Ross is one of the early practitioners of a singing style known as vocalese, which involves the setting of original lyrics to an instrumental jazz solo. Her 1952 treatment of saxophonist Wardell Gray's "Twisted" is a classic example of vocalese. "Twisted" is perhaps her most famous song.
She recorded seven albums with Lambert, Hendricks & Ross between 1957 and 1962. Annie left the group in 1962 and in 1964 opened her own nightclub in London. Annie's Room featured performances by such jazz luminaries as Joe Williams, Stuff Smith, Blossom Dearie, Anita O'Day, Jon Hendricks, and Erroll Garner as well as Annie herself.
Ross is also an accomplished actress and has appeared in a number of films: Superman III (1983), Throw Mama From The Train (1987), Pump Up the Volume (1990), Blue Sky (1994), Short Cuts (1993).
This Time The Dream's On Me
Annie Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll be close together, wait and see
Oh by the way
This time the dream's on me
You take my hand
And you look at me adoringly
But as things stand
It would be fun
To be certain that I'm the one
To know that I, at least, supply the shoulder you cry upon
To see you through
Till you're everything you want to be
It can't be true, but
This time the dream's on me
It would be fun
To be certain that I'm the one
To know that I, at least, supply the shoulder you cry upon
To see you through
Till you're everything you want to be
It can't be true, but
This time the dream's on me
The song "This Time The Dreams On Me" was composed by Harold Arlen, with the lyrics written by Johnny Mercer. Annie Ross's version is a heartfelt and romantic interpretation of the song. The first verse expresses hope for a future time when the two lovers will be together, and the dream of being together is on the singer. The second verse describes the intense emotions between the lovers. The singer is overwhelmed with love and desire, and she wishes to support and encourage her lover to be the person they want to be. In contrast, the chorus of the song suggests that these dreams may not be realistic, and that the singer may be holding onto an impossible dream.
The lyrics "this time the dream's on me" suggest that the singer is carrying the burden of the relationship's dreams and aspirations. She is willing to support her lover no matter what happens, even if her lover is not ready or able to reciprocate the same level of commitment. Despite the inherent vulnerability that comes with being so deeply in love, the singer maintains her hope and faith in the relationship. In a sense, she is saying that dreams, just like falling in love, are not always within our control, and sometimes we must simply let them unfold naturally.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere, someday
At an unspecified time and place in the future
We'll be close together, wait and see
We will eventually be in close proximity to each other; just wait and see
Oh by the way
As a side note
This time the dream's on me
This time, I will be responsible for making our dreams come true
You take my hand
You hold my hand
And you look at me adoringly
You gaze at me with love and admiration
But as things stand
As the current situation stands
This time the dream's on me
This time, I will be responsible for making our dreams come true
It would be fun
It would be enjoyable
To be certain that I'm the one
To know that I am the person you truly love
To know that I, at least, supply the shoulder you cry upon
To be aware that I am the one who comforts you when you cry
To see you through
To support you through a difficult time
Till you're everything you want to be
Until you become the person you want to be
It can't be true, but
Although it seems impossible
This time the dream's on me
This time, I will be responsible for making our dreams come true
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind