Call Me Up in Dreamland

"Call Me Up in Dreamland" is a song that was written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter, Van Morrison and included on his 1970 album, His Band and the Street Choir. Brian Hinton describes the song as "life on the road, with 'radio' as a verb and laughing sax."^[1]

Recording and composition

The song was recorded in summer, 1970 at the A&R Recording Studios, 46th Street, New York, during the second His Band and the Street Choir sessions.^[2]

"Call Me Up in Dreamland" features a moderate 4/4 tempo. It is in the key of A major, with a chord sequence in the verses of A-E-D-A-D-E-A-D-A-E-D-A-D-E-A-D and the chorus of A-D-A-E-A-D-A-E-E♭-D-A. The song also has a tenor saxophone solo from Morrison.^[3] The song is composed in a gospel style and prominently features the vocal backing group the Street Choir.^[4]

Chart performance

In June 1971 "Call Me Up in Dreamland" rose to #95 in the Billboard Hot 100 music charts.^[5]

Personnel

• Van Morrison: vocal, guitar, tenor saxophone
• Alan Hand: piano, organ
• Keith Johnson: trumpet
• John Klingberg: bass
• John Platania: guitar
• Jack Schroer: soprano saxophone
• Dahaud Shaar (David Shaw): drums

The Street Choir

• Larry Goldsmith
• Janet Planet
• Andrew Robinson
• Ellen Schroer
• Dahaud Shaar
• Martha Velez

Notes

1. ^ Hinton. Celtic Crossroads, p.123
2. ^ Heylin. Can You Feel the Silence, p.520
3. ^ Van Morrison Anthology, p.14-17
4. ^ Brooks. In Search of Van Morrison, p.56
5. ^ Collis. Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, p.122

References

• Brooks, Ken (1999), In Search of Van Morrison, Andover, Hampshire: Agenda, ISBN 1 89988295 2
• Collis, John (1996). Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, Little Brown and Company, ISBN 0-306-80811-0
• Heylin, Clinton (2003), Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, London: Viking, ISBN 0-670-89321-8
• Hinton, Brian (1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison, Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074169X
• Van Morrison Anthology, Los Angeles: Alfred Music Publishing, 1999, ISBN 0-7692-8967-3