Dream A Little Dream Of Me is an elegant song which works wonderfully on the ukulele. This video begins with a demonstration before moving into an explanation of chord shapes used and various strumming techniques; no bar chords are used so should be suitable for beginners.
The Mamas & The Papas
In the mid and late ’60s, The Mamas and Papas stood out amongst Laurel Canyon’s sun-kissed grooves as a premier folk-pop act. Their memorable harmonies and arrangements helped secure them a long run on folk-pop charts despite sometimes turbulent personal lives. But how exactly did the group come together, and what was behind their name?
John Phillips, Michelle Gilliam Phillips, Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty formed this American singing quartet in 1965. Their distinctive sound featured tight vocal harmonies arranged by Phillips himself who also served as composer, musician and leader for the group. At its peak it became one of the major forces on popular music’s scene at that time; becoming particularly well known as an influence on Flower Power movements of its day.
While still part of California counterculture movement, the band experienced internal strife due to a marriage conflict between Cass and Michelle who were married at that time. Ultimately this led to its dissolution in 1968 although briefly reunited for contractual obligations to record People Like Us album in 1971.
After disbanding, both Michelle Phillips and John Phillips pursued successful solo careers. Michelle became a famous actress while John’s drug use caused a dramatic and public fall from grace that was documented in his autobiography called Papa John. Cass Elliot passed away in 1974 while Cass and the Phillipsses divorced later that same year.
The Mamas and Papas, one of the most acclaimed bands of their era, is widely considered to be the pioneer of true flower power music. Their songs have had an enormous influence over generations of listeners while becoming synonymous with psychedelic culture in general. Furthermore, their timeless appeal continues to draw fans today.
Dream a Little Dream of Me is an easy ukulele song to learn, provided that you use appropriate strumming patterns. Starting off with only dadds (down, down, up) on the bottom three strings and progressing onto more complex techniques later if needed – or keep with just simple dadds until ready!
The Beatles
The Beatles are one of the world’s best-known groups and have inspired generations of musicians through their iconic music. One of their best-known songs, “Across the Universe,” features an unforgettable melody as well as some of John Lennon’s most creative lyrics; it makes an ideal introduction to playing ukulele for beginners as its chords are simple enough for even novice players to grasp.
Another song ideal for the ukulele is “Eleanor Rigby.” This track depicts Paul McCartney’s dream in which his mother advised him to leave things be. Eleanor Rigby has an accessible strumming style and quick chord changes, providing ample practice on quickly changing chords on your instrument.
If you want to bring some island flair into your ukulele playing, consider learning “Obla-di, Obla-di.” This song features a Cod Jamaican ska beat and will give your playing more rhythm while helping develop timing – something which is crucial when learning any instrument.
George Harrison wrote this stunning song as a showcase for The Beatles’ evolving sound during their later years. This track is an ideal song to learn as it’s simple yet catchy; perfect for learning on your ukulele! Once mastered, its guitar riff at the start may prove difficult; nevertheless it will bring joy every time it plays! Give this classic tune a listen today – you won’t regret it!
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones have long been one of the most influential bands in rock history. Active for more than six decades and contributing greatly to music’s landscape since their formation, their members have pioneered a gritty and rhythmically driven sound that came to define hard rock; serving as inspiration to numerous other acts like Led Zeppelin, Beatles and Aerosmith among many others. Furthermore, this band enjoys significant fame and wealth among their devoted followers and members.
Dream A Little Dream of Me is a popular standard song composed by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt with lyrics written by Gus Kahn, first recorded in 1931 by Ozzie Nelson and became a top chart hit in 1968 when Mama Cass Elliot performed it with The Mamas and Papas; subsequent renditions have included performances by Mills Brothers, Sylvie Vartan Henry Mancini The Beautiful South Anne Murray Erasure Michael Buble as well as NAC Orchestra.
This song tells the tale of a lover bidding their loved one a fond farewell and hoping they have restful sleep. The narrator promises them they’ll see each other again in the morning; assuring them that no matter where life may lead them. They express hope that both individuals find happiness and joy regardless of physical distance between them.
Although The Rolling Stones started their career as a covers band, they quickly transformed into an original and groundbreaking outfit. By 1965, the group had become a commercial success in Britain and their members had begun developing individual personalities of their own. Their initial stable lineup consisted of founders Mick Jagger (lead vocals and harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar and vocals), Brian Jones (guitar and harmonica), Bill Wyman (bass), and Charlie Watts (drums).
In the early 1970s, The Rolling Stones quickly established themselves as one of the world’s premier rock bands. Their music and stage personae cemented their status as cultural icons despite numerous controversial events; unlike The Beatles who were held up as models of respectability and wholesomeness by society at large; instead The Stones frequently faced police harassment for drug use and degeneracy in concert performances.
The Eagles
As the 1970s was an age of great upheaval, The Eagles provided relief with their laid-back grooves on songs like “Take It Easy”. While their early albums chronicled emotional ups and downs in personal ways, they also explored certain musical forms or conventions, pushing or expanding them at various points in time.
After their critically acclaimed 1976 album Hotel California, The Eagles struggled with creating follow-up material. This led them to release The Long Run which many felt didn’t live up to its predecessor’s standards. Following a two-year break between releases, they reunited to begin work on recording their next album Long Road Out of Eden.
In the studio, Glyn Johns misread The Eagles as country-rock musicians; therefore they fired him after only recording two tracks with him and hired Walsh’s producer Bill Szymczyk for further sessions.
Tim Schmit joined the Eagles following the release of Hotel California as Randy Meisner’s replacement on bass/vocals, replacing him as part of Poco. An in-demand session player who had played on Steely Dan albums Pretzel Logic, The Royal Scam, and Aja, Schmit had also collaborated on country-rock record One of These Nights released in 1975 with Don Henley.
Dream a Little Dream of Me was first recorded in February 1931 and found its greatest chart success with Cass Elliot of Mamas & Papas performing it in 1968. Subsequent versions included those performed by Mills Brothers, Sylvie Vartan, Henry Mancini, The Beautiful South, Anne Murray, Erasure, and Michael Buble – among many others.
Although The Eagles never used ukulele on any original recordings, its distinctive sound has made it increasingly popular with fans and musicians alike. Ukulele chords can easily adapt to many different musical styles; many fans of The Eagles have even created renditions of their favorite songs using this instrument.
Although The Eagles haven’t been actively performing together since 1980, their four founding members reunited in 2007 to record a double album entitled Long Road Out of Eden and recently announced a tour that will last through 2025, starting this fall at Madison Square Garden in New York.