Dianne came from a very musical family. Her father, who died when she was two years old, was also a singer. Her mother, Vada Swanson, played trumpet. A cousin, George Duke is a well known piano and keyboard player and producer.
Dianne and her sister Sharon were raised by their grandmother in Denver, Colorado. As a child Dianne took piano lessons and sang at every opportunity. When she was 11 years old her interest in music was enhanced by an inspiring teacher who thought that music was the best way to bring students together. Dianne discovered a love of music and that she wanted to be a singer.
Her uncle, Charles Burell, a bass player with the Denver Symphony Orchestra, introduced her to the music of jazz singers, from Ella Fitzgerald to Billie Holiday. She was especially impressed by Sarah Vaughan.
1974
At the age of sixteen she was singing at the George Washington Highschool in Denver, in a highschool bigband. That same year the band played at a music festival (Convention of the National Association of Jazz Educators). Her Band won first place and it was there she met the trumpeter Clark Terry, who after discovering her became her mentor.
1975
A year later she began studying music at the University of Denver, before she moving in 1976 to Los Angeles. In L.A. her interest in Latin-American music grew, and she began experimenting with different kinds of vocal music and finally decided to pursue a career as a singer. She met Eduardo del Barrio, and she toured with his group "Caldera" and sang in Billy Child's jazz band "Night Flights". Later she tour with Sergio Mendes.
From 1983 until 1986 she toured with Harry Belafonte as a lead singer. This period saw her first experiences with world music. In 1987 she became the first vocalist to sign with Blue Note records. She moved back to Denver from Los Angeles in 1992. She sang at the closing ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.
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Grammy Awards
She has currently won 3 Grammy Awards for "Best Jazz Vocal Performance" for her albums
2001 In the Moment
2002 The Calling
2003 A Little Moonlight
2006 Good Night, And Good Luck (Soundtrack)
She is the only singer to have won this Grammy in three consecutive years.
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Discography
1977 - Welcome to My Love
1987 - Better Days
1988 - I Remember
1990 - Never Too Far
1991 - Dianne Reeves (same as Better Days)
1993 - Art & Survival
1994 - Quiet After the Storm
1996 - The Grand Encounter
1996 - Palo Alto Sessions
1997 - That Day
1997 - New Morning (live)
1999 - Bridges... produced by George Duke.
2000 - In The Moment (live)
2001 - The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan
2002 - Best of Dianne Reeves
2003 - A Little Moonlight
2004 - Christmas Time is Here
2005 - Good Night, And Good Luck (Soundtrack)
Darn That Dream
Dianne Reeves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You say you love me and you hold me tight
But when I awake, you're out of sight
Oh, darn that dream
Darn your lips and darn your eyes
They lift me high above the moonlit skies
Then I tumble out of paradise
Oh, darn that dream
I can't understand that you don't care
Just to change the mood I'm in
I'd welcome a nice old nightmare
Darn that dream and bless it too
Without that dream, I never would have you
But it haunts me and it won't come true
Oh, darn that dream
In Dianne Reeves's "Darn That Dream," the singer laments about a dream that haunts her each night. The dream is of a lover who professes their love and holds the singer tight, but when the singer wakes up, the lover is nowhere to be found. The singer curses the dream for its false promises but also acknowledges that without it, the singer may have never found love in reality. The singer acknowledges a one-track mind that cannot comprehend why the lover does not care for the singer. The singer even wishes for a nightmare to break the monotony of the recurring dream. The dream is seen as a blessing and a curse. It brings the singer joy but also agony.
The lyrics reflect a theme that is common in many love songs, which is the pain of unrequited love. The dream represents the singer's deepest desires and hopes, but they are not realized in reality. The singer's frustration and disappointment are palpable as she longs for something unattainable. The use of vivid language, such as "lift me high above the moonlit skies," and "tumble out of paradise," creates an emotional atmosphere that enhances the sense of longing and sadness. Overall, the song's message is a warning that dreams can be deceiving and that we must be careful not to let them consume us entirely.
Line by Line Meaning
Darn that dream I dream each night
I curse that recurring dream that I have every night
You say you love me and you hold me tight
When we're together, you express your love for me and hold me closely
But when I awake, you're out of sight
However, when I wake up, you're nowhere to be found
Oh, darn that dream
I despise that dream for giving me false hope and leading me to disappointment
Darn your lips and darn your eyes
I curse your lips and eyes for making me feel so enamored with you
They lift me high above the moonlit skies
Your lips and eyes make me feel like I'm flying high above the world, feeling elated and carefree
Then I tumble out of paradise
But eventually, I fall back to reality and out of that euphoric state
Oh, darn that dream
Once again, I lament that dream for the fleeting joy it brings followed by crushing disappointment
Darn that one-track mind of mine
I resent my own narrow-mindedness for being unable to see that you don't reciprocate my feelings
I can't understand that you don't care
I struggle to comprehend why you don't feel the same way about me
Just to change the mood I'm in
In an effort to get out of this emotional rut, I would even welcome a terrible nightmare to shake things up
I'd welcome a nice old nightmare
I would be grateful for anything that could distract me from this unrequited love and give some relief from my constant yearning
Darn that dream and bless it too
I can't help but curse and appreciate that dream all at once
Without that dream, I never would have you
Even though that dream causes me anguish, it was also responsible for bringing you into my life
But it haunts me and it won't come true
Nonetheless, that dream still torments me because I know that it will never be a reality
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edgar Eddie Delange, Jimmy Van Heusen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind