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 "Rubenstein's Romance.

The song is most closely associated with Frank Sinatra, who recorded it first for Columbia in 1944, with an arrangement by Alex Stordahl. Fortunately for all concerned, this original 78rpm recording was on the reverse side of "White Christmas", so consequently did very well. 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.

Sinatra recorded this song again for Capitol Records with an arrangement by Nelson Riddle. It was first released on the LP, "This Is Sinatra, Vol.2" (Capitol 982). Both the Columbia and Capitol versions have subsequently been reissued on a number of CDs.

Perhaps "If You Are But a Dream" was featured most prominently in Woody Allen's 1987 film, "Radio Days". The Nelson Riddle version was used, which, in terms of the film's chronology, was an anachronism, since it hadn't been recorded at the time the events in the film were supposedly taking place.

"If You Are But a Dream" was also recorded by a number of other artists. These include (among others):

*Brook Benton
*Sammy Davis, Jr.
*The Delta Rhythm Boys
*Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra
*Nelson Eddy
*Duke Ellington
*Robert Goulet
*Screamin' Jay Hawkins
*Etta Jones
*Mario Lanza
*Elliot Lawrence Orchestra
*Liberace
*Gerry Mulligan
*Harve Presnell
*Raymond Price
*Della Reese
*Sonny Stitt
*Sarah Vaughn
*Teddy Wilson

References