" Dream a Little Dream of Me " is a song written in 1930. The music was composed by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt, and the lyrics were written by Gus Kahn. The song was first recorded in February 1931 by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. Shortly after, Wayne King and his Orchestra recorded it with vocals by Ernie Birchill.

The song became most successful in 1968 when Cass Elliot with the Mamas & the Papas covered it. That same year, Anita Harris also recorded it. Over 400 other versions of the song have been made, including recordings by the Mills Brothers, Henry Mancini, the Beautiful South, Chicago, Anne Murray, Ella Fitzgerald, Erasure, and Michael Bublé.

Although the song was published in 1931, its copyright was first registered on December 29, 1930. Because of this, the song entered the public domain on January 1, 2026.

Background

Music producer Thom Donovan has described the song Dream a Little Dream of Me as both a lullaby and a love song. He noted its “comforting, childlike quality.” The lyrics, written by Gus Kahn, describe two lovers saying goodbye. One lover asks the other to remember them through dreams while sleeping.

In 1930, a handwritten manuscript titled Dream a Little Dream of Me, dated January 6, 1930, and written by composer Milton Adolphus, shows the melody of the song before it was published for sale. Newspaper reports from that time say Adolphus sold the song for $12.50 and did not receive any future payments for its use.

The melody in the manuscript matches the version of the song later published. Adolphus was not given formal credit as a songwriter when the song was registered and published. He did not claim ownership or recognition later in life. The song was later credited to Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt as composers, with lyrics by Kahn. It became a popular song widely recorded by many artists.

Andre and Schwandt said the song entered the publishing process during their performances in the Midwest in 1930. Schwandt gave different answers over time about where the melody was finalized, naming both Paw Paw, Michigan, and Milwaukee. At that time, it was common for songs to be created and shared informally among performers and publishers before being officially registered. This reflects the unorganized and often unclear methods of early twentieth-century music production.

Early recordings

The song "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was first recorded by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra, with Nelson singing, in New York City on February 16, 1931, for Brunswick Records. Two days later, Wayne King and his Orchestra, with vocals by Ernie Birchill, recorded the song for Victor Records. The song became an early well-known song for Kate Smith.

In the summer of 1950, seven recordings of the song were released. Frankie Laine's version reached number 18, and Jack Owens' version reached number 14 on the US top 20 chart. Other recordings included versions by Cathy Mastice, Ella Fitzgerald with trumpet support from Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan, Vaughn Monroe, Dinah Shore, and a duet by Bob Crosby and Georgia Gibbs. Other popular artists who recorded the song include Louis Armstrong, Barbara Carroll, Nat King Cole, Doris Day, Joni James, Dean Martin, and the Mills Brothers.

The Mamas and the Papas version

The song "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was recorded in April 1968 for the Mamas & the Papas album called The Papas & the Mamas. Cass Elliot sang the lead vocals. The group had often performed the song for fun. Michelle Phillips, a member of the group, had learned about the song from her father, who was friends with the song’s co-writer, Fabian Andre, in Mexico City. Michelle’s family had lived there when she was a young girl. The group decided to record the song after hearing about Andre’s death. Michelle later said, "It was very shocking…we had never thought about [the song] again until we were all sitting around that day discussing his death, when we started to pick out the song…to see if we could remember the lyrics to it."

Cass Elliot suggested to John Phillips, the group leader, that they record "Dream a Little Dream of Me." John said she was unhappy during the recording, as she disliked the song’s "campiness." However, Cass later told Melody Maker: "I tried to sing it like it was 1943 and somebody had just come in and said, 'Here's a new song.' I tried to sing it as if it were the first time." On the recording, Cass can be heard speaking in the background behind the acoustic guitar, mentioning a drink. John Phillips then introduces the song, saying, "And now, to sing this lovely ballad, here is Mama Cass," as Cass clears her throat. Cass also performed the whistling heard before the song ends.

Musically, early versions of the song kept the same relationship between the main key and the bridge. The original sheet music by Milton Adolphus shows the song in C major, with the bridge changing to A flat major. A famous version by Louis Armstrong changes the song to G major, with the bridge moving to E flat major, keeping the same interval pattern. The Mamas & the Papas version returns the song to C major but changes the bridge to A major instead of A flat major. This shift requires a short chromatic progression near the end of the bridge to return to the main key for the final part of the song.

