Dear Mr. Fantasy

"Dear Mr. Fantasy"
"Dear Mr. Fantasy"
Song by Traffic
from the album Mr. Fantasy
Released	December 1967
Length	5:44
Label	Island
Composer(s)	Steve Winwood; Chris Wood;
Lyricist(s)	Jim Capaldi
Producer(s)	Jimmy Miller

"Dear Mr. Fantasy" is a rock song by Traffic from their 1967 album, Mr. Fantasy. An extended live version (10:57) of the song also appears on the 1971 Traffic album Welcome to the Canteen. The lyrics were written by Jim Capaldi, while the music was written by Steve Winwood and Chris Wood.^[1]

Steve Winwood played the song at Eric Clapton's 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival and the song appears on the festival DVD. The song was included on the setlist of Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton's joint tour in 2009. A live recording appears on the album Live from Madison Square Garden. Former Traffic member Dave Mason performed the song live and provided the lead vocal, guitar and harmonica.

Cover versions

The song has been covered by the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Big Sugar and by Crosby, Stills, & Nash. ^{[citation needed]} Crosby, Stills, and Nash added two new stanzas to their version's lyrics:

Each time you choose to sing the rock & roll blues,

you take everybody's loneliness with you.

What do you lose each time you face down a room?

All of us see our changes through you.

So sing of the ocean of tears you have sailed,

Strangers and lovers that took you.

All of us sang, and all of us failed.

In one way we don't ever hear you.^{[citation needed]}

The song was performed on throughout the 1980s by the Grateful Dead with keyboardist Brent Mydland on vocals. Phil Lesh and Friends, Gov't Mule and Widespread Panic occasionally cover the song. It also appeared on The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper. American hard rock band Tesla recorded it for the album Real to Reel (2007) and the Chicano rock band Los Lobos has played the song live, segueing into it from one of their own compositions.

Personnel

Steve Winwood – guitar, lead vocal
Dave Mason – bass guitar, harmonica, backing vocal
Chris Wood – organ, backing vocal
Jim Capaldi – drums, backing vocal
Jimmy Miller – maracas

References

^ Black, Johnny (May 1997). Feature: Steve Winwood Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, Mojo.

[1] Black, Johnny (May 1997). Feature: Steve Winwood Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, Mojo.

[1]

v t e Traffic
Steve Winwood Jim Capaldi Chris Wood Dave Mason Ric Grech Jim Gordon Rebop Kwaku Baah Roger Hawkins David Hood Barry Beckett Rosko Gee Randall Bramblett Michael McEvoy Walfredo Reyes Jr.
Studio albums	Mr. Fantasy Traffic Last Exit John Barleycorn Must Die The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory When the Eagle Flies Far from Home
Live albums	Welcome to the Canteen On the Road The Last Great Traffic Jam
Compilations	Best of Traffic Gold
Songs	"Paper Sun" "Hole in My Shoe" "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" "Dear Mr. Fantasy" "40,000 Headmen" "Feelin' Alright?" "John Barleycorn" "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys"
Related articles	Discography Blind Faith Ginger Baker's Air Force
Category

v t e Big Sugar
Gordie Johnson Alex Johnson Ben Richardson Rey Arteaga Chris Colepaugh Terry Wilkins Al Cross Walter Morgan Paul Brennan Mojah Kelly Hoppe Garry Lowe
Studio albums	Big Sugar Five Hundred Pounds Hemi-Vision Heated Brothers and Sisters, Are You Ready? Brothers and Sisters, Êtes Vous Ready? Revolution per Minute
EPs	Dear M.F. Ride Like Hell Chauffe à bloc
Compilations	Hit & Run (Hit)
Singles	"Dear Mr. Fantasy" "Diggin' a Hole" "If I Had My Way" "The Scene" "Better Get Used to It" "Turn the Lights On" "Roads Ahead"
Side projects	Alkaline Grady