Mr. Sandman
Encyclopedia
"Mr. Sandman" is a popular
song written by Pat Ballard
which was published in 1954
and first recorded in that year by The Chordettes
. The song's lyrics convey a request to "Mr. Sandman" to "bring me a dream," the word "dream" ambiguously referring to a real significant other
as well as to a sleeping dream - the traditional association with the folkloric
figure, the sandman
. The pronoun
used to refer to the desired dream is often changed depending on the sex of the singer or group performing the song. Some time later, Ballard also rewrote the lyrics for Christmas
use as "Mr. Santa."
The chord progression in the chorus follows the circle of fifths
for six chords in a row.
label
whose founder, Archie Bleyer
, is credited on the disc's label as "knees played by" and orchestra conductor. Bleyer's voice is heard in the third verse, when he says the word "YES?" The piano is played by Moe Wechsler. The single
reached #1 on the Billboard United States
charts and #11 on the United Kingdom
charts in 1954. In November 1954, The Four Aces
released a version that charted even higher in the UK, reaching #9 and in the same year a version by Max Bygraves
reached #16 on the UK charts. On the Cash Box magazine charts in the US, where all versions were combined, the song also reached #1.
There are numerous recorded versions of the song including versions by Chet Atkins
, Mocedades
, Blue Diamonds
, Marvin Gaye
, Gob
, Jose Melis
, The Chipmunks
, The Supremes
, The Andrews Sisters
, The Puppini Sisters
, Linda McCartney
, and The Fleetwoods
.
Joe Loss and his Orchestra
recorded it in London on November 1, 1954. The tune was released by EMI
on the His Master's Voice label as catalog number BD 6184.
It has featured in a number of TV and film
soundtrack
s including The Simpsons
, Back to the Future, Mr. Nobody
, Nip/Tuck
, Philadelphia
, Planet 51
, Uncle Buck
, I Saw what You Did
, and several of the Halloween
films. A version by the band Oranger
also featured as an intro song and later on a cutscene in the video game Stubbs the Zombie - Rebel without a Pulse and can also be heard in the 2010 video game Mafia II
.
The "Mr. Santa" version has been recorded by Lenny Dee
, Amy Grant
, and Suzy Bogguss
, among others.
Mr. Sandman was also famously sung on The Golden Girls
in the season five episode "Not Another Monday" when Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche are trying to cheer up a child.
, Dolly Parton
, and Linda Ronstadt
recorded a version of the song. The song was released by Harris as a single in 1981
for which she re-recorded all three vocal parts herself as neither Parton's nor Ronstadt's record companies would allow their artists' vocals on the single. Harris also included her version on her album
.
band Blind Guardian
released a single with a cover version of "Mr. Sandman." While the song starts in a similar mood to the original, it becomes increasingly aggressive, introducing heavy metal guitars in the second verse and a double bass drum in the third.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
song written by Pat Ballard
Pat Ballard
Pat Ballard born Francis Drake Ballard was an American songwriter.He composed "Mr. Sandman" and " I Get So Lonely".-References:...
which was published in 1954
1954 in music
-Events:*January 14 - First documented use of the abbreviated term "Rock 'n' Roll" to promote Alan Freed's Rock 'n' Roll Jubillee, held at St. Nicholas Arena in New York, New York...
and first recorded in that year by The Chordettes
The Chordettes
The Chordettes were a female popular singing quartet, usually singing a cappella, and specializing in traditional popular music. The Chordettes were one of the longest lived vocal groups with beginnings in the mainstream pop and vocal harmonies of the 1940s and early 1950s...
. The song's lyrics convey a request to "Mr. Sandman" to "bring me a dream," the word "dream" ambiguously referring to a real significant other
Significant other
Significant other is colloquially used as a gender-blind term for a person's partner in an intimate relationship without disclosing or presuming anything about marital status, relationship status, or sexual orientation, as it is vague enough to avoid offense by using a term that an individual...
as well as to a sleeping dream - the traditional association with the folkloric
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
figure, the sandman
Sandman
The Sandman is a figure in folklore who brings good sleep and dreams.Sandman may also refer to:-People:*Mark Sandman, singer and co-founder of the band Morphine*Charles W...
. The pronoun
Pronoun
In linguistics and grammar, a pronoun is a pro-form that substitutes for a noun , such as, in English, the words it and he...
used to refer to the desired dream is often changed depending on the sex of the singer or group performing the song. Some time later, Ballard also rewrote the lyrics for Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
use as "Mr. Santa."
The chord progression in the chorus follows the circle of fifths
Circle of fifths
In music theory, the circle of fifths shows the relationships among the 12 tones of the chromatic scale, their corresponding key signatures, and the associated major and minor keys...
for six chords in a row.
