Number 9 Dream
| "#9 Dream" | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by John Lennon | ||||||||||||
| from the album Walls and Bridges | ||||||||||||
| B-side | "What You Got" | |||||||||||
| Released | 16 December 1974 | |||||||||||
| Format | 7" | |||||||||||
| Recorded | June–July 1974 | |||||||||||
| Genre | Psychedelic pop | |||||||||||
| Length | 4:44 | |||||||||||
| Label | Apple | |||||||||||
| Writer(s) | John Lennon | |||||||||||
| Producer(s) | John Lennon | |||||||||||
| John Lennon singles chronology | ||||||||||||
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| "#9 Dream" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by R.E.M. | ||||
| from the album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur | ||||
| Released | May 2007 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 4:39 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| R.E.M. singles chronology | ||||
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"#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]
Content
Lennon liked the string arrangement he wrote for Harry Nilsson's rendition of "Many Rivers to Cross" from the album Pussy Cats so much that he decided to incorporate it into the song.
The backing vocal is provided by May Pang, Lennon's partner at the time. According to 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.[2] Lennon wrote and arranged the song around his dream, hence the title and atmospheric, dreamlike feel, including the use of cellos in the chorus.
Personnel
The musicians who performed on the original recording were as follows:[3]
- 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
Reception
It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 10 on the Cashbox Top 100 in the US.[4] It also charted at number 23 on the UK singles chart.
Legacy
R.E.M. covered this song and released it as a single from the 2007 benefit album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. Norwegian band a-ha recorded another version which appears on the international version of the same album.
British novelist David Mitchell titled his second novel number9dream in homage to Lennon.
Andrea Corr covered this song on her 2011 album, Lifelines.
José González covered this song on the movie soundtrack for The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (2013).[5]
Notes
- ↑ Kane, Larry (2007). Lennon Revealed (1st pbk. ed. 2007. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Running Press. p. 88. ISBN 9780762434046.
- ↑ About the Author (1999-02-22). "FAQ | May Pang's Official Website". Maypang.com.
- ↑ Blaney, John (2005). John Lennon: Listen To This Book. Guildford, Great Britain: Biddles Ltd. p. 147. ISBN 0-9544528-1-X.
- ↑ Blaney, John (2005). John Lennon: Listen to This Book (illustrated ed.). [S.l.]: Paper Jukebox. p. 326. ISBN 978-0-9544528-1-0.
- ↑ http://www.stereogum.com/1599751/jose-gonzalez-9-dream-step-out/mp3s/
External links
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