Jeroen de Valk has written a biography of Baker which is available in several languages: Chet Baker: His Life and Music is the English translation. Other biographies include James Gavin's Deep In A Dream - "The Long Night of Chet Baker", and Matthew Ruddick's "Funny Valentine". Baker's "lost memoirs" are available in the book "As Though I Had Wings", which includes an introduction by Carroll Baker.
Deep in a Dream
Chet Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The smoke from my cigarette climbs through the air.
The walls of my room fade away in the blue,
And I'm deep in a dream of you.
The smoke makes a stairway for you to descend;
You come to my arms, may this bliss never end,
For we love anew just as we used to do
When I'm deep in a dream of you.
Then from the ceiling, sweet music comes stealing;
We glide through a lover's refrain, you're so appealing
That I'm soon revealing my love for you over again.
My cigarette burns me, I wake with a start;
My hand isn't hurt, but there's pain in my heart.
Awake or asleep, ev'ry mem'ry I'll keep
Deep in a dream of you.
The lyrics of Chet Baker's song "Deep in a Dream" describe the singer's deep longing for someone they love. As they sit alone in their room, they dim the lights, light a cigarette and smoke, allowing themselves to become lost in thoughts of the person they desire. Their surroundings begin to fade away, as they are consumed by the thoughts of their love. The smoke serves as a symbolic stairway for the person to descend into their waiting arms, and they are able to experience the love they yearn for once again.
The music becomes more prominent, as the singers are carried away in a lover's refrain. The person they love becomes all the more appealing to them, and they cannot help but reveal their love to them once again. However, the cigarette burns them, and they awaken with a newly found pain in their heart. Despite this, and regardless of whether they are awake or asleep, every memory of their love remains with them, deep in a dream.
Overall, the song captures the sense of deep longing for the love that is not present in our lives, and the ache that comes with it. The description of fading away into a dream world shows how our minds often transport us to a place where we can be with our loved ones, even if it's just a fleeting moment of escape.
Line by Line Meaning
I dim all the lights and I sink in my chair.
I turn off all the lights and slouch down in my seat, preparing to lose myself in thought.
The smoke from my cigarette climbs through the air.
The smoke from my cigarette rises, creating a hazy atmosphere in the room.
The walls of my room fade away in the blue,
The walls of my room disappear, replaced by a blue-toned landscape.
And I'm deep in a dream of you.
I'm lost in a dream involving you, unable to escape the vividness of the experience.
The smoke makes a stairway for you to descend;
The smoke serves as a path for you to descend upon, almost as if it were a tangible object.
You come to my arms, may this bliss never end,
You appear in my embrace, and I hope that this joy continues indefinitely.
For we love anew just as we used to do
We are able to experience a rejuvenation of our love, just like we had in the past.
When I'm deep in a dream of you.
All of these events take place while I remain lost in a dream about you.
Then from the ceiling, sweet music comes stealing;
Mesmerizing music begins to play, seeming to almost emanate from above me.
We glide through a lover's refrain, you're so appealing
We are transported through a romantic melody, and you are an irresistible presence.
That I'm soon revealing my love for you over again.
I am overcome by my emotions and must express my love for you anew, as though I am doing so for the first time.
My cigarette burns me, I wake with a start;
My cigarette has burned me, causing me to jolt back into the reality of the moment.
My hand isn't hurt, but there's pain in my heart.
While my hand is undamaged, I experience a sense of heartache and emotional pain.
Awake or asleep, ev'ry mem'ry I'll keep
Even when I'm awake, I will retain memories of this dream.
Deep in a dream of you.
My thoughts about you remain vivid, despite my attempt to leave them in a dream.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Eddie De Lange, Jimmy Van Heusen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ronnie Kahn
The first time I met Chet Baker, he was playing at a little neighborhood club called Strykers on 97th & Columbus Avenue on Manhattan's Upper West Side. He was coming back after years of an extended period of absence, having diligently devoted himself to re-learning to play trumpet with dentures, which everybody told him could not be done. But he persevered and prevailed, and this was one of his first comeback gigs. Awesome! I never heard any trumpet sound like that! I don't think it could ever be captured on a recording: So intimate tender innovative & personal...sometimes just whispering & breathing infinite silence space&timelessness into his trumpet...He just loved music & making music so deeeeeeeeeply & innately: just making the purest finest most beautiful sounds and blissful ethereal effects. Chet Baker was truly a great Maestro of the highest degree, a natural-born precocious musical genius like Mozart!
