Ed McCurdy: Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream
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I think it’s fair to say that everything Dr Martin Luther King did in his public life was for the cause of peace. So, for me, the week had to begin with Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream. I first heard the song at the peace demonstrations of the 1960s, performed by the likes of Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and The Kingston Trio, to name a few. So Iwas surprised to learn that the song dates from 1950, and was not written by any of the artists I associate it with. Strangest Dream is by Ed McCurdy. Music at peace demonstrations was provided a sense of solidarity, and helped break up the string of speeches. But Strangest Dream is also the earliest song I can remember noticing for the quality of the songwriting. From the first time I heard it, the song has always planted pictures in mind.