If_You_Are_But_a_Dream
"If You Are But a Dream" is a popular song published in 1942 with words and music by Moe Jaffe, Jack Fulton and Nat Bonx. The melody is based on Anton Rubinstein's "Romance in E flat, Op. 44, No. 1," popularly known as "Rubinstein's Romance".
The song is most closely associated with Frank Sinatra, who recorded it first for Columbia Records on November 14, 1944,[1] with an arrangement by Axel Stordahl. This recording was on the reverse side of a 78 rpm record with "White Christmas",[2] and consequently did very well with "White Christmas" reaching the No. 7 spot in the Billboard charts. "If You Are But a Dream" itself briefly reached the Billboard charts in the No. 19 position.[3] A year later, in 1945, "If You Are But a Dream" was included in the Academy Award-winning short film, The House I Live In, in which Sinatra was featured.[4]
Sinatra recorded this song again for Capitol Records on December 11, 1957,[5] with an arrangement by Nelson Riddle. This recording was first released on the LP This Is Sinatra Volume 2 (Capitol 982). Both the Columbia and Capitol versions have subsequently been reissued on a number of CDs.
"If You Are But a Dream" was featured most prominently in Woody Allen's 1987 film, Radio Days, which features the 1944 recording on the soundtrack.[6]
There is also another song based on the same Rubenstein work. It was written by Al Kasha and Hank Hunter and was called "Forever and a Day". It was recorded by Jackie Wilson for his 1963 LP, Jackie Wilson – Sings The World's Greatest Melodies.
"If You Are But a Dream" was also recorded by a number of other artists.
These include (among others):
- Brook Benton - for his album Songs I Love to Sing (1960).[7]
- Vic Damone - Why Can't I Walk Away (1968).[8]
- Sammy Davis, Jr. - The Sammy Davis Jr. All-Star Spectacular (1962)
- The Delta Rhythm Boys - for the album Dry Bones (1952).[9]
- Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra (vocal by Bob Eberly) - this briefly reached the Billboard charts in 1942 in the No. 20 position.[10]
- Nelson Eddy - for his album A Starry Night (1960).[11]
- Duke Ellington
- Robert Goulet - Always You (1962).[12]
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins - At Home with Screamin' Jay Hawkins (1958).[13]
- Etta Jones - Lonely and Blue (1962)
- Carol Kidd - A Place in My Heart (1999).[14]
- Mario Lanza - If You Are But a Dream - Radio Performances Never Before Released (1965).[15]
- Elliot Lawrence Orchestra
- Liberace - Piano by Starlight (1958).[16]
- Gerry Mulligan
- Harve Presnell - The World's Greatest Love Songs (1964).[17]
- Ray Price
- Roy Hamilton - a single release in 1955.[18]
- Della Reese - The Classic Della (1962)
- Sonny Stitt
- Sarah Vaughan - Close to You (1960)
- Teddy Wilson - The Touch of Teddy Wilson (1957)