Dream a Little Dream of Me
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2016) |
"Dream a Little Dream of Me" | |
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Coots & Engel | |
Genre | |
Composer(s) | |
Lyricist(s) | Gus Kahn |
"Dream a Little Dream of Me" is a 1931 song with music by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt and lyrics by Gus Kahn.[1] It was first recorded in February 1931 by Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra, soon followed by Wayne King and His Orchestra with vocals by Ernie Birchill. A popular standard, it has seen well over 400 recorded versions.[2]
The song enjoyed its highest-charting success when it was covered in 1968 by
Early recordings
"Dream a Little Dream of Me" was recorded by
In the summer of 1950, seven recordings of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" were in release, with the versions by Frankie Laine and Jack Owens reaching the US top 20 at respectively numbers 18 and 14: the other versions were by Cathy Mastice, Ella Fitzgerald with trumpet backing by Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan, Vaughn Monroe, Dinah Shore and a duet by Bob Crosby and Georgia Gibbs. Other traditional pop acts to record "Dream a Little Dream of Me" include Louis Armstrong, Barbara Carroll, Nat King Cole, Doris Day, Joni James, and Dean Martin.
The Mamas & the Papas version
"Dream a Little Dream of Me" | ||||
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The Mamas and the Papas singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
"Dream a Little Dream of Me" was recorded for the Mamas & the Papas April 1968 album release The Papas & The Mamas with lead vocals by Cass Elliot. The group had often sung the song for fun, having been familiarized with it by member Michelle Phillips, whose father had been friends with the song's co-writer, Fabian Andre, in Mexico City where Michelle Phillips' family had resided when she was a young girl. "Mama" Cass Elliot suggested to group leader John Phillips that the group record "Dream a Little Dream of Me". According to him, she was unhappy while recording the song, objecting to its 'campiness'. However, Elliot herself would later tell Melody Maker: "I tried to sing it like it was 1943 and somebody had just come in and said, 'Here's a new song.' I tried to sing it as if it were the first time."
In the album version, recorded with the Mamas and the Papas, Mama Cass is heard in the song's introduction speaking in the background behind the acoustic guitar, mentioning a drink; and then Papa John Phillips is heard speaking an intro: "And now, to sing this lovely ballad, here is Mama Cass". Also, Cass is heard clearing her throat right before she sings. Only the last part was heard on the single version of the song. Cass did her own whistling, which is heard before the song's fade.
By the time of the album's release, there were strong indications that the Mamas & the Papas were set to disband, a perception strengthened by the failure of their recent single, "
In the UK, "Dream a Little Dream of Me" reached #11 that September; the track also afforded Mama Cass a hit in Ireland (#13) and South Africa (#8). In Australia the Go-Set Top 40 chart ranked "Dream a Little Dream of Me" at #1 for the weeks of 4 & 11 September 1968.[7] Following a fashion retailers' TV commercial, "Dream a Little Dream" was released as a single in Europe in 1992 - credited to the Mamas and the Papas and featuring that group's #1 hit "Monday, Monday" as the B-side - to reach #5 in Germany and #22 in Switzerland. In Australia, the song spent two weeks at #1,[8] and was the 16th biggest hit of 1968.[9]
A slightly different version of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was included on Elliot's solo debut album, Dream a Little Dream.[5]
Chart performance
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA)[22] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Anita Harris version
Anita Harris' version of "Dream a Little Dream of Me", recorded at Olympic Studios in a session produced by Mike Margolis with Alan Tew as musical director, was released 26 July 1968, the week prior to the US Top 40 debut of the Cass Elliot version. Harris would deny deliberately covering Elliot's "Dream a Little Dream of Me": (Anita Harris quote:)"I [loved] the song on the Mamas & Papas album...so I decided to record it...There were [then] no plans to release the other version [in the UK]. It was rushed out [here] when it was known that my version was coming out." (Cass Elliot herself would deny any awareness of the UK single release of Harris' version.)[23]
Elliot's version had its UK release the week subsequent to Harris', with both versions debuting in the UK Top 50 dated 10 August 1968, Harris' version at #46 ahead of the Cass Elliot version at #49. However, the Elliot version would vault into the Top 30 and then Top 20 over the next two weeks while the Harris version would never reach the Top 30, although Harris's version of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" would maintain a lower chart presence throughout the ascendancy of the Elliot version, with Harris's single peaking at #33 the week after Cass's peak at #11.[24]
Enzo Enzo version
"Les Yeux ouverts" | ||||
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Ariola | ||||
Enzo Enzo singles chronology | ||||
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In 1990, "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was covered in
Track listings
- "Les Yeux ouverts" — 3:23
- "Chanson confidentielle" — 3:42
- CD maxi[31]
- "Les Yeux ouverts" — 3:23
- "Chanson confidentielle" — 3:42
- "14e étage" — 3:16
Charts
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
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Europe ( European Hot 100)[27]
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87 |
France (Airplay Chart [AM Stations])[32] | 4 |
France ( SNEP)[26]
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18 |
Robbie Williams version
"Dream a Little Dream" | |
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YouTube |
English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams recorded "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (retitled "Dream a Little Dream") for his tenth studio and second swing album, Swings Both Ways (2013). While the album version is a duet with Lily Allen, she was omitted from the single version, which was released on 13 December 2013 as the album's second single.
