"Darn That Dream" is a popular song composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Eddie DeLange. It was published in 1939 and ranked No. 1 in 1940 when a recording was released by Benny Goodman in an arrangement by Eddie Sauter with Mildred Bailey singing the vocal.^[1] Other popular recordings in 1940 were by Blue Barron & His Orchestra (vocal by Russ Carlyle) (#14 in Billboard charts) and by Tommy Dorsey (vocal by Anita Boyer) (#16 in Billboard charts).^[2]

The song was introduced in the Broadway musical Swingin' the Dream, a variation on A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare set in New Orleans in 1890. The musical opened at Center Theatre in November 1939 and closed after 13 performances.^[3]

Other versions

• Tony Bennett – for his album Cloud 7 (1955).^[4]
• Jane Ira Bloom – Sixteen Sunsets (2013)^[5]
• Petula Clark – Petula Clark in Hollywood (1959).^[6]
• Miles Davis – Birth of the Cool (1950)^[7]
• Doris Day – a single release for Columbia Records (catalog No. 38887) in 1950.^[8]
• Michael Feinstein – Romance on Film, Romance on Broadway (2000).^[9]
• Ella Fitzgerald – Ella Swings Gently with Nelson (1961).^[10]
• Dexter Gordon – Daddy Plays the Horn (1955)^[7]
• Lars Gullin – Lars Gullin Quartet (1960).^[11]
• Billie Holiday – Body and Soul (1957).^[12]
• Lena Horne – Lena on the Blue Side (1962).^[13]
• Ahmad Jamal – Ahmad Jamal Plays (1955) rereleased as Chamber Music of the New Jazz (1956)^[7]
• Stan Kenton – Sophisticated Approach (1961)^[7]
• Tina May – Fun (1993)^[14]
• Thelonious Monk – The Unique Thelonious Monk (1956).^[15]
• Patti Page – You Go to My Head (1956).^[16]
• Maxine Sullivan – Close as Pages in a Book (1970).^[17]
• Sarah Vaughan – No Count Sarah (1959).^[18]
• Dinah Washington – Dinah Jams (1954).^[19]
• Nancy Wilson – But Beautiful (1971).^[20]