Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong Dream a Little Dream of Me

In this song from the album ‘Cheek To Cheek’ Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong playfully duet. The album is full of jazz standards ranging from the famous ones by George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin to lesser-known songs by the likes of Hoagy Carmichael, Kay Swift and Harold Arlen. According to the liner notes, all of the recordings were made in one day and single takes and that’s probably why the sound quality is so good.

The song is most famous for being covered in 1968 by Cass Elliot with the Mamas & the Papas and then again in that same year by Anita Harris. Since then the song has been recorded by more than 40 other artists including the Mills Brothers, Sylvie Vartan, Henry Mancini, The Beautiful South, Anne Murray, Michael Buble and Italian vocal group Blue Penguin.

Elliot’s version is perhaps the best-known of all, and is still a favourite of many. She sings with great sensitivity and elegance, her voice is light and pure and she conveys the message of the lyrics perfectly. Her interpretation is also backed by the wonderful arrangements of the other musicians in the band.

The tempo is slow, almost lullaby-like and the whole effect is of a song that was written in a more innocent time, when the world was a simpler place. This is one of those classic songs that are just a pleasure to listen to, whether you are alone or with company. ella fitzgerald dream a little dream of me