Harris is truly an innovator. For over 30 years, Emmylou has flowed effortlessly between genres achieving popularity in pop, folk, country and now alternative. The common bridge is an exquisite vocal style and a gift for discovering the heart of a song.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama on April 2, 1947, the daughter of Walter and Eugenia Harris grew up near Washington, D.C. As a college student in the late 60s, she sang with a local folk duo and eventually moved to Greenwich Village. She played the clubs on the local folk scene occasionally sharing the stage with Jerry Jeff Walker and David Bromberg.
Discovered in 1971 by Chris Hillman, Hillman brought Gram Parsons to hear her sing in a small club in the Washington D.C. area. In 1972, she answered the call from Gram to join him in Los Angeles to work on his first solo album, "GP." According to Songfacts, Parsons tragic early death in 1973 left Harris at an emotional and musical crossroads. Her earliest signature song, Boulder To Birmingham was written shortly after Gram's death, and it showed the depth of her shock and pain at losing her friend and mentor.
After the loss of Gram, Emmylou went back to the D.C. area and formed a country band, playing with them until her 1975 major label debut, Pieces of the Sky, when she formed the first version of the legendary Hot Band. Over the years the Hot Band included world class players such as Albert Lee, Rodney Crowell and Hank DeVito.
Emmylou has been called by Billboard Magazine a "truly venturesome, genre-transcending pathfinder." Throughout her career, she has been admired for her talent as an artist and song connoisseur, but it was with her 2000 album, Red Dirt Girl, for which Ms. Harris was awarded her tenth (out of eleven total to date) Grammy, that she revealed she is also a gifted songwriter. Continuing the trend with her September 2003 album, Stumble Into Grace, Emmylou wrote ten of the album's eleven tracks. Though Emmylou is the most admired and influential woman in contemporary country music, her scope extends far beyond it. She has recorded with such diverse artists as Ryan Adams, Beck, Elvis Costello, Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, Tammy Wynette, Neil Young, The Chieftains, Lyle Lovett, Roy Orbison, The Band, Willie Nelson and George Jones.
She sings with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt on the incomparable albums Trio and Trio II, making all three artists living American legends.
A longtime social activist, Harris has lent her voice to many causes. She is active in cultural preservation issues, notably the Country Music Foundation and the Grand Ole Opry. As an animal rights activist and the owner of several dogs and cats, Emmylou also supports PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the Humane Society. Since 1997 she has been the most visible spokesperson for the Campaign for a Landmine Free World, drawing public attention and notable musical artists to the cause.
Mister Sandman
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Give him two lips like roses and clover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic beam
Bum bum bum bum, bum bum
Bum bum, bum bum
Mister Sandman, bring me a dream
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Give him the word that I'm not a rover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic beam
Mister Sandman, bring me a dream
Bum bum bum bum, bum bum
Bum bum, bum bum
Mister Sandman, bring us a dream
Give him a pair of eyes with a come hither gleam
Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace
Mister Sandman, someone to hold
Would be so peachy before we're too old
So please turn on your magic beam
Mister Sandman, bring us, please, please, please
Mister Sandman, bring us a dream
Emmylou Harris's song "Mister Sandman" is a whimsical tune about a person who is in search of love and affection. The lyrics describe the plea of someone who is desperately lonely and is asking the Sandman to bring them their dream partner. The Sandman is a mythical character who is associated with sleep and dreams, and the lyrics depict him as a magical being who can make people's dreams come true.
The first verse of the song asks the Sandman to bring the dream partner who is the cutest they've ever seen, with lips like roses and clover. The second verse describes the loneness of the person and their plea for the Sandman to turn on his magic and bring them a dream partner. The third verse is a request from two people who are seeking love and asks the Sandman to bring them someone with a come-hither gleam in their eye, a lonely heart like Pagliacci, and lots of wavy hair like Liberace.
The song ends with a hopeful plea for the Sandman to bring them their dream partner before they are too old. The lyrics are infused with humor and whimsy, and the melody captures the playful spirit of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Mister Sandman, bring me a dream
Asking the mythical character Sandman to give her a pleasant dream
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Requesting Sandman to make the dream so delightful that it surpasses her previous dreams
Give him two lips like roses and clover
Wishing the dream person to have charming lips
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Asking Sandman to convey that the dream man won't feel lonely anymore
Sandman, I'm so alone
Expressing her loneliness and desire for companionship to Sandman
Don't have nobody to call my own
Stating that she currently does not have anyone to call her own
Please turn on your magic beam
Requesting Sandman to use his magic to help her dream come true
Miss Sandman, bring me a dream
Asking Sandman to grant a pleasant dream, again using a different title
Give him the word that I'm not a rover
Wishing the dream man to know that she is not a wanderer
Mister Sandman, bring us a dream
Asking Sandman for a dream not just for herself, but for others as well
Give him a pair of eyes with a come-hither gleam
Wishing the dream man to have attractive eyes that draw her towards him
Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci
Asking Sandman to provide the dream man with a lonely heart that she can fill with love
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace
Desiring for the dream man to have wavy hair like Liberace, who was famous for his hair
Mister Sandman, someone to hold
Desiring a dream partner to hold, which implies emotional and physical support
Would be so peachy before we're too old
Expressing a desire to have a partner before getting too old
So please turn on your magic beam
Urging Sandman to use his magic and make the dream come true
Mister Sandman, bring us, please, please, please
Making a fervent request to Sandman to grant the dream
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Pat Ballard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind