"Daydream Believer" is a song composed by John Stewart shortly before he left the Kingston Trio. The song was originally recorded by The Monkees, with Davy Jones singing lead vocals. The single hit the number one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1967, remaining there for four weeks, and peaked at number five in the UK Singles Chart. It was The Monkees's last number one hit in the U.S. According to the United World Chart it is the 79th most successful single of all time. [1]
The Monkees
Producer Chip Douglas introduced The Monkees to the song. It was recorded during the sessions for their 1967 album Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. but was ultimately included on their 1968 album The Birds, The Bees & the Monkees. All four Monkees appear on the track, with Michael Nesmith on lead guitar, Peter Tork on piano (he also came up with the arrangement), and Micky Dolenz on backing vocals. Davy Jones wasn't sure of the song's potential at first, and admitted later that he'd recorded the vocal with a hint of annoyance at the ongoing takes.[2] His feelings changed when the song became a hit.
John Stewart's original lyrics in the second stanza were "You once thought of me as a white knight on a steed, Now you know how funky I can be". When the Monkees recorded the song, "funky" was changed to "happy", removing any sense of contrast or meaning to the lyric.
Probably the most famous part of the song is the humorous opening:
-
- Chip Douglas: "7A" (referring to the take of the song)
- Davy Jones: "What number is this, Chip?"
- Chip Douglas and others (annoyed): "7A!"
- Davy Jones: "Okay. I mean, don't get excited, man. Just 'cause I'm short, I know."
In 1986, three of the four Monkees (Dolenz, Jones, and Tork) mounted a successful reunion tour and had a major hit with the newly recorded "That Was Then, This Is Now." Arista Records, who owned the Monkees' masters at the time, re-released "Daydream Believer" as a followup single, re-mixed with a heavier drum track by Michael Lloyd (who had produced "That Was Then, This Was Now"). The re-released single was a minor hit the second time out, garnering some brief airplay on Top 40 radio stations of the day.
Cover versions
Numerous other artists have covered the song:
- John Stewart himself recorded the song on his solo album Airdream Believer. He also included it in live performances right up to his death.
- The Timers, a Japanese rock band led by singer-songwriter Kiyoshiro Imawano, covered the song in 1989. Their version sung in Japanese gained huge commercial success, reaching number-two on that country's charts.
- A version of the song performed by Mary Beth Maziarz can be found on the second Dawson's Creek soundtrack, Songs From Dawson's Creek Volume 2, as well as on Mary Beth Maziarz's CD A More Perfect World. This version of the song was played three times on the WB teen drama: in episodes #3-19 "Stolen Kisses," #4-23 "Coda," and #5-01 "The Bostonians." It is a favorite especially of Dawson and Joey fans, or "DJers." (In #3-19 "Stolen Kisses" the Monkees version of the song is also used in a karaoke duet between Dawson and Joey.)
- Verbal Warning currently performs a punked-up version of the song in their live set.
- U2 have performed this song live.
- Lee Mead performed the song on the BBC television series Any Dream Will Do.
- On the 3rd season of America's Got Talent, contestants The Wright Kids performed a shorter version of "Daydream Believer".
Other uses
The Monkees version of the song has been used in an advertising campaign for eBay which began in 2005. Alluding to a line from the song's chorus, "Oh, what can it mean ...", the campaign features the slogan, "Whatever it is, you can get it on eBay." [1].
A change in lyrics has also made it usable in an advertisement for Evergreen liquid grass feed, around 30 seconds long, shown around early 2006.
In late 2005, the Finnish national railway company VR Group also used the song in their advertising campaign with Finnish lyrics.
The song has become widely used by English football fans, who substitute their own lyrics -- for instance, "Cheer Up Peter Reid" during Sunderland's 1996 promotion season, which even entered the top 40. It may also be used in a derogatory manner against opposition teams. In Northern Ireland the song is frequently used by Glentoran and Linfield fans both with derogatory lyrics. It is also used by Swansea City fans towards their rivals Cardiff City. The Swans' current version is ironically directed towards the Cardiff manager "Davey Jones".
The first verse of the song was used as a chant on the cartoon The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy to summon a "giant" snake to destroy gym class.
Part of the song has also been used on a recent Dominick's commercial starting with the chorus and by Vons supermarket.
Daydream Believer was played in an episode of the animated television program The Oblongs, episode Disfigured Debbie.
Chart positions
The Monkees version
| Chart (1967) |
Peak
position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 |
1 |
| Irish Singles Chart |
1 |
| Norwegian VG-lista Singles Chart [3] |
2 |
| Japanese Oricon Singles Chart[4] |
4 |
| Austrian Singles Chart [3] |
7 |
| Swiss Singles Chart [3] |
10 |
|
| Chart (1981) |
Peak
position |
| Japanese Oricon Singles Chart[5] |
29 |
|
Anne Murray version
| Chart (1980) |
Peak
position |
| U.S. Billboard AC |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Country |
3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 |
12 |
|
The Timers version
| Chart (1989) |
Peak
position |
| Japanese Oricon Singles Chart[6] |
2 |
|
References
- ^ http://www.mediatraffic.de/alltime-track-chart.htm
- ^ "You can tell from the vocal that I was pissed off!" Davy Jones, The Monkees Tale, Last Gasp Press, 1986
- ^ a b c norwegiancharts.com The Monkees - Daydream Believer
- ^ List of best-selling singles on the Japanese Oricon international charts (1968-2004)
- ^ Japan's Oricon Year-End International Singles Charts of 1981
- ^ Japan's Oricon Year-End Singles Charts of 1989
External links
|
