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"Day Dream" is a lyrical ballad composed by Billy Strayhorn in 1939, with lyrics by John Latouche. Although Duke Ellington was credited as co-composer on the original release, the piece is generally recognized as Strayhorn's own creation—one of several masterworks he produced during his early years with the Ellington organization.

The tune follows a 32-bar AABA form and was written while Ellington and his orchestra were on a spring 1939 European tour, leaving Strayhorn with nearly seven weeks of creative freedom at his Harlem residence. The A sections feature a languid, sweetly floating melody that perfectly evokes its dreamy title, while the bridge introduces subtle harmonic shifts that add emotional depth. Often performed as an alto saxophone ballad feature at a leisurely tempo of around 72 BPM, the piece reflects Strayhorn's refined harmonic sensibility and classical training, qualities that distinguished his voice within the Ellington canon.

The first recording was made on November 2, 1940, by Johnny Hodges and his ensemble, with Hodges's lush, velvety alto tone providing the ideal vehicle for the composition's tender beauty. The Ellington Orchestra revisited the piece on Duke Ellington Presents... (1956), again featuring Hodges. Among vocal interpretations, Sarah Vaughan's rendition on The Duke Ellington Songbook, Vol. 1 (1979) stands as a particularly celebrated reading.