by The Primal Root

Gather round gang and I’ll tell you a tale…one of a bygone age where there were entire channels dedicated to showing what were known as “Music Videos.” These little slices of awesome were used to promote musicians’ latest singles for their new albums while at the same time entertaining and impressing their fans. Some were more successful at the art form than others and the this form of media held strong for about twenty years.

There was even a time when movie studios made awesome music videos that not only promoted a band but tied into their upcoming movie as well! The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise is among the most prolific in that department. Freddy’s presence on a little channel known as MTV would help launch him into the pop culture lexicon.

In the week leading up to the release of A Nightmare on Elm Street part 3: The Dream Warriors Freddy was all over the station introducing music videos and threatening the teenage audience either through direct menace or by violently attacking children’s toys.

But I like to think what people remember most is the music video for the title track to the movie, Dream Warriors by Dokken! Now, I’m not going to lie to you, I have no deeper knowledge of this band beyond the music they created for Nightmare on Elm Street 3. But that music is so mind blisteringly awesome in it’s 80’s hair metal glam rock way that I will always consider Dokken among the most badass of goofy 80’s metal bands.

The music video is pure marketing genius. They have taken Dokken and inserted them into all the key sequences of A Nightmare on Elm Street 3. From Kristen’s opening nightmare, to the Freddy giant trouser snake set piece, to the final confrontation in some kind of Freddy Hell! Dokken is always there rocking Freddy’s evil away by declaring “WE’RE THE DREAM WARRIORS! AIN’T GONNA DREAM NO MORE! And maybe tonight…MAYBE TONIGHT YOU’LL BE GONE!”

Shiny happy faces at the Dokken & Freddy photo shoot!

The video is definitely dated but I believe it adds to the charm and nostalgia factor. This was the turning point when Freddy was transforming from a slightly well known horror boogieman to a true pop culture sensation and the most recognizable face in horror second only to Karloff’s Frankenstein monster.

I cannot help but think Freddy running the show at MTV for one week had a major hand in helping Freddy Krueger to the top of the modern horror icon dog pile. And the video for Dream Warriors is what sealed the deal.

So without any further a due, I present, Dream Warriors by Dokken!

Sat Trashy!
-The Primal Root