Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland
Encyclopedia
Meet Me To-night in Dreamland was one of the most famous and beloved popular songs of the twentieth century. This gentle waltz
, with poignant lyrics
, was written by Beth Slater Whitson
and Leo Friedman
. It was published in Chicago
in 1909
. Friedman and Whitson sold it to the largest publisher in Chicago, Will Rossiter. Unfortunately, Rossiter never paid one cent to the authors in royalties
. It was first introduced to the American public by Reine Davies (1883–1938), who was known as "The New American Beauty," and by her friends as, "The True Blue" girl. Reine Davies first introduced the song in New York at the leading vaudeville house, and received countless encores for her artistic work. Vera Berliner, "The Violinist With a Soul," played the chorus of this song, walking down the centre aisle, which made it an instantaneous success.
Originally, on the sheet music
cover was an artist who was unknown. Rossiter then took a 1903 photo of popular vaudevillian and singer, Reine Davies
, and used her on his sheet music cover. After he did that, sales of the sheet music went to over two million in that first year.Some people mistakenly connect the song with the opening of Coney Island's Dreamland; however, Dreamland at Coney Island opened in 1904; the song was written in 1909.
The chorus is:
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
, with poignant lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
, was written by Beth Slater Whitson
Beth Slater Whitson
Beth Slater Whitson was an American lyricist. Whitson was born in Goodrich, Tennessee and died in Nashville, Tennessee...
and Leo Friedman
Leo Friedman
Leo Friedman was an American composer of popular music. Friedman was born in Elgin, Illinois and died in Chicago, Illinois. He is best remembered for composing the sentimental waltz "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" with lyrics by Beth Slater Whitson in 1910...
. It was published in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1909
1909 in music
-Events:*November 28 - Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 is premièred in New York City-Albums Released:*Tchailkovsky's Nutcracker Suite - Mark Hamburg And The Royal Albert Hall Orchestra-Published popular music:...
. Friedman and Whitson sold it to the largest publisher in Chicago, Will Rossiter. Unfortunately, Rossiter never paid one cent to the authors in royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
. It was first introduced to the American public by Reine Davies (1883–1938), who was known as "The New American Beauty," and by her friends as, "The True Blue" girl. Reine Davies first introduced the song in New York at the leading vaudeville house, and received countless encores for her artistic work. Vera Berliner, "The Violinist With a Soul," played the chorus of this song, walking down the centre aisle, which made it an instantaneous success.
Originally, on the sheet music
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
cover was an artist who was unknown. Rossiter then took a 1903 photo of popular vaudevillian and singer, Reine Davies
Reine Davies
Reine Davies was an American singer and actress.-Biography:Davies was born Irene Douras in Brooklyn, New York. She was the eldest sister of the actress Marion Davies. Reine was the first of the Douras daughters to start using the name, 'Davies.' One day she was driving through the Brooklyn...
, and used her on his sheet music cover. After he did that, sales of the sheet music went to over two million in that first year.Some people mistakenly connect the song with the opening of Coney Island's Dreamland; however, Dreamland at Coney Island opened in 1904; the song was written in 1909.
The chorus is:
- Meet me tonight in dreamland,
- under the silvery moon;
- Meet me tonight in dreamland,
- where love's sweet roses bloom.
- Come with the love-light gleaming
- in your dear eyes so true;
- Meet me in dreamland,
- sweet dreamy dreamland;
- There let my dreams come true.