LaVern Baker Jim Dandy
LaVern Baker Jim Dandy
April 23, 2018
"Why Don't You Believe Me"" by The Duprees
Why Don’t You Believe Me by The Duprees
April 23, 2018
The Chordettes Mr Sandman

Traditional Pop Music

In the treasure trove of golden oldies, there’s the song “Mr. Sandman,” which features some beautiful singing from the famous girl group The Chordettes — and some funny lyrics as well.

The Chordettes were a female vocal group originally organized in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. They were known for their barbershop-type close harmony. Well, it’s barbershop with a doo wop and pop twist. Archie Bleyer, who was the founder of Cadence Records, actively participated in the record. He conducted the orchestra, played his own knees as percussion, and was the voice in the third verse who said “Yes?” (This was referred to many years later by Michael J. Fox on the TV show Family Ties).

Sheet Music for "Mr. Sandman" by The Chordettes from 1954

“Mr. Sandman” was The Chordettes’ first hit. In 1954, it stayed at #1 on the Billboard U.S. Pop Chart for seven weeks. It went to #11 on the U.K. Chart. The song, by Pat Ballard, has some great rhymes, including rhyming the popular Liberace with Pagliacci, opera’s sad clown. The first recording of the song, before The Chordettes, as by Vaughn Monroe & His Orchestra. There have been many covers since, including versions by Chet Atkins, Blue Diamonds, Marvin Gaye, The chipmunks, The Supremes, The Andrews Sisters, Linda McCartney, Al Hirt, The Puppini Sisters, The Osmond Brothers, and The Fleetwoods — just to name a few.

Here are the lyrics to “Mr. Sandman” by The Chordettes:

“Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung
Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung
Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung
Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung

Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
(Bung, bung, bung, bung)
Make him the cutest that I’ve ever seen
(Bung, bung, bung, bung)
Give him two lips like roses and clover
(Bung, bung, bung, bung)
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over

Sandman, I’m so alone
Don’t have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream

Bung, bung, bung, bung…

Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
Make him the cutest that I’ve ever seen
Give him the word that I’m not a rover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over

Sandman, I’m so alone
Don’t have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream

Bung, bung, bung, bung..

Mr. Sandman (Yes) bring us a dream
Give him a pair of eyes with a come-hither gleam
Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace

Mr. Sandman, someone to hold
(Someone to hold)
Would be so peachy before we’re too old
So please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring us, please, please, please
Mr. Sandman, bring us a dream

Bung, bung, bung, bung…”

If you are interested in reading about  “Lollipop,” another song by The Chordettes, please click here.

If you would like to purchase and listen to more golden oldies music by The Chordettes, please consider this: The Chordettes: 25 All-Time Greatest Recordings

For More Golden Oldies Music

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop music, rock and roll hits, R&B, or rockabilly songs that were hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Golden Oldies Juke Box Saturday Night, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

Please click here for the Daily Doo Wop YouTube channel, to which you can subscribe. Thank you for stopping by The Daily Doo Wop. Hope you enjoyed “Mr. Sandman” by The Chordettes.

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