Recorded versions
The Chordettes recording of the song was released on the Cadence RecordsCadence Records
Cadence Records was an American record company based in New York City. It was founded by Archie Bleyer, who had been the musical director and orchestra leader for Arthur Godfrey in 1952...
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
whose founder, Archie Bleyer
Archie Bleyer
Archie Bleyer was an American song arranger, bandleader, and record company executive.-Early life:He was born in the Corona section of the New York City borough of Queens. He began playing the piano when he was only seven years old...
, is credited on the disc's label as "knees played by" and orchestra conductor. Bleyer's voice is heard in the third verse, when he says the word "YES?" The piano is played by Moe Wechsler. The single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
reached #1 on the Billboard United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
charts and #11 on the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
charts in 1954. In November 1954, The Four Aces
The Four Aces
The Four Aces is an American male traditional pop music quartet, popular since the 1950s. Over the last half-century, the group amassed many gold records. Its million-selling signature tunes include "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing", "Three Coins in the Fountain", "Stranger in Paradise", "Tell Me...
released a version that charted even higher in the UK, reaching #9 and in the same year a version by Max Bygraves
Max Bygraves
Max Bygraves OBE is an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs...
reached #16 on the UK charts. On the Cash Box magazine charts in the US, where all versions were combined, the song also reached #1.
There are numerous recorded versions of the song including versions by Chet Atkins
Chet Atkins
Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
, Mocedades
Mocedades
Mocedades is a Spanish singing group from the Basque Country, probably best known for representing Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1973 with the song "Eres Tú"...
, Blue Diamonds
Blue Diamonds
The Blue Diamonds were a Dutch 1960s doo-wop duo, best known for their million-selling chart-topping single, "Ramona". Indo brothers Ruud de Wolff and Riem de Wolff founded the group shortly after immigrating to the Netherlands in 1949...
, Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, Gob
Gob (band)
Gob is a Canadian punk band from Langley, British Columbia formed in 1993, The Band consists of Tom Thacker, Theo Goutzinakis, Gabe Mantle and Steven Fairweather. Gob's most successful album is World According to Gob and their most successful song to date is I Hear You Calling...
, Jose Melis
Jose Melis
José Melis was born José Melis Guiu.Melis studied at the Havana Conservatory of Music and a Cuban government scholarship enabled him to continue his education in Paris. When he was 16, he arrived in the United States, graduated from the Juilliard School of Music and worked as a lounge pianist...
, The Chipmunks
The Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
, The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
, The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews , soprano Maxene Angelyn Andrews , and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews...
, The Puppini Sisters
The Puppini Sisters
The Puppini Sisters are a vocal trio. Arion Berger described them as part of "Retro's futuristic vanguard" and described their sound as "swing-punk". The group has sought to be associated with a burlesque revival....
, Linda McCartney
Linda McCartney
Linda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
, and The Fleetwoods
The Fleetwoods
The Fleetwoods were a singing trio from Olympia, Washington, United States; formed in the late 1950s. They were responsible for eleven hit songs, beginning with "Come Softly to Me"...
.
Joe Loss and his Orchestra
Joe Loss
Joshua Alexander "Joe" Loss LVO OBE was a British musician and founder of the Joe Loss Orchestra.-Life:Loss was born in Spitalfields, London, the youngest of four children. His parents, Israel and Ada Loss, were Russian Jews and first cousins. His father was a cabinet-maker who had an office...
recorded it in London on November 1, 1954. The tune was released by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
on the His Master's Voice label as catalog number BD 6184.
It has featured in a number of TV and film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s including The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, Back to the Future, Mr. Nobody
Mr. Nobody (film)
Mr. Nobody is a 2009 Belgian science fiction drama film directed by Jaco Van Dormael, starring Jared Leto, Diane Kruger, Linh Dan Pham, Sarah Polley, Natasha Little, Rhys Ifans and Daniel Mays. This movie tells the life story of Nemo Nobody, the last mortal on Earth. Nemo is 118 years old and lives...
, Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
, Philadelphia
Philadelphia (film)
Philadelphia is a 1993 American drama film that was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to acknowledge HIV/AIDS, homosexuality and homophobia. It was written by Ron Nyswaner and directed by Jonathan Demme. The film stars Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington...
, Planet 51
Planet 51
Planet 51 is a 2009 Spanish/British/American animated science fiction/family film directed by Jorge Blanco, written by Joe Stillman, and starring Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Justin Long, Gary Oldman, Seann William Scott, and John Cleese. Produced by Madrid-based Ilion Animation Studios and...
