Number 9 Dream
| "Number 9 Dream" | |
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| Song | |
| B-side | "What You Got" |
| "Number 9 Dream" | |
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| Song |
"#9 Dream" is a song written by John Lennon and first issued on his 1974 album Walls and Bridges. It was released as the second single from that album months later, on Apple Records catalogue Apple 1878 in the United States and Apple R6003 in the United Kingdom. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 23 on the British singles chart. A video for the song was made in 2003.[1]
Background
"#9 Dream" came to Lennon in a dream. Lennon has said that the song was just "churned out" with "no inspiration."[2]
That's what I call craftsmanship writing, meaning, you know, I just churned that out. I'm not putting it down, it's just what it is, but I just sat down and wrote it, you know, with no real inspiration, based on a dream I'd had.
— John Lennon, 1980, BBC[2]
According to May Pang's website, two working titles for the song were "So Long Ago" and "Walls & Bridges". Pang also states that the phrase repeated in the chorus, "Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé", came to Lennon in a dream and has no specific meaning.[3] Pang added that Al Coury of Capitol Records initially protested against the use of the word "pussy" in the chorus, but after Lori Burton, the wife of studio engineer Roy Cicala, suggested that it should be sung as "poussé," as if in a foreign language, the lyrics were kept.[2]
The song was notable as a favourite of Lennon's, despite his later claim that the song was a "throwaway."[2] Pang said on the matter, "This was one of John's favourite songs, because it literally came to him in a dream. He woke up and wrote down those words along with the melody. He had no idea what it meant, but he thought it sounded beautiful."[2]
Content
Lennon liked the string arrangement he wrote for Harry Nilsson's rendition of "Many Rivers to Cross," originally by Jimmy Cliff, from the album Pussy Cats so much that he decided to incorporate it into the song.[2]
The backing vocal is provided by May Pang, Lennon's partner at the time. Lennon wrote and arranged the song around his dream, hence the title and atmospheric, dreamlike feel, including the use of cellos in the chorus. The song is also much more heavily produced than most songs that Lennon produced.[2]
Reception
It peaked, coincidentally, at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, also peaking at number 10 on the Cashbox Top 100 in the US.[4] It also charted at number 23 on the UK Singles Chart and number 35 in Canada.
Chart performance
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Personnel
The musicians who performed on the original recording were as follows:[8]
- John Lennon – vocals, acoustic guitar
- The 44th Street Fairies: Lennon, May Pang, Lori Burton, Joey Dambra – backing vocals
- Ken Ascher – clavinet
- Jesse Ed Davis – guitar
- Nicky Hopkins – electric piano
- Arthur Jenkins – percussion
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Bobby Keys – saxophone
- Eddie Mottau – acoustic guitar
- Klaus Voormann – bass guitar
Legacy
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2011) |
- R.E.M. covered the song and released it as a single from the 2007 benefit album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. The cover featured founding drummer Bill Berry, his only recording with R.E.M. between his 1997 retirement and the band's 2011 disbandment.[9] The international version of the Instant Karma! record features a second cover of the song, by Norwegian band a-ha.
- British novelist David Mitchell titled his second novel number9dream in homage to Lennon.
- Andrea Corr covered this song on her 2011 album, Lifelines.
- Bill Frisell included "Number 9 Dream" on his 2011 Lennon-McCartney tribute album, All We Are Saying.[10]
- José González covered this song on the movie soundtrack for The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (2013).[11]
References
- ^ Kane, Larry (2007). Lennon Revealed (1st pbk. ed. 2007. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Running Press. p. 88. ISBN 9780762434046.
- ^ a b c d e f g "#9 Dream". Beatles Bible.
- ^ "FAQ | May Pang's Official Website". Maypang.com. 22 February 1999.
- ^ a b Blaney, John (2005). John Lennon: Listen to This Book (illustrated ed.). [S.l.]: Paper Jukebox. p. 326. ISBN 978-0-9544528-1-0.
- ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 – ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- ^ Steffen Hung. "John Lennon – #9 Dream". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
- ^ Blaney, John (2005). John Lennon: Listen To This Book. Guildford, Great Britain: Biddles Ltd. p. 147. ISBN 0-9544528-1-X.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan (12 March 2007). "Original R.E.M. Quartet Covers Lennon For Charity". Billboard. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
- ^ Steffen Hung (30 September 2011). "Bill Frisell – Number 9 Dream". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
- ^ "José González – "#9 Dream" & "Step Out"". Stereogum. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
