"A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" is a song written and composed by Mack David, Al Hoffman, and Jerry Livingston for the 1950 Disney animated feature film Cinderella.
In the song, Cinderella (Ilene Woods) encourages her animal friends to never give up on their dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem, and that theme continues throughout the entire story.
The song was nominated for AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs, as one of 15 from Disney and one of 17 from an animated movie to be nominated. The ones that eventually made the cut were: "When You Wish Upon A Star" (#7), "Some Day My Prince Will Come" (#19), "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (#36), "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah (#47), "Beauty and the Beast" (#62), and "Hakuna Matata" (#99).
It is also heavily featured in the opening and ending of Ignite the Dream: A Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and Light in Shanghai Disneyland and Disney Illuminations in Disneyland Paris. It was also featured as exit music of Disneyland's fireworks show Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations.
In Disney's Greatest Lullabies Volume 2, the reprise of this song features scenes from Cinderella, Fun and Fancy Free, Fantasia, Mary Poppins, and Wynken, Blynken and Nod.
Summary[]
In the song, Cinderella explains that when someone is asleep, their deepest desires and dreams take over. In this state, one can let go of any heartache they normally face. Dreams are a magical place where anything is possible, and if one believes in their dreams, anything could happen. The feeling of hope is crucial to the song, and it is emphasized that no matter how much your heart is hurting, as long as you keep believing, your dream will come true. The song then moves on to Cinderella's frustration with the clock and orders that are shouted at her on a daily basis. However, despite the daily struggles, she remains hopeful that someday her dreams will become a reality.
Lyrics[]
A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep.
In dreams, you will lose your heartaches,
Whatever you wish for, you keep.
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through.
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish will come true.
(speaking)
Oh, that clock!
Old killjoy.
I hear you! "Come on, get up," you say!
"Time to start another day!"
Even he orders me around.
Well, there's one thing.
They can't order me to stop dreaming.
And perhaps someday...
(continues singing)
The dreams that I wish
Will come true.
(hum verse with birds and mice tweeting and humming along)
La-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
La-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmmm-hmm-hmm-hmm
La-da-la-da-da-da-da-da-dee
Hmm-mm-hm-mm-mm-hmm-hmm-hmm
La-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-dee
La-da-da-da-daaa-da-da-da
Hmm-hmm-hmm-hm-hmm-hmm-hm-hmm
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish
Will come true.
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through.
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish will come true.
When I was a little girl,
My father used to say:
"If trouble ever troubles you,
Just dream your cares away."
A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you’re fast asleep.
In dreams, you will lose your heartaches,
Whatever you wish for you keep.
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through.
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish will come true.
A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep.
In dreams, you will lose your heartaches,
Whatever you wish for, you keep.
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through.
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish will come true.
A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're feeling small.
Alone, in the night you whisper,
Thinking no one can hear you at all.
You wake with the morning sunlight
To find fortune that is smiling on you.
Don't let your heart be filled with sorrow,
For all you know tomorrow,
The dream that you wish will come true.
A dream is a wish your heart makes.
A dream is a wish your heart makes
You wake with the morning sunlight
To find fortune that is smiling on you.
Don't let your heart be filled with sorrow,
For all you know tomorrow,
The dream that you wish will come true.
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish will come true.
(Feel your dream!)
A dream is a wish your heart makes (Yeah!)
When you're fast asleep (In your dreams!)
In dreams, you lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep (Oh! You know you gotta have faith!)
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come shining through (See it shining!)
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
The dream that you wish will come true
(Make your wish!)
(Find your dream! Come on!)
(Make your wish!)
(You gotta dream! Come on!)
So if you have a dream
And believe with all your heart
Then make a wish and watch the magic start
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come shining through
No matter how your heart is grieving (How your heart is grieving!)
If you keep on believing (Just keep on believing!)
The dream that you wish (Yes the dream!)
Whatever you wish (Yes the dream!)
Yes the dream that you wish will come true
(Make your wish!)
(Find your dream!)
(Make your wish!)
(Find your dream!)
A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep
In dreams, you will lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
The dream that you wish will come true
A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep.
In dreams, you will lose your heartaches,
Whatever you wish for, you keep.
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through.
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish will come true.
A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep.
In dreams, you will lose your heartaches,
Whatever you wish for, you keep.
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish will come true.
Other appearances[]
The Mickey Mouse Club (1955)[]
Mickey plays a piano version during his introduction sequence to Tuesday's "Guest Star Day".
Disneyland Hotel[]
The song plays when guests enter their hotel room at the Disneyland Hotel whenever they press a nearby switch when ready to go to sleep that activates the fireworks and the stars below their bed which features the Sleeping Beauty Castle at night.
Cinderella (2015)[]
In this version, it is sung by Lily James, and appears during the end credits of the film.
Twice Charmed[]
The song appears in the Spin-off musical, aboard Disney Cruise Line's Disney Magic, sung by the Company. It serves as the show's finale, as the Prince and Cinderella get remarried.
Steps in Time[]
A Latin jazz version sung by Eden Espinosa served as the opening number in the former Hyperion Theater show, Steps in Time. The song, including multiple remixes, has found life in countless Disney events thereafter. It was featured at the grand opening of the Magical Moments Festival, as well as Disneyland's Grad Nite 2006-2009 and California Adventure's New Years Celebration 2006-2009. Alternative tracks without Eden's vocals also showed up at the 2015 Walt Disney Legacy Awards and the finale of Mickey's Showtime.
A pop arrangement was used for Grad Nite 2010, as well as Disneyland's 56th through 59th birthday celebrations. A rock arrangement has been used at Disneyland's Grad Nite from 2011 and California Adventure's Grad Nite 2013 up to the present, though it is usually played in part. Lastly, the Disneyland All-American College Band has performed an instrumental version every summer from 2007 to 2018.
Mickey Mouse[]
Mickey and Minnie sang this song while Mickey was dreaming in the episode, The Perfect Dream.
Disney Legends 2011 Ceremony[]
Jodi Benson, Paige O'Hara, Anika Noni Rose, and Lea Salonga sang the song together during the ceremony.
Sneakerella[]
El and Kira sang this song in a dream sequence at the gala at King6.
Choo-Choo Soul with Genevieve[]
In 2012, in one episode of season 2 of Choo-Choo Soul (titled "Choo-Choo Soul: Disney Favorites), Genevieve Goings sings a reimagined version of this song.
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- Ilene Woods suffered from Alzheimer's disease during the final years of her life. Eventually, the disease affected her memory to the point that she no longer remembered playing Cinderella, but nurses claimed she found listening to "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" very comforting, so they played it for her as often as possible.
External links[]
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