Please turn on your magic beam/
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream.
The Chordettes’ “Mr. Sandman” is from 1954 and has aged remarkably well. You can hear the rich harmonies and vocal variety that would become much more established in the 60s pop and rock. This song was 10 years ahead of its time. It is almost sung acapella for most of the song. There are only the bells and clapping?? accompanying the voices, but the song sounds as full as a symphony.
The women’s voices blend beautifully. I would love to hear more of this in today’s music. I think the closest thing we have gotten in the last 30 years is probably Boys II Men. The Beach Boys were the pinnacle.
The lyrics are typical of their time: upbeat and optimistic about finding love. We find this through 1962 in Rock and it would be the late 60s in pop before we began to explore other themes. One of the differences between this list and Rolling Stones top 500 songs list is that I felt that there are too many 50s songs on that list; many have not aged well. This is one song that deserves to stay.
Mr. Sandman Lyrics
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Make him the cutest that I’ve ever seen (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Give him two lips like roses and clover (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Sandman, I’m so alone (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Don’t have nobody to call my own (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
Mr. 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
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
Mr. Sandman (yes) 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
Mr Sandman, someone to hold (someone to hold)
Would be so peachy before we’re too old
So please turn on your magic beam
Mr Sandman, bring us, please, please, please
Mr Sandman, bring us a dream
Songwriters: Pat Ballard