About This Track
“I’m Only Sleeping” is a song by The Beatles that appeared on their studio album Revolver (in the US on the Yesterday and Today album). Though the song-writing credit is Lennon-McCartney, it was written mostly by John Lennon. It is unique because it features a dual guitar solo by George Harrison played backwards and an electronically compressed rhythm guitar track. The solo is consistent with the rest of the song because Harrison took great pains to practice the entire melody of his solo backwards, so that when reversed and mixed in, it would fit the overall dreamlike mood of the rest of the song.
This hazy, disjointed mood on top of the lyrics suggest a drug-induced state rather than actual dreaming, and this is the most widely accepted interpretation of the song. However, the first draft of Lennon’s lyrics for “I’m Only Sleeping”, written on the back of a letter from 1966, suggest that he actually was writing about the joys of staying in bed rather than any drug euphoria. In fact, Lennon loved staying in bed or on a couch, and when he wasn’t sleeping, he would sit in it and read, write, or watch television. In a March 1966 interview with Maureen Cleave, the same interview in which Lennon made his “more popular than Jesus” remark, Cleave said, “He can sleep almost indefinitely, is probably the laziest person in England.”
This hazy, disjointed mood on top of the lyrics suggest a drug-induced state rather than actual dreaming, and this is the most widely accepted interpretation of the song. However, the first draft of Lennon’s lyrics for “I’m Only Sleeping”, written on the back of a letter from 1966, suggest that he actually was writing about the joys of staying in bed rather than any drug euphoria. In fact, Lennon loved staying in bed or on a couch, and when he wasn’t sleeping, he would sit in it and read, write, or watch television. In a March 1966 interview with Maureen Cleave, the same interview in which Lennon made his “more popular than Jesus” remark, Cleave said, “He can sleep almost indefinitely, is probably the laziest person in England.”
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Albums featuring this track
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Revolver
The Beatles
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Yesterday... and Today
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Revolver - Alternative
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Revolver (MFCD Mono Remaster)
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Shouts
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bobbehr wrote:
love the lilting tempo
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theDecapitator wrote:
How could anyone not love this?
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minipunkin101 wrote:
:D
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HoldenMcJai wrote:
Puts me in a good state of mind <3
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pedroyvo wrote:
6 hours listening, without interruption (and couting)
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blazikens wrote:
possibly my theme song every day
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AlCapwnUK wrote:
possibly my favourite beatles song ever
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Luffbucket wrote:
Marvellous song [-) zzz
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kelspooky wrote:
suddenly I feel like sleeping
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MusicxxAddicted wrote:
I want to wake up to this song, and the world would say "just for today, let's all take a break" <3
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vanwyngardens wrote:
this.........song.......man..............k...ill.......me......
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AceOfSpades24 wrote:
Upright bass is so tight.
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pokedex- wrote:
when you think "oh... it's over" then that's where you're wrong lol
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LSharpe wrote:
Love it. <33
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noiresque wrote:
The ideal Sunday morning anthem!
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bernlin2000 wrote:
Such a spaced-out song, love it! Lay down, chill out.
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nathforhalos wrote:
best song ever
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Marguip wrote:
my theme music :D:D:D (2)
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queensixteen wrote:
Dhani Harrison: "I remember saying to my dad: 'The backwards solo guitar on that Hendrix thing is just the stickest thing I ever heard.' Dad just replied, without looking up from his tea: 'I did the first backwards guitar solo on ‘I’m Only Sleeping’.” Oh for the love of God, there aren't enough words to express the awesomeness of the Beatles.
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rockingworld wrote:
This song makes me feel tired 0.0
Track Stats
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