During the break I came up to Chet to thank & enthusiastically congratulate him. In my over-enthusiasm I started telling Chet how much I also dug & admired & had been imitating his singing for years, and automatically went into my little imitation of him singing “I Wish I Knew” till I caught myself & felt embarrassed & silly & said,“Oh no! Here I am doing my Chet Baker imitation for Chet Baker!” He just smiled & said “You don't look old enough to remember that record.” (1955 LP called “Chet Baker Sings& Plays")
He looked gaunt & emaciated, almost like a derelict. But his voice and manner were very pleasant polite mellow kind & refined, sensitive gentle very personable sweet good-natured & very likable, casual cultured & well-bred. I asked him if he would sing during his second-set after the break. He thanked me for asking but apologized & explained why he really couldn't because he was working with just a bassist & drummer & no piano...
He excused himself when his band-mates summoned him to prepare for their second set. There were just a few other people at that very small dimly-lit cellar club that night. My date was a nice girl who had the same last name as me though we were otherwise unrelated, I barely remember her, but we were both blown-away by Chet!
When Chet came back from the break, he opened his set singing “Just Friends” Bless his heart! Still feels good that he honored my request & was singing just for me! His singing always kinda reminds me of Alfalfa from “Our Gang”
I still listen to Chet's music almost every day now, often listening to him continually all day long, and when I try listening to something else for a change, I find myself missing his familiar soothing sound which is so much an integral part of me, I find myself unable to listen to anything else & hafta sink right back into that sweet fine&mellow transcendent celestial atmosphere he creates so effortlessly & endlessly...
PS: I had given Chet my business card that night, and to my surprise & amazement—first thing in the morning--he called me! But that's another story for another time now...
Anwesa Guha
Here goes the lyrics, just in case:
I dim all the lights and I sink in my chair.
The smoke from my cigarette climbs through the air.
The walls of my room fade away in the blue,
And I'm deep in a dream of you.
The smoke makes a stairway for you to descend;
You come to my arms, may this bliss never end,
For we love anew just as we used to do
When I'm deep in a dream of you.
Then from the ceiling, soft music comes stealing;
We glide through a lover's refrain, you're so appealing
That I'm soon revealing my love for you over again.
My cigarette burns me, I wake with a start;
My hand isn't hurt, but there's pain in my heart.
Awake or asleep, ev'ry mem'ry I'll keep
Deep in a dream of you.
Charlotte
I dim all the lights and I sink in my chair.
The smoke from my cigarette climbs through the air.
The walls of my room fade away in the blue,
And I'm deep in a dream of you.
The smoke builds a stairway for you to descend;
You come to my arms, may this bliss never end,
Awake or asleep, ev'ry mem'ry I'll keep
When I'm deep in a dream of you.
Then from the ceiling, soft music comes stealing;
We glide in a lover's refrain, you're so appealing
That I'm soon revealing my love for you over again.
My cigarette burns me, I wake with a start;
My hand isn't hurt, but there's pain in my heart.
But we'll love anew just as we used to do
When I'm deep in a dream of you.
Jefferson Rodrigues
I dim all the lights and I sink in my chair.
The smoke from my cigarette climbs through the air.
The walls of my room fade away in the blue,
And I'm deep in a dream of you.
The smoke makes a stairway for you to descend;
You come to my arms, may this bliss never end,
For we love anew just as we used to do
When I'm deep in a dream of you.
Then from the ceiling, sweet music comes stealing;
We glide through a lover's refrain, you're so appealing
That I'm soon revealing my love for you over again.
My cigarette burns me, I wake with a start;
My hand isn't hurt, but there's pain in my heart.
