Dream A Little Dream Of Me
Ella Fitzgerald feat. Count Basie Lyrics


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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 nighty-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 (oh, how you linger on)
Still craving your kiss (how you crave my kiss)
Now I'm longing to linger 'til dawn, dear
Just saying this (give me a little kiss)

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

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

Sweet dreams, dreamin', 'til sunbeams find you
Keep dreaming
Gotta keep dreaming, leave your worries behind you
But in your dreams whatever they be




You've gotta make me a promise (oh yes), promise to me
You'll dream, dream a little dream of me

Overall Meaning

The song opens with the singer describing the beauty of the night sky and how the night seems to be declaring love. The singer then asks the listener to join them in dreaming a little dream. The second verse speaks of loneliness and the desire for love and comfort. The singer asks to be held and comforted before bidding the listener to dream of them. The third verse speaks of the singer's own longing for the listener and their kiss. They profess their desire to stay with the listener till dawn. The final verse is a call to the listener to have sweet dreams that leave all worries behind and to dream of the singer as well. The song ends with a gentle request to "dream a little dream" of the singer.


The song "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was originally written in 1931 by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt with lyrics by Gus Kahn. It was first performed by Ozzie Nelson and his orchestra. However, it was the cover version by the Mamas & Papas in 1968 that popularized the song and made it a classic. Several artists have covered the song over the years including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nat King Cole.


Line by Line Meaning

Stars shining bright above you
The singer is wishing the subject of the song to have a good night with a beautiful starry sky.


Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"
The singer is implying that even the night wind loves the subject of the song.


Birds singing in the sycamore trees
The singer is painting a serene picture of the natural surroundings, with birds singing in the trees to lull the subject of the song to sleep.


Dream a little dream of me
The artist is urging the subject of the song to not fret about the day's worries and to just dream a calming dream of the artist.


Say nighty-night and kiss me
The artist is asking the subject of the song to say goodnight and to give them a sweet kiss before sleeping.


Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me
The singer wants the subject of the song to hold them tight and promise to miss them when they are apart.


While I'm alone and blue as can be
The singer is admitting to feeling lonely and sad without the company of the subject of the song.


Dream a little dream of me
The artist is repeating their wish for the subject of the song to have a peaceful dream of the artist.


Stars fading but I linger on dear
The artist is acknowledging that the night is ending, but they are still around to sing this song for the subject.


Still craving your kiss
The artist is admitting to still wanting the subject's affection and company.


I'm longing to linger till dawn dear
The singer wishes that they could stay with the subject until sunrise, to enjoy their company and love.


Just saying this
The artist is stating that everything they've said until now is sincere and from the heart.


Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you
The singer wishes for the subject of the song to have beautiful dreams until the sun rises in the morning.


Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you
The singer hopes that the dreams the subject experiences are so calming and sweet that they forget all their worries.


But in your dreams whatever they be
The singer is saying that they understand that the subject's dreams are personal, but they still want the dreams to be kind and peaceful.


Dream a little dream of me
The artist is repeating their wish for the subject to dream of them and to be comforted by the thought of them.


Yes, dream a little dream of me
The artist is giving their approval and emphasizing their desire for the subject to have a good dream of them.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Fabian Andre, Gus Kahn, Wilbur Schwandt

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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