Music video
The video features Williams singing the song whilst presenting a Christmas show in the style of The Dean Martin Show.
Track listings
- Irish digital download[33]
- "Dream a Little Dream" – 3:10
- German, Swiss, and Austrian digital download[34]
- "Dream a Little Dream" (single version) – 3:11
- "You Got Old" – 3:43
- "Puttin' on the Ritz" (remix) – 2:18
Charts
Chart (2013) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[35] | 16 |
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[36] | 34 |
Denmark (Tracklisten)[37] | 18 |
France ( SNEP)[38]
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160 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[39] | 88 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[40] | 67 |
UK Singles ( Official Charts Company)[41]
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144 |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
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Ireland[33] | 13 December 2013 | Digital download | Island |
Austria | |||
Germany | |||
Switzerland |
References
- ^ Blair, Elizabeth (26 March 2000). "The Story of 'Dream a Little Dream'". Weekend Edition Sunday. NPR. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
- ^ "Dream a Little Dream of Me: Versions". SecondHandSongs. 4 May 2023.
- ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ The New York Times, 14 July 1968, p.D22
- ^ ISBN 0-283-07331-4) pp.256, 261.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 153.
- ^ "Go-Set Australian charts ~ 1968". Poparchives.com.au. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
- ^ "Go-Set Australian charts - 11 September 1968". Poparchives.com.au. 1968-09-11. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
- ^ "Go-Set Australian charts - Top Records for the Year of 1968". Poparchives.com.au. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
- ^ a b c d "Songs from the Year 1968". Tsort.info. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2015-11-10. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
- ^ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). InfoDisc. 1968-09-14. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- ^ "The Irish Charts - Search for "Mama Cass" or "Dream a Little Dream of Me"". IrishCharts.ie. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
- ^ "Mama Cass: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Mama Cass Elliot Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 147.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 8/31/68". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
- ^ "Mama Cass - Dream a Little Dream of Me - hitparade.ch". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2015-11-10. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
- ^ "Top 100 1968 - UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
- ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
- ^ "American single certifications – The Mamas & The Papas – Dream a Little Dream of Me". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ Melody Maker 31 August 1968 "Mama Cass: covering 'Dream a Little Dream' is just like covering 'God Save the Queen' by Tony Wilson/ "Anita Harris: I wasn't doing the dirty on Mama Cass" by Alan Walsh p.11
- ^ "Official Charts - Home of the Official UK Top 40 Charts".
- OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 29 October 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ Les classement single. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 29 October 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Dream a Little Dream of Me" at Discogs, 7" single (Enzo Enzo – "Les Yeux ouverts") (access-date: 29 October 2021).
- ^ "Dream a Little Dream of Me" at Discogs, 12" maxi (Enzo Enzo – "Les Yeux ouverts") (access-date: 29 October 2021).
- ^ "Dream a Little Dream of Me" at Discogs, Cassette (Enzo Enzo – "Les Yeux ouverts") (access-date: 29 October 2021).
- ^ "Dream a Little Dream of Me" at Discogs, CD maxi (Enzo Enzo – "Les Yeux ouverts") (access-date: 29 October 2021).
- OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 29 October 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ a b "iTunes - Music - Dream a Little Dream - Single by Robbie Williams". Itunes.apple.com. 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
- ^ "iTunes - Musik – "Dream a Little Dream - Single" von Robbie Williams". Itunes.apple.com. 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
- Ultratip.
- Ultratip.
- ^ "Robbie Williams feat. Lily Allen – Dream a Little Dream". Tracklisten.
- Les classement single.
- ^ "Robbie Williams – Dream a Little Dream" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ "Robbie Williams feat. Lily Allen – Dream a Little Dream". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ Zywietz, Tobias. "CHART: CLUK Update 30.11.2013 (wk47)". Zobbel. Retrieved 2 June 2014.