, Uncle Buck
Uncle Buck
Uncle Buck is a 1989 John Hughes comedy film starring John Candy, Amy Madigan, Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby Hoffman, and Macaulay Culkin, and co-stars Jay Underwood and Laurie Metcalf.-Plot:Bob Russell Uncle Buck is a 1989 John Hughes comedy film starring John Candy, Amy Madigan, Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby...
, I Saw what You Did
I Saw What You Did (1988 film)
I Saw What You Did is a 1988 television film directed by Fred Walton. The film is a remake of the 1965 movie of the same name, starring Joan Crawford. It received generally negative reviews, with only a few exceptions...
, and several of the Halloween
Halloween (franchise)
Halloween is an American horror franchise that consists of ten slasher films, novels, and comic books. The franchise focuses on the fictional character of Michael Myers who was committed to a sanitarium as a child for the murder of his older sister, Judith Myers...
films. A version by the band Oranger
Oranger
-Band history:Mike Drake, Matt Harris and Jim Lindsay knew each other from playing together in previous bands Overwhelming Colorfast and Stick Figures. They formed Oranger in 1997 with Chad Dyer of American Sensei on bass, Mike Drake providing vocals and guitar, Jim Lindsay on drums and Matt Harris...
also featured as an intro song and later on a cutscene in the video game Stubbs the Zombie - Rebel without a Pulse and can also be heard in the 2010 video game Mafia II
Mafia II
Mafia II is a third-person action-adventure video game, the sequel to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. It is developed by 2K Czech, previously known as Illusion Softworks, and is published by 2K Games...
.
The "Mr. Santa" version has been recorded by Lenny Dee
Lenny Dee
Leonard George DeStoppelaire , better known as Lenny Dee, was a virtuoso organist who played many styles of music. His record albums were among the most popular of easy listening and space age pop organists of the 1950s through the early 1970s. His signature hit, Plantation Boogie, charted as a...
, Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
, and Suzy Bogguss
Suzy Bogguss
Susan Kay "Suzy" Bogguss is an American country music singer. In the 1980s and 90s she released one platinum and three gold albums and charted six top ten singles, winning the Academy of Country Music's award for Top New Female Vocalist and the Country Music Association's Horizon Award.After...
, among others.
Mr. Sandman was also famously sung on The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
in the season five episode "Not Another Monday" when Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche are trying to cheer up a child.
Emmylou Harris version
In 1978, Emmylou HarrisEmmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, and Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
recorded a version of the song. The song was released by Harris as a single in 1981
1981 in music
See also:* Timeline of musical eventsThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981.-January–April:*January 10 – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith.*January 24 –...
for which she re-recorded all three vocal parts herself as neither Parton's nor Ronstadt's record companies would allow their artists' vocals on the single. Harris also included her version on her album
Music Album
Music album is the name of:* Music Album , a 1970s Canadian television series* Album, a collection of music tracks...
.
Chart performance
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 37 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 10 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 42 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 9 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 16 |
Blind Guardian version
In 1996, German power metalPower metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
released a single with a cover version of "Mr. Sandman." While the song starts in a similar mood to the original, it becomes increasingly aggressive, introducing heavy metal guitars in the second verse and a double bass drum in the third.
Track listing
- "Mr. Sandman" – 2:12
- "Bright EyesBright Eyes (Blind Guardian song)"Bright Eyes" is a single by German metal band Blind Guardian released in 1995. It was only released in Japan through the Japanese recording label Victor Entertainment and has the same cover art as the forthcoming "Mr. Sandman" single . It has a slightly different track listing than "Mr. Sandman"...
" (Edited Version) – 4:04 - "Hallelujah" – 3:18
- "Imaginations from the Other Side" (Demo Version) – 7:14
- "The Script for My Requiem" (Demo Version) – 7:01
Lineup
- Hansi KürschHansi KürschHans Jürgen Kürsch, better known as Hansi Kürsch is a German musician, the lead vocalist and lyricist of power metal band Blind Guardian. Together with André Olbrich, he is also the principal songwriter for the band. He was also the bassist in Blind Guardian until the 1998 album Nightfall in...
– vocals and bass - André OlbrichAndré OlbrichAndré Olbrich is the lead guitarist of the German power metal band Blind Guardian. He is one of the band's founders together with vocalist Hansi Kürsch, and serves as one of its main songwriters....
– lead guitar - Marcus SiepenMarcus SiepenMarcus Siepen is one of two guitarists in the power metal band Blind Guardian. For the biggest percentage of Blind Guardian's songs, particularly in more recent years, he has almost strictly played rhythm guitar, with most lead and solo work being performed by André Olbrich.-Personal:Siepen is...
– rhythm guitar - Thomen Stauch – drums
External links
- discogs.com The Chordettes on discogs.com, a community-built database of music information.