Theme for a Dream

1961 single by Cliff Richard and the Shadows From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Theme for a Dream

"Theme for a Dream" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in February 1961. It peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and also received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.[2][3]

Quick Facts B-side, Released ...
"Theme for a Dream"
Thumb
Single by Cliff Richard and the Shadows
B-side"Mumblin' Mosie"
Released24 February 1961 (1961-02-24)
Recorded28 January 1961[1]
StudioEMI Studios, London
GenrePop
Length2:06
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Norrie Paramor
Cliff Richard and the Shadows singles chronology
"Catch Me"
(1961)
"Theme for a Dream"
(1961)
"Gee Whizz It's You"
(1961)
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Release and reception

Summarize
Perspective

"Theme for a Dream" was the first song by Richard to feature a female chorus, sung by the Mike Sammes Singers. When Richard and the Shadows got the song they "liked it, but it wasn't really us … but we did it because we felt it was a change of direction as far as we were concerned".[1]

The single exceeded 200,000 advance sales in the UK. However, in Spain, it was banned because of its supposedly suggestive lyrics due to the Francoist censorship.[1]

The B-side, "Mumblin' Mosie", was written and originally recorded by American Johnny Otis in 1960 and had been a minor hit for him on the Billboard Hot 100.[4] Richard had previously recorded another of Otis' songs, "Willie and the Hand Jive", which he had released as the B-side to "Fall in Love with You".[5]

Richard also recorded a German-language version of "Theme for a Dream", titled "Schön wie ein Traum", in April 1961 with backing vocals by the Hansen Girls. It was released as a single in Germany in June 1961 with the B-side "Vreneli", which was an original German song.[6][7]

Reviewing for Disc, Don Nicholl described "Theme for a Dream" as an "attractive tune and lyric married very well indeed. Gets into your head right from the start".[8]

The melody of the track "Pal Pal.... Har Pal" from the 2006 Bollywood film Lage Raho Munna Bhai was lifted from "Theme for a Dream"[9]

Track listing

7": Columbia / DB 4593

  1. "Theme for a Dream" – 2:06
  2. "Mumblin' Mosie" – 2:17

7": Columbia / C 21 843 (Germany)

  1. "Schön wie ein Traum" – 2:05
  2. "Vreneli" – 2:39

Personnel

Charts

More information Chart (1961), Peak position ...
Chart (1961) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] 22
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11]16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[12]33
Denmark (Quans Musikbureau)[13] 6
India (The Voice, Calcutta) 7
Ireland (Evening Herald)[14] 4
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15]12
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[16] 3
UK Singles (OCC)[2]3
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German-language version

"Schön wie ein Traum"

More information Chart (1961), Peak position ...
Chart (1961) Peak
position
Germany (GfK)[17]33
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"Vreneli"

More information Chart (1961), Peak position ...
Chart (1961) Peak
position
Germany (GfK)[18]50
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References

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