Songfacts®:

• Written by Ray Davies of The Kinks, this ballad was originally recorded by Peggy Lee on her 1965 album Then Was Then - Now Is Now!. Davies didn't write many songs that weren't specifically for The Kinks, but this one was widely covered, with popular versions by Cher and The Pretenders. The only charting version was by The Pretenders, who took it to #7 in the UK.
• Ray Davies wrote this in 1965 when he was waiting for his wife Rasa to give birth to his daughter. Dads weren't allowed in the hospital, so he passed the time by writing this lullaby for his baby girl. He made a quick demo of the song and his publisher sent it to Peggy Lee (one of Ray's favorite singers) before The Kinks set off for an American tour. Lee liked the song and recorded it with an orchestra conducted by Sid Feller.
• The Pretenders recorded this when their lead singer Chrissie Hynde was romantically involved with Ray Davies - they had a daughter together and according to various media outlets, they tried to get married in 1982 but were turned away by the registrar because they were arguing too much. According to The Independent, Hynde hadn't heard Peggy Lee or Cher's version of the song when she recorded it.
  
  Said Hynde: "The song publishers for about the first three Kinks albums sent me a cassette of a demo made by Ray Davies in 1965, with him playing piano. The Kinks never recorded it. It's a perfect song and I was delighted to have access to it. I was just hoping they wouldn't be offended."
• Films to use this song include 2002's Sweet Sixteen and the 2000 documentary The Pretenders: Greatest Hits. TV series to use this song include 2009's Dollhouse and a 2005 episode of Dancing with the Stars.
• This song was covered by The Applejacks as well as Cher, both in 1965. The Applejacks were a UK pop group who were almost unknown in the US, but had some moderate chart hits in the UK - including a cover of "Chim Chim Cher-ee" from the Disney film Mary Poppins.
• Mary Wells wanted to record this. Ray Davies recalled to Q magazine: "After her big hit, 'My Guy,' she came to my hotel in New York [ grins], wearing this lovely leather cap, nice coat. She really wanted I Go To Sleep but I said, 'It's not bouncy enough for you, I'll write you a real Motown song.' Sadly, I never did."