Big band singers of the 1940s had such pure, vibrant voices, and Helen Forrest was one of the best. She was a female lead vocalist for such famous big bands as the Artie Shaw Orchestra, the Benny Goodman Orchestra, and the Harry James Orchestra. She and Harry James worked particularly well together, as he often arranged his music around her voice. She recorded many of her most popular songs with him, including “I Had the Craziest Dream.” The song appeared in the 1942 movie Springtime in the Rockies, starring Betty Grable. Helen’s powerful performance of the song made it an obvious choice for Songbird.

Go back in time now with “I Had the Craziest Dream” as performed by Helen Forrest with the Harry James Orchestra. Listen with the link above!

“I had the craziest dream last……night.” She smiled, pleased with her timing. “I never dreamt it could be. Yet there you were in love with me.”

Songbird, Chapter 19