When I woke up from this dream, I immediately set about capturing what I’d heard on my guitar (as is tradition!), which wasn’t difficult as this is just about as simple as a song can get. But when I sauntered back to bed still full of dream-feeling, I discovered that Brandy had just dreamt something very similar. In the telling over the years, I’m not sure how much of the coincidence we’ve grafted on, but we couldn’t help but be impressed with the synergy. In the dream, we’re in a white room, I’m sitting on the bed tired but stubborn and singing the opening lyrics to Brandy, imploring her to stay even if I should fall asleep. I don’t act like this awake by the way, we’re both remarkably free of clingy tendencies (a key to relationship success, I feel), but dreams have their own logic.
Taking the near-obsession a step further, this dream song actually has a dream section, which follows naturally from my line “counting sheep.” The simple 4-count that sparked I decided to keep going through what I saw as a sleepy, washing break section. Originally, the counting was in English, 1-12, and worked fine, but since Brandy and I were at the time taking a Japanese class together, I subbed in the Japanese numbers and felt that they were all the better at suggesting an other-worldly atmosphere. Like the other dream songs here, this one pays tribute to the feeling of togetherness from a tight bond suggesting that even dreams can be shared.
When we recorded the bed-tracks for this album, I decided to leave this song out and save it for an intimate, guitar-and-voice-only treatment. Though I later added a 2nd picking guitar and plenty of vocals (all me; after all, it’s my dream!) to thicken it up a little, it still stands out as the simplest arrangement in this Suite of Dreams.
Dream With Me
Please don’t go because I’d
Much rather you stay
Got one more tune
that I have to play
I love you – I love you
You know what I mean before I
Even have to say it
But you listen to me anyway
I love you – I love you
Still have to get some sleep
Just say that you won’t leave
Stay and keep me company
While I dream (While I dream)
You can lay right here or even
Just stay in the room
When you’re near
there is way less gloom
I love you – I love you
Still have to get some sleep
Just say that you won’t leave
Stay and keep me company
Counting sheep
Ichi – Ni – San – Shi
Go, Roku, Shichi,
Hachi, Kyu, Ju, Ju-ichi, Ju-ni
This is the sweetest sleep
I’m dreaming Japanese
Come on won’t you join in please
Dream with me...
(While I dream) [repeat]