Sweet Dreams (Patsy Cline song)
Encyclopedia
"Sweet Dreams" or "Sweet Dreams (of You)" is a country
ballad
, which was written by Don Gibson
. Gibson originally recorded the song in 1956; his version hit the top ten of Billboard
's country chart
, but was eclipsed by the success of a competing version by Faron Young
. In 1960
, after Gibson had established himself as a country music
superstar, he released a new version as a single. This version also charted in the top ten on the country chart and also crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100
, where it peaked at number ninety-three. The song has become a country standard, with other notable versions by Patsy Cline
and Emmylou Harris
.
recorded "Sweet Dreams" and took it all the way to #2 on the country charts. It was this version that garnered Gibson his first recognition as a talented songwriter.
recorded her version on her second album, Out of a Dream
, in 1979. "Sweet Dreams" gave her first solo top twenty hit, peaking at #19 on the Hot Country Songs
chart. For many years until March 15, 1991, McEntire closed her concerts with a cappella version of the song.
. This version, released as a single in 1966
, is the only one to have entered the top forty. It peaked at number fifteen. Another notable version, by Emmylou Harris
, is the most successful version on Billboard's country charts to date. It peaked at number one in 1976. The song was also featured on the Tammy Wynette
record D-I-V-O-R-C-E.
Three instrumental versions have also been recorded of this song. One by Roy Buchanan
in 1972 on his album Roy Buchanan
, and which also plays during the closing of the Martin Scorsese
film The Departed
.
Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler recorded one in 1990 on their album Neck and Neck on Columbia Records.
And in 1997 the band Hellecasters
also cover it on their "Return Of The Hellecasters" album, featuring Jerry Donahue
, John Jorgenson
, and Will Ray
.
In 1980 "Sweet Dreams" was part of the soundtrack for the Loretta Lynn
biography Coal Miner's Daughter
and was sung by Beverly D'Angelo
who was portraying Patsy Cline.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
, which was written by Don Gibson
Don Gibson
Donald Eugene "Don" Gibson was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.-Biography:Don Gibson was...
. Gibson originally recorded the song in 1956; his version hit the top ten of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's country chart
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
, but was eclipsed by the success of a competing version by Faron Young
Faron Young
Faron Young was an American country music singer and songwriter from the early 1950s into the mid-1980s and one of its most successful and colorful stars...
. In 1960
1960 in music
-Events:*January 14 – Elvis Presley is promoted to Sergeant in the U.S. Army*February 6 – Songwriter Jesse Belvin dies in an automobile accident in Los Angeles...
, after Gibson had established himself as a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
superstar, he released a new version as a single. This version also charted in the top ten on the country chart and also crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, where it peaked at number ninety-three. The song has become a country standard, with other notable versions by Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
and Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
.
Chart performance
| Chart (1956) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 9 |
| Chart (1960) | Peak position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 93 |
Faron Young version
In the summer of 1956 Faron YoungFaron Young
Faron Young was an American country music singer and songwriter from the early 1950s into the mid-1980s and one of its most successful and colorful stars...
recorded "Sweet Dreams" and took it all the way to #2 on the country charts. It was this version that garnered Gibson his first recognition as a talented songwriter.
Chart performance
| Chart (1956) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 2 |
Patsy Cline version
Country singer Reba McEntireReba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
recorded her version on her second album, Out of a Dream
Out of a Dream (Reba McEntire album)
Out of a Dream is Reba McEntire's second studio album, released in September 1979. The first single off of the album, Last Night, Ev'ry Night, was her first top 30 hit....
, in 1979. "Sweet Dreams" gave her first solo top twenty hit, peaking at #19 on the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart. For many years until March 15, 1991, McEntire closed her concerts with a cappella version of the song.
Chart performance
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
19 |
| Canada RPM Country Singles | 46 |
Other versions
The version to experience the most success on Billboard's pop charts is the one recorded by Tommy McLainTommy McLain
Tommy McLain is an American swamp pop musician, best known as a singer but who also plays keyboards, drums, bass guitar, and fiddle.-Career:...
. This version, released as a single in 1966
1966 in music
-Events:*January 3 – Hullabaloo shows promotional videos of The Beatles songs "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work it Out".*January 8 – Shindig! airs for the last time on ABC, with musical guests the Kinks and the Who...
, is the only one to have entered the top forty. It peaked at number fifteen. Another notable version, by Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
, is the most successful version on Billboard's country charts to date. It peaked at number one in 1976. The song was also featured on the Tammy Wynette
Tammy Wynette
Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
record D-I-V-O-R-C-E.
Three instrumental versions have also been recorded of this song. One by Roy Buchanan
Roy Buchanan
Roy Buchanan was an American guitarist and blues musician. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound, Buchanan was a sideman and solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career, and two later solo albums that made it on to the Billboard chart. Despite never having achieved stardom, he is still...
in 1972 on his album Roy Buchanan
Roy Buchanan
Roy Buchanan was an American guitarist and blues musician. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound, Buchanan was a sideman and solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career, and two later solo albums that made it on to the Billboard chart. Despite never having achieved stardom, he is still...
, and which also plays during the closing of the Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
film The Departed
The Departed
The Departed is a 2006 American crime thriller film, fashioned as a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan...
.
Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler recorded one in 1990 on their album Neck and Neck on Columbia Records.
And in 1997 the band Hellecasters
Hellecasters
The Hellecasters are an American guitar group. Composed of Nashville session players Will Ray, John Jorgenson , and Jerry Donahue , they all play modified versions of the Fender Telecaster as their main instruments...
also cover it on their "Return Of The Hellecasters" album, featuring Jerry Donahue
Jerry Donahue
Jerry Donahue is an American guitarist and producer primarily known for his work in the British folk rock scene as a member of Fotheringay and Fairport Convention as well as being a member of the rock guitar trio The Hellecasters.-Biography:Donahue was born in New York, the son of big band...
, John Jorgenson
John Jorgenson
John Jorgenson is a US musician. Although best known for his guitar work with bands such as the Desert Rose Band and The Hellecasters, Jorgenson is also proficient in the mandolin, mandocello, Dobro, pedal steel, piano, upright bass, clarinet, bassoon and saxophone...
, and Will Ray
Will Ray
CRAIG is a long-time American session guitarist and current member of the Hellecasters. CRAIG has also released a number of solo albums. He is considered an influential player of the Fender Telecaster line of guitars. Fender made two CRAIG signature models in the late 1990s: the Jazz-a-Caster...
.
In 1980 "Sweet Dreams" was part of the soundtrack for the Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter, author and philanthropist. Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Lynn. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he...
biography Coal Miner's Daughter
Coal Miner's Daughter
Coal Miner's Daughter is a 1980 American biographical film which tells the story of country music icon Loretta Lynn. It stars Sissy Spacek in her Academy Award for Best Actress winning role, Tommy Lee Jones, Beverly D'Angelo and Levon Helm, and was directed by Michael Apted.-Background:The film was...
and was sung by Beverly D'Angelo
Beverly D'Angelo
Beverly Heather D'Angelo is an American actress and singer.-Early life:D'Angelo was born in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of Priscilla , a violinist, and Gene D'Angelo, a bass player and television station manager. She is of part Italian ancestry...
who was portraying Patsy Cline.