The Dream Academy "The Dream Academy"

The Dream Academy is the debut studio album by the Dream Academy, released in November 1985. It was mainly produced by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and Nick Laird-Clowes. The most notable track from the album is "Life in a Northern Town", which was written as a tribute to Nick Drake. It also proved to be their only major chart success, reaching number 7 in the US and number 15 in the UK.

The follow-up single, also from the album, "The Love Parade" was not received as well as their debut single, reaching number 36 on the US Billboard Chart and only number 68 on the UK chart, but still received solid radio airplay.

Also of note is the song, "The Edge of Forever", which plays in a prominent scene during the John Hughes film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, resulting in many fans of 1980s films becoming more familiar with the Dream Academy's music.

The album went to number 20 on the Billboard 200 Album chart in the US.

"This World" was written about Nick's concerns about his friends becoming junkies.

"Life in a Northern Town" and "The Love Parade" have two different video versions.

"The Party" contains parts of "Life in a Northern Town" and "The Edge of Forever" at the end of the song.

Warners released a 4 video compilation from this album, including videos for "Life in a Northern Town" (2nd version), "The Love Parade" (U.S. radio version), "This World" (filmed in New York City), and "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want".

VH-1 featured the video for the song in an episode of Pop Up Video in 1999.


"Life in a Northern Town" was featured in an episode of King of the Hill when Kahn purchases the "largest trampoline from Buckley's estate." Hank, Bill, Dale, and Boomhauer trick Kahn into letting them repair the trampoline, and Luanne takes to going out to it at night, where she is met by Buckley's Angel. The episode provides closure for Luanne's relationship with Buckley, and while they are jumping at night, "Life in a Northern Town" plays in the background.