,
knowing this would be the day the dream died.
This would be the day Star Trek died.
(chorus) Bye bye U.S.S. Enterprise
no more flying in our starship,
through the alien skies.
When Kirk and Spock had said their final goodbyes,
knowing this would be the day the dream died.
(sung to ‘Try To Remember’)
So try to remember that dream from September, and follow,
(echoing)
follow,
follow.