This song, was first recorded in 1931 by the Wayne King Orchestra (vocals by Ernie Burchill).
It was also sung by Kate Smith and Frank Sinatra.
In 1950, there were concurrent covers of the song by Jack Owens and Frankie Laine. .
But the most successful version, and certainly the one most memorable these days, is the one by Mama Cass Elliot, of the Mamas and The Papas, released in 1968.

Stars shining bright above you
Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"
Birds singing in the sycamore tree
Dream a little dream of me

Say "Night-ie night" and kiss me
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me
While I'm alone and blue as can be
Dream a little dream of me

Stars fading but I linger on, dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear
Just saying this

Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you
But in your dreams whatever they be
Dream a little dream of me


Damn i always assumed Mama Cass wrote it? 1931...thats old! Anyway I love Mickey Thomas' version.....

anyone dig this song? Who else has covered it?

Let me guess - you prefer the synthed out 80s version from the film of the same title?


[Edited 3/9/05 16:08pm]

yepyep.

Where u get them pics? I love that scene.....

u know it's a classic if u synth it up.

thesexofit said:

I took those stills from the DVD. It's one of my favorite awful movies.

I loved Cass Elliot's version of it.

U heard the synthed out 80's version? In ur case I suggest u dont'

thesexofit said:

Nobody should hear it! Stick with Cass' version.

U know I played it to my dad and he hated it. Anyway thanx 4 the pics of corey. That film is awesome. Despite the many plot holes.

i think kd and Tony Bennett did a duet of this...i think.. i need to listen to their album together again.

TheRealFiness said:

this is one of my favorite songs ever ever ever. in my top ten, if not my top five, if not my top three. it just makes me happy.

The Mommas and Poppas version is just perfect - one of those gems that made the sixties such a great era for popular music.

RipHer2Shreds said:

What movie was that....Wasn't that the blasmphy that was "Rock and Roll High School 2"....:cringe: What was that all about?

damosuzuki said:

It was solo Cass, but surprisingly not her only solo hit. I just looked it up and she had a number of solo singles that charted ("Make Your Own Kind Of Music" comes to mind...apprently it hit the dance charts in 1997? A remix?). Beautiful voice. I'd like to get some of her stuff, but what should I buy?

RipHer2Shreds said:

Well I'll stick with Cass but I'm interested in hearing about the 80s synth verison...was it actually performed in that terrible, terrible movie?

VinnyM27 said:

there's a really nice mama cass anthology called, surprise surprise, "dream a little dream". it was overseen by her daughter and it has a great sampling of her music w/ mamas & papas and solo, and also some nice pics and liner notes.

VinnyM27 said:

Huh - I'd always assumed it was a M&P song cuz it appeared on a M&P anthology I borrowed from my sister a few years back. I guess they must have thrown a few solo tracks on there...

Anxiety said:

I heard about that one a few years ago. Maybe I'll check it out.

http://www.amazon.com/exe...15-8019273

Its only a sample of course! Reasonable price.....

thesexofit said:

Oh, THAT movie! I'll try to listen to the sample later. The DVD review did call the soundtrack, "Hit filled". Could that movie be as bad as I remmeber it?

VinnyM27 said:

Hit-filled? It had one hit - the remake of Rock On.

I love that version. Better then the David Essex original!

The Beautiful South made this version for the French Kiss Soundtrack

Man do I love that record.

Anyways, here's the tale behind it. From Allmusic.com:


What should have been the last great Mamas & Papas single, "Dream a Little Dream" is a cover of the 1940s hit for Frankie Laine. The song came to be cut by the Mamas when John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, and Michelle's father were hanging out in early 1968, and began talking about the recent death of one of the song's writers, Favian Andre. (Andre had been a friend of Michelle's father while he was in Mexico.) And so, due to the fact that the Mamas were "always scamming for material," according to Michelle, John Phillips proceeded to work up a brilliant, old-timey arrangement that fit the group's style like a glove. A folksy, fingerpicking guitar arrangement is the core here, and singer Cass Elliot's fabulous performance (complete with scat whistling) creates a sound that feels like one of the group's originals. The song was released as an album cut on the band's fourth record. As the group was breaking up, Dunhill Records released it as a Mama Cass solo single, "featuring the Mamas & the Papas." It was a huge hit; a great start for Elliott's solo career, and a classy end (despite the confusion of the billing of the release) for the actual band.