Awake or asleep, ev'ry mem'ry I'll keep
Deep in a dream of you.
Mercy Mercury
I dim all the lights and I sink in my chair.
The smoke from my cigarette climbs through the air.
The walls of my room fade away in the blue,
And I'm deep in a dream of you.
The smoke makes a stairway for you to descend;
You come to my arms, may this bliss never end,
For we love anew just as we used to do
When I'm deep in a dream of you.
Then from the ceiling, sweet music comes stealing;
We glide through a lover's refrain, you're so appealing
That I'm soon revealing my love for you over again.
My cigarette burns me, I wake with a start;
My hand isn't hurt, but there's pain in my heart.
Awake or asleep, ev'ry mem'ry I'll keep
Deep in a dream of you.
Mais S.
His voice is so soothing, it's incredible!
Ronnie Kahn
The first time I met Chet Baker, he was playing at a little neighborhood club called Strykers on 97th & Columbus Avenue on Manhattan's Upper West Side. He was coming back after years of an extended period of absence, having diligently devoted himself to re-learning to play trumpet with dentures, which everybody told him could not be done. But he persevered and prevailed, and this was one of his first comeback gigs. Awesome! I never heard any trumpet sound like that! I don't think it could ever be captured on a recording: So intimate tender innovative & personal...sometimes just whispering & breathing infinite silence space&timelessness into his trumpet...He just loved music & making music so deeeeeeeeeply & innately: just making the purest finest most beautiful sounds and blissful ethereal effects. Chet Baker was truly a great Maestro of the highest degree, a natural-born precocious musical genius like Mozart!
During the break I came up to Chet to thank & enthusiastically congratulate him. In my over-enthusiasm I started telling Chet how much I also dug & admired & had been imitating his singing for years, and automatically went into my little imitation of him singing “I Wish I Knew” till I caught myself & felt embarrassed & silly & said,“Oh no! Here I am doing my Chet Baker imitation for Chet Baker!” He just smiled & said “You don't look old enough to remember that record.” (1955 LP called “Chet Baker Sings& Plays")
He looked gaunt & emaciated, almost like a derelict. But his voice and manner were very pleasant polite mellow kind & refined, sensitive gentle very personable sweet good-natured & very likable, casual cultured & well-bred. I asked him if he would sing during his second-set after the break. He thanked me for asking but apologized & explained why he really couldn't because he was working with just a bassist & drummer & no piano...
He excused himself when his band-mates summoned him to prepare for their second set. There were just a few other people at that very small dimly-lit cellar club that night. My date was a nice girl who had the same last name as me though we were otherwise unrelated, I barely remember her, but we were both blown-away by Chet!
When Chet came back from the break, he opened his set singing “Just Friends” Bless his heart! Still feels good that he honored my request & was singing just for me! His singing always kinda reminds me of Alfalfa from “Our Gang”
I still listen to Chet's music almost every day now, often listening to him continually all day long, and when I try listening to something else for a change, I find myself missing his familiar soothing sound which is so much an integral part of me, I find myself unable to listen to anything else & hafta sink right back into that sweet fine&mellow transcendent celestial atmosphere he creates so effortlessly & endlessly...
PS: I had given Chet my business card that night, and to my surprise & amazement—first thing in the morning--he called me! But that's another story for another time now...
Chaolan
What did you guys talk about on the phone?
Pablo Ochendrowitsch
Very nice story to read and know a little about Chet as Person
Sjaak de Bakel
Ronnie Kahn Very nice and interesting, please do continue your story.
Andrew Aguilar
Lovely discription of what went on that beautiful night. Wish more youtube comments were of this caliber. Thank you I feel the same way regarding his music : ).
Sabrina Locke
Ronnie Kahn amazing story sir. How lucky you are to have met such a man!!! Such a musician!!!!!
Brian Caffrey
Absolutely Beautiful. Chet is my all time favorite! His voice gives me chills, then the horn comes in and I'm speechless.
piismooth
I can listen to this song over and over again !!
Chaolan
Every time I play this song it feels like my room fades to black. So much thoughts brought by just one song.