I’ve always loved this song and I just read in the news that The Beatles released a new video to this song. This song was on what many consider their best album…Revolver.
If you lived in America at the time…you didn’t have this song if you bought Revolver. Capital Records left it off the American version. You would have to buy the album Yesterday and Today to get it
There were a lot of rumors about this song’s origin. Some rumors said it was John’s attack on straight society. It was much more simple than that. Lennon wrote this as a tribute to staying in bed, which he liked to do even when he wasn’t sleeping. He would later write a song titled “I’m So Tired” which resided on the White Album.
Maureen Cleave, the journalist, wrote of John Lennon: “He can sleep almost indefinitely, is probably the laziest person in England.” She went on to clarify that she meant physically lazy, not intellectually lazy.”
The Beatles were experimenting with this album with sound effects and backward guitar and other effects. The yawning effect is a guitar recorded backward. A few seconds before the yawn comes in, you can hear John Lennon say, “Yawn Paul.”
It was conceived by George Harrison in a late-night session, inspired when a studio engineer accidentally flipped a tape…Harrison was amazed at the effect and decided to do it for real. So he wrote down a solo and then played it twice, once forwards and once backward, with fuzz effects on one track.
George Harrison: “We turned the tape over and put it on backwards, and then played some guitar notes to it, just playing little bits, guessing, hoping it fitted in…We were excited to hear what it sounded like, and it was magic.”
Revolver broke recording boundaries and developed processes that are still used today. The bass was one thing to be boosted as in the singles around this time. Paperback Writer and Rain the bass came through like never before.
They toured on this album and it would be their last tour. It was full of tension because of Lennon’s Jesus remarks and they were tired of not being heard. The touring equipment still wasn’t up to where people could hear over the screaming. Our band would play in 200-capacity clubs and we had more powerful equipment than the Beatles did playing in big arenas and sports facilities.
They were well into the beginnings of the studio experimental phase of their career. Therefore, I’m Only Sleeping, along with all of the other material from Revolver, was never performed live, nor could it have been because the technology just wasn’t there at that time to play these songs accurately.
Revolver peaked at #1 in the US, Canada, and the UK in 1966.
Ringo Starr: “I believe we taught George Martin how to keep the tape rolling,” he lost that old attitude that you only press the button when you are going to do the take. We began to have the tape rolling all of the time.”
I’m Only Sleeping
When I wake up early in the morning
Lift my head, I’m still yawning
When I’m in the middle of a dream
Stay in bed, float up stream (float up stream)
Please, don’t wake me
No, don’t shake me
Leave me where I am
I’m only sleeping
Everybody seems to think I’m lazy
I don’t mind, I think they’re crazy
Runnin’ everywhere at such a speed
‘Til they find there’s no need (there’s no need)
Please, don’t spoil my day
I’m miles away
And after all
I’m only sleeping
Keepin’ an eye on the world going by my window
Takin’ my time
Lyin’ there and staring at the ceiling
Waiting for a sleepy feeling
Please, don’t spoil my day
I’m miles away
And after all
I’m only sleeping
Keepin’ an eye on the world going by my window
Takin’ my time
When I wake up early in the morning
Lift my head, I’m still yawning
When I’m in the middle of a dream
Stay in bed, float up stream (float up stream)
Please, don’t wake me
No, don’t shake me
Leave me where I am
I’m only sleeping
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they were such the consummate musicians, who could make the most of anything that happened in the process of making their music.
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I really do like the bass notes on this song, bup, bup, bup and then that whiney guitar that follows. Nice video, thanks for sharing this, Max.
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Amazing they are still reissuing their music. Do you buy this stuff or just stream it as it can get pricey.
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I bought most of it a long long time ago. They still sell…the last I checked… they still sell over a million albums a year. I did get the remixed White Album and I’m getting the new Revolver.
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Like any true fan I think the catch phrase should be “Take my $” lol
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Yep! I should own stock in Apple lol.
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That makes two of us!
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Oh….I meant The beatles Apple Records …sorry! but…yea I the other Apple also lol.
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Thanks for the clarification as I can get on with my day! hahahaha
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Great song. Personally I would buy an entire album of nothing but studio chatter and rehearsals
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If you ever get bored… go on youtube and google ‘rubersoul sessions’ and you will find a 19 minute audio of them laughing and cutting up…it is funny as hell.
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Cool video. They were constantly creative and remarkably productive despite a sleepy John.
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a song I often forget about on that record, but a good one. I’m going to listen to it a bit differently now listening for that backwards masked guitar etc. Amazing how ‘lazy’ John was yet how very much they still got done!
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It’s not a boring song at all but he is very convincing and it makes you want to lay down lol.
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I love this song, because I do enjoy lazing around in bed. It’s kind of mindboggling that Revolver was released in August 1966, but all the songs they played on their tour that summer were from 2-3 years earlier.
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I’m with you on lazing around in bed…. They probably figured that audiences wouldn’t know much difference because it got to that point.
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It just occurred to me that this song could work as a metaphor for that last tour because they were playing the songs that they could play in their sleep.
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You know what? You never know because yea some of those songs they had been playing for years.
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I haven’t listened to this tune in a long, long time. It’s one that I have kind of overlooked–my bad. Now, with a more decerning ear, I can hear those Everly Brothers influenced harmonies with pre-psychedelic folk rock tendencies. Brilliant.
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Suggs of Madness had a uk hit with this in the mid 90s. Its a good version 🙂
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Oh I didn’t know that. I must check that out then…love the name.
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I always thought it sounds very Kinksy. I like that people tried to look for hidden meaning, but it was just about the pleasures of lying in bed…
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Now that you mention it….it does have a Kinks style of writing.
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Thanks for reminding me to watch that cool clip. I received an email notification about it from Beatles.com but had not had a chance to watch it until now. I like the song as well.
In terms of leaps and bounds, I think there’s no question “Revolver” is the most significant album The Beatles. There are so many sound innovations on that record like tape loops, backwards recordings, varispeeding and perhaps, most significantly, artificial double tracking (ADT).
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ADT was huge…all because Lennon was lazy lol…but that saved a hell of a lot of time for them making records….and everyone else.
The new remix of Revolver…the Beatles are using technology that no other band has….Peter Jackson developed a software that can separate instruments and voices on the same track. Right now he only lets the Beatles use it.
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I don’t think I’ve ever heard this song before.
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It’s a good song… a very dreamy one pardon the pun.
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