About The Song
“All I Have to Do Is Dream” is a renowned song, made famous by the Everly Brothers and written by Boudleaux Bryant from the husband-and-wife songwriting team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. Published in 1958, the song holds the impressive rank of No. 141 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and follows an AABA form.
The Everly Brothers’ original version, recorded at RCA Studios Nashville, was released as a single in April 1958. Notably, the song was captured in just two live takes on March 6, 1958, with Chet Atkins on guitar. It stands out as the only single to concurrently top all of the Billboard singles charts. Achieving No. 1 on the “Best Sellers in Stores” chart on May 12, 1958, it continued its dominance by reaching No. 1 on the “Most played by Jockeys” and “Top 100” charts on May 19, 1958. Maintaining its supremacy, the song held the No. 1 position on each chart for four, five, and three weeks, respectively. With the introduction of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in August 1958, the song concluded the year at No. 2. “All I Have to Do Is Dream” also claimed the top spot on the R&B chart and became the Everly Brothers’ third chart-topping country hit. The song made a brief return to the Hot 100 in 1961.
Internationally, the song enjoyed widespread success, especially in the United Kingdom, where it topped the UK’s New Musical Express chart in June 1958, reigning for seven weeks. It spent a total of 21 weeks on the British chart. Notably, the song has been featured on various lists of the best songs or singles, including British music magazine Q’s 1001 best songs ever in 2003.
Recognized as one of the “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll” by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, “All I Have to Do Is Dream” received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2004.
The B-side, “Claudette,” marked Roy Orbison’s first major success as a songwriter, named after his first wife. Following this success, Orbison terminated his contract with Sun Records and aligned himself with the Everly Brothers’ publisher, Acuff-Rose Music.
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Lyrics
Dream, dream, dream, dream
Dream, dream, dream, dreamWhen I want you in my arms
When I want you and all your charms
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dream
Dream, dream, dreamWhen I feel blue in the night
And I need you to hold me tight
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dreamI can make you mine
Taste your lips of wine
Anytime night or day
Only trouble is
Gee whiz
I’m dreamin’ my life awayI need you so, that I could die
I love you so and that is why
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dream
Dream, dream, dream, dreamI can make you mine
Taste your lips of wine
Anytime night or day
Only trouble is
Gee whiz
I’m dreamin’ my life awayI need you so, that I could die
I love you so and that is why
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dreamDream, dream, dream
Dream, dream, dream, dream
Dream, dream, dream, dream
Dream
