By Jimmy Van Heusen & Eddie DeLange1939
One of the most disastrous Broadway flops of the era was Swingin' the Dream, a jazzy send-up of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream that ran for a total of 13 performances--despite featuring the likes of Louis Armstrong (pictured), Maxine Sullivan, Bill Bailey, Dorothy Dandridge, Vivian Dandridge and Etta Jones. All of these performers took turns with this song--the show's sole hit--during the initial production. It didn't become a hit until Benny Goodman recorded it in 1940 with singer Mildred Bailey.
Lyrics:
Darn that dream I dream each night.
You say you love me and hold me tight,
But when I awake and you're out of sight,
Oh, darn that dream.
Darn your lips and darn your eyes,
They lift me high above the moonlit sky,
Then I tumble out of paradise--
Oh, darn that dream.
Darn that one-track mind of mine,
It 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'd never have you.
But it haunts me, and it won't come true,
Oh, darn that dream.
Recorded By:
Billie Holiday
Tommy Dorsey
Doris Day
Miles Davis
Thelonious Monk
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2 comments:
I once had the honor and privilege to play this tune accompanied by the great former Goodman sideman Cal Collins on guitar. I actually missed my entrance because I was just standing there on the bandstand in slackjawed amazement watching Cal play.
Wow, great story! Thanks for sharing.
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