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- K. J. McElrath
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The spectacular Ziegfeld Girl was one of the biggest film hits of 1941. In it Tony Martin introduced the audience to “You Stepped out of a Dream.” As a recording, the song was a modest hit for three big bands: Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with vocals by Ray Eberle and the Modernaires; Guy Lombardo and His Orchestra with Guy’s brother Carmen Lombardo singing;, and Kay Kyser and His Orchestra with vocalist Harry Babbitt. Kyser’s rendition enjoyed a brief time on the pop charts, rising to number 22. The Four Freshmen would record another popular version in 1955, available on the CD The Four Freshmen and 5 Trombones/4 Freshmen and 5 Trumpets.
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Although filled with opulence and glamour, Ziegfeld Girl was filmed in black and white. The soap opera plot, characteristic of many of the musicals of the era, was little more than an excuse for song and dance numbers, which were, in this case, directed by Busby Berkeley with an eye towards the Ziegfeld style. The film focuses on the personal lives of three chorus girls, played by Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr, and Lana Turner, as Florenz Ziegfeld grooms them for stardom. The all-star cast also included James Stewart, Tony Martin, Jackie Cooper, Eve Arden, and Edward Everett Horton.
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More information on this tune... |
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Robert Gottlieb, Robert Kimball
Reading Lyrics
Pantheon
Hardcover: 736 pages
(This book includes a short biography of Gus Kahn and a dozen pages of his lyrics, including those for “You Stepped Out of a Dream.”)
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See the Reading and Research page for this tune for additional references. |
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- Jeremy Wilson
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| This section suggests definitive or otherwise significant recordings that will help jazz students get acquainted with
“You Stepped Out of a Dream.” These recordings have been selected from the Jazz History and
CD Recommendations sections.
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To hear the modern-day template for playing “You Stepped Out of a Dream,” look no farther than Dexter Gordon’s quartet ( A Swingin' Affair) recording from 1962. The medium-up tempo and back-and-forth between Latin and swing grooves have become standard fare for interpreting the tune, and Gordon’s saxophone playing here is remarkable. To get a feeling for the lyrics and for how one might interpret them vocally, a good place to start is Nat “King” Cole’s popular big band rendition from 1949.
Noah Baerman - Jazz Pianist and Educator
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Musical analysis of
“You Stepped Out of a Dream”
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| Original
Key |
Written in
key signature of C |
| Form |
A – B – A
– C |
| Tonality |
Primarily
major but seems to shift key centers at
least three times |
| Movement |
This is characterized
by long, sustained tones and slow, harmonic
rhythm. The melodic line gradually rises
a third by step and then leaps up a sixth.
The descent is by leaps. |
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Comments
(assumed
background)
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This is one of the most exotic and wandering
harmonic progressions in the repertoire.
Although starting and ending on C major,
this piece takes unusual twists and turns
that seem to deliberately avoid settling
on any one key for any length of time. The
initial harmonic movement from C –Db is
in itself not unusual (as the N6 chord is
often a substitute for V7), but the fact
that it continues up to Eb is. Had it gone
back to the tonic, it might have had a Lydian
sound, but, instead, Eb7 resolves to Abmaj7,
putting the song in an entirely new key
by measure 6. After two measures, going
into the “B”section, this drops a half step
to start a ii7 – V7 modulation in yet another
key--this time F major. Meanwhile, the melody
is confined to a single pitch class–octave
C’s–for five and a half measures. Under
this, the I in F major goes to iii – II7
(Am – D7(b9)) which would normally resolve
to V7 – I, bringing us back to F major.
Instead, D7 is followed by Ebm7 – Ab7; but
instead of resolving to Db, as the ear might
expect, it drops back a half-step, this
time to Dm for the ii7 – V7 back into C
major.
The first five measures of the second
“A” section are the same as the first “A,”
but then Eb7 is followed by a Gb9(#11) going
to F7. At first, this sounds like a VI7
– ii7 – V7 going to a I of Ab major, but,
instead, the F7 moves to a Dm7(b5) (accomplished
fairly simply by moving two inner voices,
the 3rd and the 7th, down a half
step). Again, this seems to be the beginning
of a chord sequence pointing to a final
resolution of Ab major via a #ivø7 – V7/iii
– iiiø7 – V7/ii – ii7 – V7 –I progression.
