You’ve heard it in countless TV shows and ads, but have you ever seen the genuine thing?
“Bring me a dream, Mr. Sandman.” “Make him the cutest I’ve ever seen.” The year is 1958. Eisenhower is President, and rock-and-roll as we know it is beginning to emerge. Don’t say it to the Chordettes. Sheboygan’s harmonizing girls—Janet, Alice, Lynn, and Jinny—wowed the radio with their primarily a cappella renditions of “Mr. Sandman” and “Lollipop.”
In this live TV performance, the Chordettes, who have been compared to a barbershop quartet, show off their skills. Remember all of the “bum-bum-bums” from the song? You’ll be shocked to observe how each “bum” is sung in rapid succession by a different member of the group. How did they do that without skipping a beat?
These women conjure a sense of past properness with their long, proper robes and charm, even as the lyrics, which are racier than you might imagine, implore Mr. Sandman to bring them a cute man to bed.
In one amusing moment produced specifically for this performance, Mr. Sandman himself appears onscreen to answer their call, and boy is he young and attractive. You’ll laugh at this insert picture while swooning to the tune of the iconic “Mr. Sandman.”
Did you know that singer Janet’s daughter married Phil Everly from The Everly Brothers? It was undeniably a match made in musical heaven. The Chordettes were also included on the inaugural nationally aired episode of American Bandstand, solidifying their place in American music history.
Despite their popularity, the wonderful Chordettes were not the first to record this song. The first rendition was performed by a man, Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra in 1954. However, he couldn’t compete with the Chordettes’ inspired rendition, which was recorded later that year.
“No cuss words?” No drops? No over-the-top beats? No incomprehensible gibberish? No, automatic tuning? “So pure,” remarked one wistful viewer.
“My grandmother used to sing this to me when I was a tiny kid. I adore hearing about her experiences as a wild kid in the 1950s. “She’s my best friend, and I’m glad I inherited her love of the ’50s,” remarked another viewer who appreciated this journey down memory lane.
