#9 Dream - John Lennon (1974) 12/13/22

There's a simple reason why John Lennon's "Great Song of 1974" is called "#9 Dream:" It came to him in a dream.

And yet, he claimed there was no special inspiration for it, just the "craftsmanship" of a songwriter writing a song from thin air.

But according to May Pang, his companion at the time, John was extremely proud of the song and it was one of his favorites BECAUSE it was inspired by a dream.

(Note: John had temporarily left Yoko and was living with May at the time. He eventually went back to Yoko--who was with him when he was shot to death in 1980).

Over the years, many people have wanted to know the meaning of the lyric, "Ah! Bowakowa Pousse' Pousse'." May has said that John had no idea, but he liked the sound of it.

Someone who DIDN'T like the sound of it was Al Coury, President of Capitol Records who thought "Pousse''' sounded like a vulgar term for a female body part. He wasn't wrong, but in the end, the spelling of the word saved the song for single release.

And when it WAS released as a single from the album "Walls and Bridges," Billboard Magazine praised the song's production values, while Cashbox loved the subdued instrumentation...and super lyrics.

(Trivia: May Pang sang background on the track.)

Fittingly. #9 Dream went to #9 on Billboard's Hot 100!

In 2007, R.E.M. covered the song on their album, "Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur."

"#9 Dream" by John Lennon: a "Great Song of 1974!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u40JpzAFbc

R.E. M.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0UV7OPdLNg