All I Have to Do Is Dream

The best-known version was recorded by The Everly Brothers[2] at RCA Studio Nashville and released as a single in April 1958. It had been recorded by The Everly Brothers live in just two takes[4] on March 6, 1958, and features Chet Atkins on guitar. It was the only single ever to be at No. 1 on all of the Billboard singles charts simultaneously, on June 2, 1958. It first reached No. 1 on the "Most played by Jockeys" and "Top 100" charts on May 19, 1958,[5] and remained there for five and three weeks, respectively; with the August 1958 introduction of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the song ended the year at No. 2. "All I Have to Do Is Dream" also hit No.1 on the R&B chart[6] as well as becoming The Everly Brothers' third chart topper on the country chart.[7] The Everly Brothers briefly returned to the Hot 100 in 1961 with this song.

Outside the United States, "All I Have to Do Is Dream" saw massive success in various countries, most notably the United Kingdom, where it topped the UK's New Musical Express chart in June 1958 and remained there for seven weeks (including one week as a joint number one with Vic Damone's "On the Street Where You Live"), spending 21 weeks on the chart in Britain.[8][9] The song has also featured on several notable lists of the best songs or singles of all time, including British music magazine Q's 1001 best songs ever in 2003.

It was named one of the "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll" by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2004.

The B-side, "Claudette", was the first major song writing success for Roy Orbison (who also recorded his own version of the song) and was named after his first wife.[10] As a result of this success Orbison terminated his contract with Sun Records and affiliated himself with the Everly's publisher, Acuff-Rose Music.

The Everly Brothers' version of "All I Have to Do Is Dream" is featured rather prominently in the 2001 film Riding in Cars with Boys: first the original recording is heard when the father (James Woods) is driving his young daughter (Mika Boorem), who is singing along; at the end of the film the father and the daughter (Drew Barrymore) jointly are singing their beloved oldie whilst huddling together and reminiscing.

Richard Chamberlain covered the song on his 1962 album Richard Chamberlain Sings. Released as a single in 1963, it peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart,[12] and No. 6 on Billboard's Middle-Road Singles chart.[13]

Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell released a duet version in 1969. Their version reached No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100,[14] No. 6 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart,[15] No. 4 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart,[16] No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart,[9] No. 6 in Sweden (Radio Sweden),[17] and No. 3 in South Africa (Springbok Radio).[18]

Donny Osmond's cover version appeared on his 1972 album Portrait of Donny.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's version, from their 1975 album Symphonion Dream, reached No. 66 on the Billboard Hot 100,[19] No. 30 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart,[20] and No. 79 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.[21]

Juice Newton's cover version appeared on her breakout album, Juice, in 1981.

R.E.M. contributed their rendition titled "(All I've Got To Do Is) Dream" to the Athens, GA: Inside/Out soundtrack in 1987.[22][23]

British singer Cliff Richard, singing with Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers, recorded a version of the song. The version peaked at No. 14 on the UK Singles Chart in 1994.[9]

At the 1994 AFI Life Achievement Award, which was honored to Jack Nicholson, Harry Dean Stanton and Art Garfunkel made a rendition of the song for Jack.[24]

Cat Power released a version in 2006 that was later used in an EasyJet advert in 2018.

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics