Theme for a Dream - Misplaced Pages

"Theme for a Dream" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in February 1961. It peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and also received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.

Release and reception

"Theme for a Dream" was the first song by Richard to feature a female chorus, sung by the Mike Sammes Singers. When Richard and the Shadows got the song they "liked it, but it wasn't really us … but we did it because we felt it was a change of direction as far as we were concerned".

The single exceeded 200,000 advance sales in the UK. However, in Spain, it was banned because of its supposedly suggestive lyrics due to the Francoist censorship.

The B-side, "Mumblin' Mosie", was written and originally recorded by American Johnny Otis in 1960 and had been a minor hit for him on the Billboard Hot 100. Richard had previously recorded another of Otis' songs, "Willie and the Hand Jive", which he had released as the B-side to "Fall in Love with You".

Richard also recorded a German-language version of "Theme for a Dream", titled "Schön wie ein Traum", in April 1961 with backing vocals by the Hansen Girls. It was released as a single in Germany in June 1961 with the B-side "Vreneli", which was an original German song.

Reviewing for Disc, Don Nicholl described "Theme for a Dream" as an "attractive tune and lyric married very well indeed. Gets into your head right from the start".

The melody of the track "Pal Pal.... Har Pal" from the 2006 Bollywood film Lage Raho Munna Bhai was lifted from "Theme for a Dream"

Track listing

7": Columbia / DB 4593

"Theme for a Dream" – 2:06
"Mumblin' Mosie" – 2:17

7": Columbia / C 21 843 (Germany)

"Schön wie ein Traum" – 2:05
"Vreneli" – 2:39

Personnel

Cliff Richard – vocals
Hank Marvin – lead guitar
Bruce Welch – rhythm guitar
Jet Harris – bass guitar
Tony Meehan – drums
Mike Sammes Singers – backing vocals

Charts

Chart (1961)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	22
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)	33
Denmark (Quans Musikbureau)	6
India (The Voice, Calcutta)	7
Ireland (Evening Herald)	4
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	12
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)	3
UK Singles (OCC)	3

German-language version

"Schön wie ein Traum"

Chart (1961)	Peak position
Germany (GfK)	33

"Vreneli"

Chart (1961)	Peak position
Germany (GfK)	50

References

^ "Cliff Richard Song Database - Song Details (Theme for a Dream)". www.cliffrichardsongs.com. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
^ "Cliff Richard: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
"Cliff wins eighth Silver Disc" (PDF). Disc. 8 April 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
"Mumblin' Mosie (song by Johnny Otis) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
"Cliff Richard Song Database - Song Details (Mumblin' Mosie)". www.cliffrichardsongs.com. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
"Cliff Richard Song Database - Song Details (Schön wie ein Traum)". www.cliffrichardsongs.com. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
"Cliff Richard Song Database - Song Details". www.cliffrichardsongs.com. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
"Disc Date" (PDF). Disc. 25 February 1961. p. 10. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
"Did You Know? These Bollywood Hits Have been Copied from Other Tracks and It's Shocking". News18. 26 December 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
"Cliff Richard & the Shadows – Theme for a Dream" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
"Cliff Richard & the Shadows – Theme for a Dream" (in French). Ultratop 50.
"Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 5 June 1961. p. 10. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
"Irish Top Ten". Evening Herald. 6 April 1961.
"Cliff Richard & the Shadows – Theme for a Dream" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
"Lever Hit Parade". flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
"Cliff Richard – Bin verliebt" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
"Cliff Richard – Bin verliebt" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.

Cliff Richard

Albums (UK)

1950s:	Cliff (1959, live) Cliff Sings (1959)
1960s:	Me and My Shadows (1960) Listen to Cliff! (1961) 21 Today (1961) 32 Minutes and 17 Seconds (1962) The Young Ones (1962, soundtrack) Summer Holiday (1963, soundtrack) When in Spain (1963) Wonderful Life (1964, soundtrack) Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1964, cast album) Cliff Richard (1965) When in Rome (1965) Love Is Forever (1965) Kinda Latin (1966) Finders Keepers (1966, soundtrack) Cinderella (1967, cast album) Don't Stop Me Now! (1967) Two a Penny (1968, soundtrack) Sincerely (1969)
1970s:	Tracks 'n Grooves (1970) Take Me High (1974, soundtrack) I'm Nearly Famous (1976) Every Face Tells a Story (1977) Small Corners (1978, gospel) Green Light (1978) Thank You Very Much (1979, live) Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile (1979)
1980s:	I'm No Hero (1980) Wired for Sound (1981) Now You See Me, Now You Don't (1982, gospel) Dressed for the Occasion (1983, live) Silver (1983) The Rock Connection (1984) Always Guaranteed (1987) Stronger (1989)
1990s:	From a Distance: The Event (1990, live) Together with Cliff Richard (1991) The Album (1993) Songs from Heathcliff (1995, stage show album) Real as I Wanna Be (1998)
2000s:	Wanted (2001) Cliff at Christmas (2003) Something's Goin' On (2004) Two's Company (2006) Love... The Album (2007) Reunited – Cliff Richard and The Shadows (2009)
2010s:	Bold as Brass (2010) Soulicious (2011) The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook (2013) Just... Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll (2016) Rise Up (2018)
2020s:	Music... The Air That I Breathe (2020) Christmas with Cliff (2022) Cliff with Strings – My Kinda Life (2023)

EPs (UK)

Serious Charge (1959)
Expresso Bongo (1960)
Cliff's Silver Discs (1960)
Dream (1961)
Hits from the Young Ones (1962)

