Beautiful Dreamer

‘Beautiful Dreamer’ was recorded by The Beatles for a January 1963 edition of the BBC radio show Saturday Club.

It was taped at the Playhouse Theatre in London on 22 January 1963. The show was produced by Terry Henebery, and hosted by Brian Matthew.

The Beatles recorded five songs for that edition of Saturday Club: ‘Some Other Guy’, ‘Love Me Do’, ‘Please Please Me’, ‘Keep Your Hands Off My Baby’, and Beautiful Dreamer. The two-hour programme was broadcast on 26 January at 10am on the BBC Light Programme.

‘Beautiful Dreamer’ was written by Stephen Foster (1826–1864), and was published posthumously in March 1864. The lyrics tell of a person singing to a lover who is oblivious to worldly cares and might actually be dead.

The Beatles’ version was based on a doo-wop version arranged by Gerry Goffin and Jack Keller in 1962 for the singer Tony Orlando. It became part of the band’s live set from 1962 and through to early 1963.

When released on the 2013 collection On Air – Live At The BBC Volume 2, ‘Beautiful Dreamer’ was one of three songs not officially available elsewhere. The others were ‘I’m Talking About You’ and ‘Happy Birthday Dear Saturday Club’.

Lyrics

Beautiful dreamer, come on baby, wake up to me
Can’t you see me baby, I’m down on bended knee
Beautiful dreamer, come on baby, give me one time
I’ll give you the world baby if you just say you’ll be mine

I use to dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair
Since I met you baby, that girl ain’t anywhere

Beautiful dreamer, come on and end my misery
Beautiful dreamer, won’t you wake up to me?

I use to dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair
Since I met you baby, that girl ain’t anywhere

Beautiful dreamer, come on and end my misery
Beautiful dreamer, won’t you wake up to me?

Yeah, beautiful dreamer, wake up to me
Beautiful dreamer, I’m down on bended knee

Beautiful dreamer, come on and wake up to me, yeah baby!
Beautiful dreamer, I’m alone in misery, oh yeah