Hush! here comes the Dream man. is a lullaby with words by British songwriters Robert Patrick Weston and Fred James Barnes, and music by composer Maurice Scott: the same partnership that created several popular music hall songs, including I've Got Rings On My Fingers and (pace songwriter Fred Godfrey, who claimed to have written it) When Father Papered The Parlour. It was published in 1911 by Jos. W. Stern in New York, and through Stern's agents The Star Music Publishing Company, Limited, in the United Kingdom. It was originally a composition for piano and voice, in the key of F major, comprising three verses and a chorus.
The song is most easily recognizable by its chorus. Many half-remembered variations exist on the World Wide Web, with lots of words substituted for the originals. Several substitute "Sandman" for "Dream man" in the title, for example. This is unsurprising given that people remember this as something that was sung to them when they were little children. But the original lyrics from the sheet music by Weston, Barnes, and Scott are in the sidebar at right.
- York University: catalogue entry · digitized version
- University of Oregon: catalogue entry
- WORLDCAT: editions
A copy of the original sheet music is listed in the catalogue of the libary of York University, in Toronto, Canada, as part of the John Arpen Sheet Music collection. It has been digitized and is available on the World Wide Web as both a JPEG image of the first page and a PDF image of the whole thing.
YouTube: video published by tiga4180
One of the earliest recordings of the song that can be still found is by one Claude Graham, believed to be one of the several pseudonyms of prolific baritone solo pre-WW1 recording artist John Lewis "Jack" Charman (b.1887). It was released on the Victory Record label, catalogue number C11, which was pressed for J. Blum & Company by Kalliope.
More information on this and other Jack Charman recordings can be found in the entry for the Diploma Record label in M.G. Thomas' Dance Band Encyclopaedia.
YouTube: video published by gramophoneshane
Charles Hawtrey is more commonly remembered nowadays for his rôle in the Carry On … series of films, but in his boyhood he was a soprano recording artist, alongside 11-year-old Evelyn Griffiths, billed as "The Sweet-Voiced Children". Their recording of Hush! Here Comes the Dream Man. was released by Regal in October 1930. It was the B side, with the A side being I don't want to play in your yard..
For a catalogue of Griffiths and Hawtrey's duets, see Hawtrey's entry in the Boy Choir and Soloist Directory.
Of course, the song Hush! Here comes a whizz-bang. from the musical Oh What a Lovely War! is a parody adaptation of the lullaby, but it is not alone.
Vimeo: video published by Holly Hanson
Singer/songwriter Holly Hanson, one half of New England folk music duo Neptune's Car took the first verse of Hush! here comes the Dream man., re-ordered the lines, and used it as the chorus of Stawberry Moon, the second track on their 2010 debut album, also entitled Stawberry Moon.