Instead, the melody over the following G7
chord goes up via A natural instead of Ab
and then lands on an Em7. This begins a
iii – VI7(V7/ii) – ii7 – V7 back to C major
that seems to “step out of a dream.”
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K. J. McElrath - Musicologist for JazzStandards.com |
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English pianist George Shearing recorded a version
of this tune on one of his earliest sessions before
he settled in the US where his career took off.
Nat “King” Cole’s version from 1949 with Pete Rugolo’s
Orchestra brought the tune back to public attention
following
Glenn Miller’s 1940 recording. Tenor saxophonist
Stan Getz was the next performer to take up the
song on one of his earlier sessions, in 1950, along
with pianists Dave Brubeck that same year and Al
Haig in 1951.
In the mid-1950s two talented guitarists recorded
their versions: Barney Kessel in 1955 and Tal Farlow
in 1956.
Chris Tyle - Jazz Musician and Historian
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Additional information for "You Stepped Out of a Dream" may be found in:
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Robert Gottlieb, Robert Kimball
Reading Lyrics
Pantheon
Hardcover: 736 pages
(Includes the following types of information: song lyrics.)
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“You Stepped Out of a Dream” was included in these films:
- Ziegfeld Girl (1941,
Tony Martin)
- Lost in Translation
(2003, Catherine Lambert)
And on Broadway:
- Singin’ in the Rain
(1985, Mary D’Arcy)
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| Click on any CD for more details at Amazon.com |
McCoy Tyner
Fly With the Wind
1992 Original Jazz Classics 699
Original recording 1976
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On this album, pianist Tyner was given the opportunity to write for a larger ensemble with flute, piccolo, oboe, harp and a string section. Thanks to Tyner’s writing, the combination works remarkably well and shows his unwillingness to rest on his laurels. The ensemble’s version of “You Stepped Out Of A Dream” expertly juxtaposes the lush orchestration with the heavy, intense rhythm section playing of Tyner, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Billy Cobham and Tyner and flutist Hubert Laws take energized solo turns.
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Max Roach
Deeds, Not Words
1991 Original Jazz Classics 304
Original recording 1958
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Drummer and bandleader Roach is heard here at an interesting and important transitional point along his evolution from straight-ahead hard bop to more cutting edge modern music. His piano-less quintet features a front line of Booker Little on trumpet, George Coleman on tenor saxophone and Ray Draper on tuba, all of whom provide exciting solos. The performance here transitions unexpectedly between a relaxed tempo with a Latin feel and a swing feel at a blazing tempo.
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Dexter Gordon
A Swingin' Affair
1990, Blue Note 84133
Original recording, 1962
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The saxophonist smolders on this track. Gordon's phrasing is impeccable and highly evocative of the sentiment of the song.
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Sarah Vaughan
The Roulette Years
1991 Blue Note Records 94983
Compilation
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Vaughan swings gently and confidently on this medium-tempo performance with a medium-sized ensemble featuring Harry “Sweets” Edison on trumpet and bandleader Jimmy Jones on piano.
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Sonny Rollins
Vol. 2
1999 Blue Note 97809
Original recording 1957
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Rollins has been described as at his very best on this particular track. His saxophone is in good company here with Art Blakey at the drum kit and Horace Silver on the piano.
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Stefon Harris
Black Action Figure
1999, Blue Note
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The vibraphonist gives the standard such fresh vitality that it sounds like a brand new composition.
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George Cables
Quiet Fire
1995, Steeplechase
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It feels as if you’re headed St. Thomas way as pianist Cables sets the rhythmic pace. It’s quite an excursion, with Ron McClure on bass and Billy Hart on drums.
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Ron Eschete
A Closer Look
1994, Concord Jazz 4607
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“Playing fingerstyle solo guitar is a cross between living on the edge and sheer terror,” says the seven-string guitarist in the liner notes. Here he gives “You Stepped Out of a Dream” a bossa nova turn.
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Chris Connor
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not
1999, Collectables Jazz Classics
Original recording, 1956
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In contrast to the Four Freshmen’s upbeat 1955 rendition, Connor reads “You Stepped Out of a Dream” as a purely romantic song, backed here by full orchestra.
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