"Still I Dream of It" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys that was recorded in early 1977. Written by Brian Wilson, the song was written for Frank Sinatra, but was also intended for Stevie Wonder or Elton John, in case Sinatra would reject it.; YouTube mirror: The band recorded the song for their album Adult/Child, which was never released.
In 1993, the track was released on the box set Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys. A 1976 home demo version of Brian Wilson singing the song and accompanying himself on piano was included on Wilson's 1995 solo album I Just Wasn't Made for These Times.Brian Wilson I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times, MCA Records, Inc., Universal City, CA, 1995, liner notes Both the finished track and the demo were also included on the 2026 box set We Gotta Groove: The Brother Studio Years.
Reception Music journalist Barney Hoskyns called the song's pathos "irresistible."
Personnel Credits sourced from John Brode, Will Crerar, Joshilyn Hoisington, and Craig Slowinski.
The Beach Boys Brian Wilson - lead and backing vocals, grand piano Carl Wilson - backing vocals
Additional musicians
Murray Adler - violin Max Bennett - bass guitar Harry Bluestone - violin Dennis Budimir - electric guitar William Calkins - flute James Decker - French horn Bonnie Douglas - violin Elliott Fisher - violin James Getzoff - violin Igor Horoshevsky - cello Jules Jacob - oboe Raymond Kelley - cello Harry Klee - flute Lou Klass - violin
Alfred Lustgarten - violin Kathleen Lustgarten - cello Arthur Maebe - French horn Ted Nash - flute Earl Palmer - drums Richard Perissi - French horn Nathan Ross - violin Meyer Rubin - arco double bass Josef Schoenbrun - violin Wilbur Schwartz - flute Frederick Seykora - cello Paul Shure - violin Marshall Sosson - violin Robert Stone - arco double bass
Covers The song has been covered by Ed Harcourt and was released as a limited edition single, it is also found on the Elephant's Graveyard a collection of Harcourt's B-sides and rarities. Jimmy Nail, and Carice van Houten have also covered the song. American Let's Player Matt Watson also covered this song.
References