By the time the album was released, signs showed the Mamas & the Papas might soon break up. This idea was strengthened by the failure of their recent single, "Safe in My Garden." Dunhill Records, the group’s record label, released "Dream a Little Dream of Me" as a single in June 1968. The credit on the single read "Mama Cass with the Mamas & the Papas," which upset John Phillips. On the UK release, the artist credit simply said "Mama Cass." The song was promoted with a photograph of Cass Elliot, who was clearly but discreetly nude, lying in a bed of daisies. It became the group’s last major hit, reaching number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1968. It also peaked at number 10 on the Cash Box chart and number 8 on the Record World chart. On the Billboard Easy Listening chart, it reached number 2.

In the UK, the song reached number 11 in September 1968. It also became a hit in Ireland (number 13) and South Africa (number 8). In Australia, the song was number 1 on the Go-Set Top 40 chart for the weeks of September 4 and 11, 1968, and was the 16th-most popular song of 1968.

A slightly different version of the song, with a longer introduction and outro, was included on Cass Elliot’s debut solo album, Dream a Little Dream.

Smothers Brothers appearance

Cass Elliot performed on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on September 29, 1968. She sang "Dream a Little Dream of Me" while lying in a bed with Tom Smothers. During the performance, Tom acted playfully, pretending to fall asleep, suddenly waking up, and making faces for the camera.

After a television commercial by a clothing company, the song was released as a single in Europe in 1992. It was credited to the Mamas and the Papas and included their number-one hit "Monday, Monday" as the B-side. The single reached number five in Germany and number 22 in Switzerland.

Anita Harris version

Anita Harris recorded her version of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" at Olympic Studios. The session was produced by Mike Margolis, and Alan Tew was the musical director. Her version was released on July 26, 1968, a week before the US Top 40 debut of Cass Elliot's version. Anita Harris later said she did not intentionally cover Elliot's version: "I loved the song on the Mamas & Papas album… so I decided to record it… There were no plans to release the other version [in the UK]. It was rushed out [here] when it was known that my version was coming out." Cass Elliot denied knowing about the UK release of Harris's version.

Cass Elliot's version was released in the UK the week after Anita Harris's. Both versions appeared in the UK Top 50 on August 10, 1968, with Anita's version at #46 and Cass's at #49. However, Cass's version moved up to the Top 30 and then the Top 20 over the next two weeks. Anita's version never reached the Top 30, though it remained on the charts throughout the rise of Cass's version. Anita's single peaked at #33 the week after Cass's version reached #11.

Enzo Enzo version

In 1990, the song "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was covered in French with new lyrics by singer Enzo Enzo under the title "Les Yeux ouverts," which translates to "With Eyes Open." This version was adapted from the original lyrics by Brice Homs and Kurin Ternovtzeff. It was released in the first quarter of 1991 as the first single from Enzo Enzo’s debut album. On the album, "Les Yeux ouverts" is the third track and became the most well-known French adaptation of the original song.

A review in the Pan-European magazine Music & Media praised the song, writing: "Keep your eyes wide open, sings this French singer. Better keep your ears wide open, too, listening to cool jazz of this high calibre." In 2021, Nathalie Lacube of the French magazine La Croix noted that "the singer's caressing voice and intimate phrasing worked wonders" on this song.

In France, the single debuted at number 49 on the SNEP chart on March 23, 1991. It reached number 18 eleven weeks later and remained in the top 50 for a total of 15 weeks. The song also charted for five non-consecutive weeks on the pan-European Hot 100 Singles list compiled by Music & Media, peaking at number 87 on June 8, 1991. It was a moderate hit in Quebec, reaching number 44 with a three-week chart run.

Formats and Track Listings:
– 7-inch single / 12-inch maxi / cassette
1. "Les Yeux ouverts" – 3:23
2. "Chanson confidentielle" – 3:42

• CD maxi
• "Les Yeux ouverts" – 3:23
• "Chanson confidentielle" – 3:42
• "14e étage" – 3:16

Robbie Williams version

English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams recorded "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (renamed "Dream a Little Dream") for his tenth studio album and second swing album, Swings Both Ways (2013). The album version of the song is a duet with Lily Allen, but she was not included in the single version. This single version was released on December 13, 2013, as the album's second single.

The music video shows Williams singing the song while hosting a Christmas show inspired by The Dean Martin Show.

Irish digital download:
1. "Dream a Little Dream" – 3:10

German, Swiss, and Austrian digital download:
1. "Dream a Little Dream" (single version) – 3:11
2. "You Got Old" – 3:43
3. "Puttin' on the Ritz" (remix) – 2:18

Forestella version

In 2018, the South Korean group Forestella, a group that combines different music styles and includes four male singers, included a cover version on their album called "Evolution."