I'm Only Sleeping

** A TOP TEN FAVORITE **

Album: Revolver

Year: 1966

Written by: Lennon & McCartney

♥ October 9th is John Lennon's Birthday! ♥
My favorite Beatle would have been 73 years old this week, so in honor of his special day, I have chosen one of my favorite John Lennon songs to share with you. Enjoy!

John Lennon loved to sleep! He loved it so much that he wrote four songs with a sleepy theme while he was a Beatle. I'm Only Sleeping is not only my favorite of these sleepy songs (with I'm So Tired coming in a close second), it is one of my Top Ten favorite Beatles songs of all time!

By the Spring of 1966, when The Beatles recorded their seventh album, Revolver, the band members began to enjoy experimenting with different, often weird sounds in the studio. I'm Only Sleeping features a really cool new sound: George plays the guitar backwards! Actually, he plays two guitars that are recorded together–one is a regular electric guitar and the other has a fuzz effect. This weird sound gives the song a very dreamy feel. You can hear the guitar in the background throughout the song, but it's really obvious in the solo in the middle and at the very end.

John does the sleepy lead vocal, with Paul singing harmony. The background vocals (the "oohs") are done by John, Paul and George. Who does the yawn at 2:01 is uncertain, but most people think it's Paul because if you listen very closely at 1:57, you can hear John say, "Yawn, Paul."