Beautiful Dreamer

Song facts

From Wikipedia:

“Beautiful Dreamer” is a parlor song by American songwriter Stephen Foster (1826–1864). It was published posthumously in March 1864, by Wm. A. Pond & Co. of New York. The first edition states on its title page that it is “the last song ever written by Stephen C. Foster. Composed but a few days prior to his death.” However, Carol Kimball, the author of Song, points out that the first edition’s copyright is dated 1862, which suggests, she writes, the song was composed and readied for publication two years before Foster’s death. There are at least 20 songs, she observes, that claim to be Foster’s last, and it is unknown which is indeed his last. The song is set in 9/8 time with a broken chord accompaniment.

The song tells of a lover serenading a “Beautiful Dreamer” who is oblivious to worldly cares and may actually be dead. Foster’s works feature many dead young women, including his sister Charlotte and “Jeanie“. Helen Lightner writes, “This sentimental ballad is folk-like in character with its repetitious but lovely melody and its basic harmonic accompaniment… The quiet and calm of this mood is portrayed by the monotony of the arpeggiated accompaniment, by the repetitiveness of the melodic pattern, and by the strophic form itself.”

Recordings, film, and television

Recordings

The song has been recorded by Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter & his Orchestra; The Nutmegs; Steve Conway with Jack Byfield & his Orchestra; Thomas Hampson with Jay Ungar (mandolin), David Alpher (piano), and Molly Mason (guitar); John Leyton; Jerry Lee Lewis; Slim Whitman; and Roy Orbison on the album In Dreams (a top ten Australian single in 1964).

[…] Gerry Goffin and Jack Keller wrote a doo-wop version for Tony Orlando which took considerable liberties with the original; the opening quatrain, for instance is “Beautiful Dreamer / Wake unto me / Can’t you see me baby / I’m on my bended knee“. Orlando released this version as a single in 1962 and it quickly became a regular part of the Beatles set list, from 1962 through the Beatles Winter 1963 Helen Shapiro Tour in early 1963. A recording of a 1963 Beatles performance of the song on the BBC was released in 2013 on their album On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2. Rory Storm and The Hurricanes also featured the song in their live performances. […]

Last updated on November 30, 2016

Lyrics