Dream A Little Dream is described by Robbie as "a favourite song of everybody’s [and] probably one of the sweetest ditties ever written."
And who can argue with that: the song has been covered by a galaxy of stars since it was penned in the early 1930s, including Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Doris Day and one of Robbie's favourite Kings of Swing, a certain Dean Martin.
The choice to include the beautiful love song on Swings Both Ways has similarities to the inspiration which also led to the inclusion of another track on the album, I Wan'na Be Like You. Dream A Little Dream also brings back strong childhood memories for Robbie, taking him back to his early life in Stoke-On-Trent, the place where he first played and fell in love with the track and, indeed, Swing music.
"I know it from my dad’s record collection when he left, and then from the Beautiful South covering it," he explains.
Robbie's not the only one with a strong attachment to the tune. Lily Allen, his collaborator and songstress extraordinaire on the track said: "Dream A Little Dream is one of my favourite songs of all time so I didn’t hesitate when Robbie asked me if I’d like to duet with him on it. I was a bit nervous when we recorded it, especially when I asked him what he wanted me to do and he said something like ‘just be you’. But I’m really happy with it and think we do justice to a classic song."
Robbie certainly agrees: "As soon as she opened her mouth in the studio it was like ‘that’s amazing…’”
Aww!
Pre-order Swings Both Ways now
Swings Both Ways is released on 18th November. Pre-order the album on iTunes and get the opening track, Shine My Shoes, instantly.
| Standard edition: | Deluxe edition: |