Published 1951 Composer(s) Richard Rodgers | Writer(s) Oscar Hammerstein II | |
"I Have Dreamed" is a show tune from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I. In the original Broadway production it was sung by Doretta Morrow and Larry Douglas. It has since become a standard, with many artists recording the song. The tune has been accused of similarities to Alfred Newman's track, "The Hill of the Brilliant Green Jade", from the 1944 film The Keys of the Kingdom starring Gregory Peck, though only seven notes are the same.
In the show, the characters of Lun Tha and Tuptim sing of how they have dreamt of their true love blossoming, as they prepare to escape from the King's palace. This is in contrast to the subdued mood of the song "We Kiss in a Shadow", when they fear that the King would know about their love.
"I Have Dreamed" was added to the score of The King and I during its out-of-town tryout run. The song was recorded for the soundtrack of the 1956 film version of The King and I but ultimately no footage was shot to feature "I Have Dreamed," with the song being featured in the film only in the incidental music prior to the "We Kiss in a Shadow" sequence. However "I Have Dreamed" is featured on the movie soundtrack album.