John O'Dreams although often called a traditional Irish song, was written by Bill Caddick

Bill Caddick

Bill Caddick is an English folk singer-songwriter and guitarist, particularly noted for his songwriting and as a member of the innovative and influential group Home Service.-Career outline:...

, using a tune by Tchaikovsky. The titular central character is equivalent to the Sandman

Sandman (folklore)

The Sandman is a mythical character in Western folklore who brings good dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto the eyes of children while they sleep at night.-Representation in traditional folklore:...

, a fictional character who sends people to sleep. The song portrays all people as being "equal in sleep":

The Prince and the ploughman, the slave and freeman
All find their comfort in old John O'Dreams

Obviously, sleep is also a metaphor for death, both as an eventual equalizer of all things, and for the allusion to a "crossing over," as in a river, a prevalent theme in Western spiritual beliefs.

The most popular arrangements are by English singer/songwriter Bill Caddick. Singers Gordon Bok

Gordon Bok

Gordon Bok is a folklorist and singer/songwriter who grew up in Camden, Maine.-Career:His first album, self-titled, was produced by Noel Paul Stookey and released in 1965 on the Verve Records Folkways imprint...

, Christy Moore

Christy Moore

Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts...

 and Jean Redpath

Jean Redpath

Jean Redpath MBE is a singer of folk songs and Scottish music.Redpath was born in Edinburgh, to musical parents. Her mother knew many Scots songs and passed them on to Jean and her brother; her father played the hammer dulcimer. She was raised in Leven, Fife,Scotland, and later returned to...

 also recorded versions. The enchanting arpeggiated melody is based on Tchaikovsky's

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...

 Symphony No. 6

Symphony No. 6 (Tchaikovsky)

The Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, Pathétique is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's final completed symphony, written between February and the end of August 1893. The composer led the first performance in Saint Petersburg on 16/28 October of that year, nine days before his death...

, "The Pathetique", and is thought to have originated in either a Russian or Italian folksong.

Lyrics

When midnight comes and people homeward tread [Alternate: When midnight comes good people homeward tread]

Seek now your blanket and your feather bed

Home comes the rover, his journey's over [Alternate: Home is the rover, his journey's over]

Yield up the night time to old John O' Dreams

Yield up the night time to old John O' Dreams

Across the hill, the sun has gone astray

Tomorrow's cares are many dreams away

The stars are flying, your candle is dying [Alternate: The stars are flying, the wind is sighing]

Yield up the darkness to old John O' Dreams

Yield up the darkness to old John O' Dreams

Both man and master in the night are one

All things are equal when the day is done

The prince and the ploughman, the slave and the freeman

All find their comfort in old John O' Dreams

All find their comfort in old John O' Dreams

When sleep it comes the dreams come running clear [Alternate: Now lies you sleep the dreams come winging clear]

The hawks of morning cannot reach you here [Alternate: The hawks of morning cannot harm you here]

Sleep is a river, flows on forever

And for your boatman choose old John O' Dreams

And for your boatman choose old John O' Dreams

When midnight comes and people homeward tread [Alternate: When midnight comes good people homeward tread]

Seek now your blanket and your feather bed

Home comes the rover, his journey's over [Alternate: Home is the rover, his journey's over]

Yield up the night time to old John O' Dreams

Yield up the night time to old John O' Dreams