Compilations (UK)

Cliff's Hit Album (1963)
40 Golden Greats (1977)
Love Songs (1981)
Walking in the Light (1984, Gospel)
Private Collection: 1979–1988 (1988)
The Hit List (1994)
At the Movies 1959–1974 (1996)
The Whole Story: His Greatest Hits (2000)
The Platinum Collection (2005)
And They Said It Wouldn't Last: My 50 Years in Music (2008)
The 50th Anniversary Album (2008)
75 at 75 (2015)
Stronger Thru the Years (2017)

v t e Cliff Richard singles
1950s	"Move It" (1958) "High Class Baby" (1958) "Livin' Lovin' Doll" (1959) "Mean Streak" (1959) "Living Doll" (1959) "Travellin' Light" / "Dynamite" (1959)
1960s	"A Voice in the Wilderness" (1960) "Fall in Love with You" (1960) "Please Don't Tease" (1960) "Nine Times Out of Ten" (1960) "I Love You" (1960) "Theme for a Dream" (1961) "Gee Whizz It's You" (1961) "A Girl Like You" (1961) "What'd I Say" (1961) "When the Girl in Your Arms Is the Girl in Your Heart" (1961) "Forty Days" (1961) "Outsider" (1962) "The Young Ones" / "We Say Yeah" (1962) "Catch Me" (1962) "I'm Looking out the Window" / "Do You Want to Dance?" (1962) "Lessons in Love" (1962) "It'll Be Me" (1962) "Wonderful to Be Young" (1962) "The Next Time" / "Bachelor Boy" (1962) "Summer Holiday" (1963) "Lucky Lips" (1963) "It's All in the Game" (1963) "Don't Talk to Him" (1963) "Maria No Mas" (1963) "I'm the Lonely One" (1964) "I Only Have Eyes for You" (1964) "Constantly (L'Edera)" (1964) "On the Beach" (1964) "The Twelfth of Never" (1964) "I Could Easily Fall (In Love with You)" (1964) "The Minute You're Gone" (1965) "Angel" (1965) "On My Word" (1965) "The Time in Between" (1965) "Wind Me Up (Let Me Go)" (1965) "Blue Turns to Grey" (1966) "Visions" (1966) "Time Drags By" (1966) "In the Country" (1966) "It's All Over" (1967) "I'll Come Runnin'" (1967) "The Day I Met Marie" (1967)" "All My Love" (1967) "Congratulations" (1968) "I'll Love You Forever Today" (1968) "Wonderful World" (1968) "Marianne" (1968) "Don't Forget to Catch Me" (1968) "Good Times (Better Times)" (1969) "Big Ship" (1969) "Early in the Morning" (1969) "Throw Down a Line" (1969) "With the Eyes of a Child" (1969)
1970s	"The Joy of Living" (1970) "Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha" (1970) "I Ain't Got Time Anymore" (1970) "Sunny Honey Girl" (1971) "Silvery Rain" (1971) "Flying Machine" (1971) "Sing a Song of Freedom" (1971) "Jesus" (1972) "Living in Harmony" (1972) "Power to All Our Friends" (1973) "Help It Along" (1973) "Take Me High" (1973) "(You Keep Me) Hangin' On" (1974) "Honky Tonk Angel" (1975) "Miss You Nights" (1976) "Devil Woman" (1976) "I Can't Ask for Anymore Than You" (1976) "Hey Mr. Dream Maker" (1976) "My Kinda Life" (1977) "When Two Worlds Drift Apart" (1977) "Green Light" (1979) "We Don't Talk Anymore" (1979)
1980s	"Carrie" (1980) "Dreamin'" (1980) "Suddenly" (1980) "A Little in Love" (1980) "Give a Little Bit More" (1981) "Wired for Sound" (1981) "Daddy's Home" (live) (1981) "The Only Way Out" (1982) "Little Town" (1982) "She Means Nothing to Me" (1983) "True Love Ways" (live) (1983) "Never Say Die (Give a Little Bit More)" (1983) "Please Don't Fall in Love" (1983) "Baby You're Dynamite" / "Ocean Deep" (1984) "Donna" (1984 US) "Two to the Power of Love" (1984) "Living Doll" (1986) "All I Ask of You" (1986) "Slow Rivers" (1986) "My Pretty One" (1987) "Some People" (1987) "Remember Me" (1987) "Two Hearts" (1988) "Mistletoe and Wine" (1988) "The Best of Me" (1989) "I Just Don't Have the Heart" (1989) "Lean on You" (1989) "Whenever God Shines His Light" (1989)
1990s	"Stronger Than That" (1990) "Silhouettes" (live) (1990) "From a Distance" (live) (1990) "Saviour's Day" (1990) "More to Life" (1991) "Scarlet Ribbons" (1991) "We Should Be Together" (1991) "This New Year" (1991) "I Still Believe in You" (1992) "Peace in Our Time" (1993) "All I Have to Do Is Dream" (live) / "Miss You Nights" (1994) "Can't Keep this Feeling In" (1998) "The Millennium Prayer" (1999)
2000s	"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"/"What a Wonderful World" (medley) (2001) "21st Century Christmas" / "Move It" (2006) "When I Need You" (2007) "Thank You for a Lifetime" (2008) "Singing the Blues" (2009)
2010s	"Rip It Up" (2013) "Since I Lost My Baby" (2014) "Roll Over Beethoven" (2016) "Blue Suede Shoes" (2017)

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