Remember The Dream

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.

To the tunes of

American Pie

and

Try To Remember

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.