Why Did Susan Boyle's Album, I Dreamed a Dream, Beats Amazon's Pre-ordered Sales Records?

This Sunday I watched the news on our Spanish television, and a headline with a short report came up. "Susan Boyle's debut CD sets Amazon pre-ordered sales record". I do not recall to have heard Susan sing any song for the Album, I Dreamed a Dream, in the trailer, but I remembered a picture of the "woman"; ..."ugly" even a little "silly" looking, with a terrible haircut and hairy eyebrows. My first thought was that I had seen Susan Boyle's mother's images and not the artist herself.

Before I continue, I may first introduce myself a little. I am German (excusing my deficient English), living in Spain, married to a lovely Spanish woman and father of a wonderful 14 years old teenager Yes! A Teenager, but still wonderful!). I am working all day and have little time to watch television. As I never had heard the name Susan Boyle, I asked my daughter whether she knew anything about Susan and her new Album, I Dreamed a Dream.

She looked at me with this cynical look of hers, like saying "Pa you are living behind the moon", and replied "You have not heard of Susan Boyle? ...Really? ... O.k. She is a singer from the English TV realty show 'Britain's Got Talent'. The show is similar to the Spanish equivalent 'Operacion Triunfo'. She was the sensation!" "And why that?" I replied. Again, she looked at me with this cynical expression, slightly shaking her head, about to continue, but then changed her mind and simply said. "That's a surprise Pa. If you want to know more, then have a look on internet. It's worthwhile!"

Looking at her smiling face and knowing my teenager daughter, it was very clear that she would not tell mi a single word more about Susan Boyle's "sensational" performance in the Britain's Got Talent show. I would have to research for myself. I asked her whether the "woman" on the TV had been Susan Boyle, and she nodded, confirming the "impossible".

Now I was completely intrigued and headed directly to my PC. When I looked "Susan Boil" up in Yahoo there was nothing. I thought, "Well, Susan Boil can't be that important if I can't find her name in yahoo". Then I tried Google and got the hint "Did you mean 'Susan Boyle'?". Oooops! Google was right, and I am ignorant! There were pages and pages of search results for Susan Boyle, including pictures of this "sensational" woman. Also the title of Susan's new (debut) album, I Dreamed a Dream, was al over the place. An album that has not even been published! Dreamed a Dream, will be published officially on November 22nd.

One of the first entries was the YouTube video titled "Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009 (With Lyrics)". That lookes interesting, click and go...

The video loaded in high definition mode. The first images, Susan, sitting in the back, having a big bite into her sandwich, in a way that it seemed as if she wanted to eat it all in one go, including the tips of her fingers. Then a few backstage sequences of Susan with the final phrase "I'm gone a make that audience rock!" What a statement! This woman, "uglier" than I recalled, dressed according to the rest of her appearance, what would make her performance so "sensational"? Was this "show" of self esteeming just a bluff? Either Susan was totally "nuts", or ...I don't know what to say....

The following sequences are amazing; Susan walks onto the stage with all her pride and courage, exposing herself to the humiliation and desperation that will follow, without doubt. Asked about where she comes from gets stuck, but very naturally finds her way out; then, asked about her age, 47, shows a wonderful sense of humour with her peculiar "belly dance". You can tell that she is enjoying her "Dream"! Susan Boyle has nothing to loose, and she is living this moment that will never come back.

Flashes of people's faces and expressions, ranging from pain through amusement and laughing to incredibility make me feel glad for her that she is not able to see those expressions from her spot far up on the stage, against the blinding lights. I would have run away, that’s for sure!

But Susan stays! No doubting seems to overcome our brave Susan Boyle. Asked about who she would like to be successful as, Susan, without shame, but rather convinced, names a famous star. No need to describe the expressions on the crowds faces.

Then Susan begins... singing her song, "I Dreamed a Dream"... Within seconds the whole atmosphere changes. Her voice seems to embrace all. The peoples faces first freeze, but then quickly warm up and astounding and joy is everywhere. The audience is applauding enthusiastically, screaming and giving standing ovations. The crowd "rocks"! ...Susan Boyle has fulfilled her Dream. Finished her song, she sends a kiss to her audience, turns around and is about to leave the stage (as if she did not want to spoil this memory of her dream), but the jury calls her back. Susan turns around and with firm steps takes her spot on the stage again, awaiting what is about to come.

No need to say that she had passed the exam with outstanding results.

Amanda defines very well the crowd, and myself. "I know that everybody was against you. We were all being very cynical, and this has been the biggest wakeup call ever..."

Simon describes Susan I with one clear phrase; "Susan, you are a little Tiger, aren’t you?" Yes! Susan Boyle is a Tiger, and not one of the small kinds. I am trying to imagine how much she had to fight against herself and all the odds, but Susan did not give up! She finally managed to live the dream she dreamed.

Now, while I am writing this small article, I take a small break and watch Susan Boyle's first performance again. The same happens to me as when I saw her yesterday. Tears are rolling down my chicks. She definitely has stroke my heart, this small, ugly tiger!

On Sunday, November 21, 2009, there were 77,023,361 views of Susan's YouTube video "Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009 (With Lyrics)". How many tears and joy may this 7:07 minutes have given the world? How many talented people may there be out there that have not had the chance to live the dream they dreamed or did not even dare to dream?

So, ...Why did Susan Boyle's Album, I Dreamed a Dream, beat Amazon's pre-ordered sales records?
I went to amazon.co.uk and found already 50 very positive reviews on Susan's unpublished debut Album; I then listened to the trailers of the 12 songs onthe Album titled,... guess what!... "I Dreamed a Dream". The reviews were very positive and I like a lot the songs, but nothing convinced me more than the moment I enjoyed together with Susan, when she lived her Dream.

Andre Klein
P.S. Today is Monday, November 22nd, and I am curious to see how many albums of Susan Boyle's "I Dreamed a Dream" are still available on Amazon. I first go to Amazon.co.uk and, no surprise, only 6 CD's left. I then go to Amazon.com and find another 13 Albums. My wife calls me for lunch, and I return an hour later. Now all "I Dreamed a Dream" CD's are gone! I missed my chance :-(. This would have been a wonderful gift for my wife (and myself ;-)).

I will have to wait until Susan Boyle's Album is on stock again. But there is a handy website that will alert me immediately for any product on Amazon when it returns into stock again. In case you're interested, you may want to have a look at the site http://www.mygiftalert.com. You never know when you may need it ;-), Christmas time is close!

More information on the "dream" Album...
Artist: Susan Boyle
CD Title: I Dreamed a Dream
US Amazon.com ASIN code: B0026P3G12
UK Amazon.com.uk ASIN code : B002LE8EFQ

Titles on the CD I Dreamed a Dream:
1. Wild Horses
2. I Dreamed A Dream
3. Cry Me A River
4. How Great Thou Art
5. You'll See
6. Daydream Believer
7. Up To The Mountain
8. Amazing Grace
9. Who I Was Born To Be
10. Proud
11. The End Of The World
12. Silent Night