Bruce’s connection with Dion DiMucci goes way back to 1975 (even further if you count a second-degree association between Dion and Steve Van Zandt when Steve and The Dovells backed Dion in a 1972 show in Miami), and Bruce has called Dion “the link between Sinatra and rock and roll.”
The two have performed together on stage in every decade since the 1970s, so it was perhaps only a matter of time before Dion tried his hand at covering one or two of Bruce’s songs.
Dion first covered Bruce in 1992 in a doo-wop version of Bruce’s 1992 standard “If I Should Fall Behind.” His second cover came eight years later on his Deja Nu album, with a loving reading of his former cover’s album-mate, “Book of Dreams.”
In a 2000 NPR interview, Dion explained why “Book of Dreams” was so special to him:
Let’s take a listen to Dion’s lovely version of “Book of Dreams.” It’s both faithful to the album version yet distinctly Dion. I have to imagine Bruce strongly approves.
At the end of If I should fall behind Bruce calls Dion King of NY, did Bruce ever cover Dion’s King of the NY Streets?
Not that I’m aware of, sadly.