Tell Me a Bedtime Story is a mellow jazz piece written and performed by Herbie Hancock. It appears on his 1969 album Fat Albert Rotunda, with the track first released in June 1970. The tune is inspired by the idea of a mother reading a bedtime tale to a child, aiming to lull the listener into a relaxed state. It features a small ensemble including Joe Henderson on tenor sax, with Hancock on piano and electric piano, and players such as Albert Heath, Billy Hart, Buster Williams, Garnett Brown and John Coles. The genre is jazz with a lyrical, lullaby-like groove, and critics have noted its potential as a jazz standard. The track runs about 5 minutes on the Fat Albert Rotunda album. Many artists have covered Tell Me a Bedtime Story, contributing to its status as a notable tune in Hancock’s catalog.
