Kathy McCarty Cover Version of "I Had a Dream" by Daniel Johnston

This is a remarkable, tasteful, and loving rendition of the song I had a dream, by the late Daniel Johnston. Daniel spent his life battling mental illness, yet he attained success in music and art with a dedicated cult fanbase. This song is covered, along with others on the album Dead Dog’s Eyeball, by Kathy McCarty, Daniel’s onetime girlfriend. Kathy’s somewhat jazzy, yet soulful, and bittersweet version of this tune lends itself to playing in a smoky nightclub or on a rainy afternoon with a cup of coffee. Kathy’s voice is beautiful and recognizes the heartache Daniel felt when composing this song. The unrequited love he felt for Laurie Allen, a young, beautiful woman he met in college, inspires this tune, and so many others of Daniel’s. Laurie was a friend, and she married a funeral director and moved away. All of this became grist for Daniel’s songs and artwork. Listen to this song and appreciate its inspiration and enjoy the heartfelt, yet whimsical lyrics. You’ll understand why a person can get close to someone yet still be so far away. This is my new favorite song.