Dream A Little Dream Of Me Chords & Guitar Lesson

Have you ever listened to a song and it just captivates you?  

It takes you away to another world?

Well, this one does that for me.

And it’s also done it for many other people as well. 

It’s an older song from back in 1931, and it’s become a standard. Below I’m going to dive into some pro tips on how to play it – particularly the version as recorded by The Mamas & The Papas. So grab your axe and let’s dive into this “Dream A Little Dream Of Me ” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Dream A Little Dream Of Me?

The music for "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was written by Fabian Andre with lyrics from Wilbur Schwandt and Gus Kahn. Gus was one of the most prominent lyricists of this era. He also wrote the lyrics for many other famous tunes like "It Had to Be You", and "I’ll See You in My Dreams".

“Dream A Little Dream Of Me” is a romantic ballad that sings about a couple parting. The singer asks their lover to "dream a little dream of me" even after they’ve gone. It’s filled with nostalgic longing and a sense of romantic yearning, wrapped in soothing, tender language. The lyrics express a desire for the other person to remember the singer fondly, even if they're not physically present. The imagery of dreams is used as a metaphor for love that continues to linger.

The song was written during the Great Depression era and was first recorded by Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra in 1931. 

However, it became most famously associated with Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong after their 1950 recording of the song, which brought it to a new generation.

Though the first recorded version by Ozzie Nelson’s band didn’t make a big impact, the 1950 recording by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald was a major turning point for the song's success. It was recorded in Los Angeles, and their collaboration became one of the definitive versions of the song. Their smooth vocal duet and Armstrong’s trademark trumpet playing brought a unique jazz flavor to it, which elevated it to international acclaim.

There are many covers of this song and one of the most notable that came after this was The Mamas & the Papas’ version in 1968. Their take became a big hit in the U.S. and the UK.

The recording was made at Western Recorders (later known as Capitol Studios) in Hollywood, California, with Lou Adler producing. Lou Adler was a highly influential figure in the music industry, known for working with groups like The Mamas & the Papas and producing for artists like Carole King. Interestingly, "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was a late-night recording session. Cass Elliot had been sick before the session and had a cold, but still, her vocals came through as clear and emotive as ever. 

Even though "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was first recorded decades earlier, The Mamas & the Papas' version helped revitalize the song and introduce it to a whole new generation of listeners. It still remains a beloved classic associated with the carefree spirit and creative energy of the 1960s.

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Dream A Little Dream Of Me?

The tuning for "Dream A Little Dream Of Me " as recorded by The Mamas & the Papas is standard tuning. The primary guitar part is played on a nylon string guitar. Standard tuning is spelled out as EADGBE. 

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch)

Now that you know the “Dream A Little Dream Of Me ” tuning, let’s next talk about the…

Dream A Little Dream Of Me Chords

If you want to play “Dream A Little Dream Of Me” on guitar, you’ll need to know 11 main chords, they are C, F#dim7, Ab13, G13, A7, F, Fm, E7,  A, F#m, and Bm. Many of these shapes are jazz chords. Let’s take a look at a few ways they can be played on the fretboard.

C is a very standard open position chord played like this:

F#dim7 is played on the top 4 strings like so:

Ab13 is a bar chord played in the 4th position like this:

G13 simply shifts Ab13 down one fret like this:

A7 is a beautiful open chord played from the 5th string down like so:

F is a standard bar chord played in 1st position like this:

To get Fm, simply play F but remove the middle finger of the fretting hand and bar with the index in its place like this:

After those chords happen, the song modulates into the B section. This means it changes keys. The chord that gets us there is E7 and it’s played using all 6 strings like this:

Then A which is played in open position like this:

F#m is a bar chord played in 2nd position like this:

Finally, Bm is played as a bar chord in 2nd position and from the 5th string down like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard for RHYTHM and LEAD guitar and want to discover the easiest and fastest way. Then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:  

Is Dream A Little Dream Of Me hard to play on guitar?

The main acoustic guitar part to “Dream A Little Dream Of Me” is not at a beginner level. To play it, one must have a solid grasp of jazzier style chords, bar chords, and fingerstyle.  

Here’s an example of what some of it sounds like:

What key is Dream A Little Dream Of Me in?

“Dream A Little Dream Of Me” as recorded byThe Mamas & the Papas is in the key of C major. However, in the B section it changes keys to A major. But then returns back home to C major. So the primary scale being used in the song is the C major scale which is built using the notes: C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C

Let’s take a look at how all the chords relate in the key of C major: 

C Major (C)

C Major is the I (tonic) chord in the key of C major. It’s the home chord, and it establishes the key of C major.

F# diminished 7th (F#dim7)

F#dim7 is a diminished seventh chord. It doesn't naturally fit in the C major scale, but it can function as a secondary diminished chord (a diminished chord that leads to a different chord in this case Ab13). 

Ab13 (Ab13)

Ab13 is a dominant 13th chord built on the flat-6 scale degree. In C major, the Ab chord doesn’t naturally appear in the key. However, it can be seen as a chromatic chord leading to the G13 chord which is next…

G13 (G13)

G13 is a dominant seventh chord with an added 13th (which is the E note in the key of C). This is the V7 chord in the key of C. The 13th adds extra color to the standard G7 dominant chord.

A7 (A7)

A7 is a dominant seventh chord built on the 6th scale degree. The A7 is functioning as a secondary dominant.

F Major (F)

F Major is the IV chord in the key of C major. The IV chord is a common diatonic chord in the major scale and is often used in progressions to create movement away from the tonic (C major). Then we have…

F Minor (Fm)

F Minor is a surprising chord in the context of C major since it is not diatonic. However, it can be explained as a borrowed chord from C minor (the parallel minor key). This iv chord can provide a darker, more melancholic sound. The Beatles used this a lot too. 

Then the key changes to A major and the transition chord that gets us into the new key is…

E7 (E dominant 7th)

E7 is the V7 (dominant seventh) chord in the key of A major. The dominant seventh chord in the key of A major resolves naturally to the tonic (A major), providing strong harmonic tension that resolves to the I chord (A major). In this case, E7 is the big transition chord to the new key…

A Major (A)

A Major is the I (tonic) chord in the key of A major. It's the home chord, and it serves as the stable, "resting" chord in the key. The progression from E7 (V7) to A major (I) is one of the most common cadences in Western music, known as the perfect cadence or authentic cadence.

F# minor (F#m)

F# minor is the vi (submediant) chord in the key of A major. The vi chord is a minor chord that is diatonic to the key of A major. It is often used in progressions where a shift to a minor chord creates a more reflective or mellow mood. It can also serve as a substitute for the I chord in some progressions. It then leads to the…

B minor (Bm)

B minor is the ii chord in the key of A major. 

So, once we change keys, we have a simple progression that stays all diatonic. As opposed to the first part of the tune which has more complex harmony.

Conclusion

That’s a quick look at the “Dream A Little Dream Of Me” chords and guitar stylings used over the years.

Keep practicing, and if you want to improve your fingerstyle guitar faster and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fingerstyle cheat sheet PDF guide right here now:   

Jon MacLennan