‘DREAM’ ON: Various takes on that WESB sign-off:

Gus Gocella writes, “WESB used to sign off with ‘Dreamdust’ and
it was by Hoagie Carmichael. I loved to go to sleep listening to
it. But the last song played every night was ‘The Star Spangled
Banner’ prior to signing off.”

Cary Kaber adds, “I really remember that program — it was the
last program on at night on WESB 1490. It come on at 11:30 to
midnight and they played very nice love songs. The last song that
they played was, ‘I see you in my Dreams.’”

Lou Stewart of Clayton, N.C., writes: “The program was called
‘Dream Dust.’ It came on week nights after the last news cast. It
usually started about 11:15 p.m. and ran ’til sign-off at midnight.
They played some real soothing music. The theme song I believe was
a piano piece played by Frankie Carl (not sure I’ve spelled his
name correctly). It sure brings back good memories.”

Meanwhile, John Carson of Bradford gets the award for
thoroughness. He writes, “… the title of the song they played as a
sign-off song on WESB in the fifties and early sixties was ‘Dream.’
It was the last song played on a show called ‘Dreamdust’ which
aired from 11:15 to 11:30 nightly after the 11 o’clock news. It was
not ‘Stardust’ which is a classic Hoagie Carmichael song from the
forties.”

“It just came to me today. Been thinking about it for a week or
so,” John adds, even sending along some of the lyrics to the Johnny
Mercer song, “Dream”:

“Dream, when you’re feeling blue

Dream, that’s the thing to do

Just watch the smoke rings rise in the air

You’ll find your share of memories there.

“So dream, when the day is through

Dream, and they might come true

Things never are as bad as they seem

So dream, dream dream.”

CENSUS NOTE: Keith Lounsberry drops us a line: “A blast from the
past — in an April 1970 ‘Ideas for Better Living,’ a news brochure
put out by the former Bradford National Bank, goes like this: “I
hate to think how the census will come out if totals are figured
like the national budget.” ’ ”