About The Song
“Send Me the Pillow You Dream On” was written by Hank Locklin and first recorded by him in 1949 for 4 Star Records. That original version, sometimes titled with the fuller phrase “Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On,” did not chart. Locklin re-recorded the song after signing with RCA Victor, and the new version was released as a single in December 1957.
The 1957 recording became Locklin’s breakthrough hit. It reached number five on Billboard’s Most Played C&W by Jockeys chart and number seven on the C&W Best Sellers in Stores listing. The single also crossed over to the pop charts, peaking at number 77. The success helped establish Locklin as a consistent presence on country radio in the late 1950s.
The lyric is simple and direct. The singer asks a former partner to send him the pillow she dreams on so that he can share those dreams and keep the memory of their love alive. Locklin’s clear tenor voice and the clean arrangement of the RCA recording gave the song a gentle, memorable quality that suited both country and broader audiences.
By the time of the hit version, Locklin had already spent years performing and recording. The renewed attention from “Send Me the Pillow You Dream On” set the stage for further success, including his later signature hit “Please Help Me, I’m Falling.” The song itself quickly entered the country repertoire and was covered by a wide range of artists.
Notable later versions included recordings by The Browns, Johnny Tillotson (whose 1962 release reached the pop top twenty), and Dean Martin. The composition has remained a standard, appearing in both traditional country and crossover contexts over the decades. Locklin himself returned to the song in later re-recordings, including one for a 1967 album of the same name.
Within Hank Locklin’s career, “Send Me the Pillow You Dream On” stands as an early defining success. Its combination of personal songwriting, strong chart performance, and lasting appeal has kept it among the best-known recordings associated with his name.
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Lyric
Send me the pillow that you dream on
Don’t you know that I still care for you
Send me the pillow that you dream on
So darling, I can dream on it too
Each night while I’m sleeping, oh, so lonely
I share your love in dreams that once were true
Send me the pillow that you dream on
So darling, I can dream on it too
I’ve waited so long for you to write me
But, just the memory’s all that’s left of you
Send me the pillow that you dream on
So darling, I can dream on it too
So darling, I can dream on it too