Number 9 Dream

The correct title of this article is #9 Dream. The substitution or omission of the # sign is because of technical restrictions.

"#9 Dream"
Single by John Lennon
from the album Walls and Bridges
B-side	"What You Got"
Released	16 December 1974 (US) 31 January 1975 (UK)
Format	7"
Recorded	June-July 1974
Genre	Psychedelic rock
Length	4:44
Label	Apple
Writer(s)	John Lennon
Producer	John Lennon
John Lennon singles chronology
"Whatever Gets You thru the Night" (1974) "#9 Dream" (1975) "Stand by Me" (1975)
Walls and Bridges track listing 12 tracks Side one "Going Down on Love" "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" "Old Dirt Road" "What You Got" "Bless You" "Scared" Side two "#9 Dream" "Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)" "Steel and Glass" "Beef Jerky" "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out)" "Ya Ya"

"#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
"Wanderlust" (2005) "#9 Dream" (2007) "Supernatural Superserious" (2008)

"#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 #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #23 on the British singles chart.

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.^[1] 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:^[2]

• 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 US singles chart and 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.

Notes

1. ^ http://maypang.com/?page_id=6
2. ^ Blaney, John (2005). John Lennon: Listen To This Book. Guildford, Great Britain: Biddles Ltd.. p. 147. ISBN 0-9544528-1-X.