Dear Mr. Fantasy
Encyclopedia
"Dear Mr. Fantasy" is a rock
song by Traffic
from their 1967 album, Mr. Fantasy
. An extended live version (10:57) of the song also appears on the 1971 Traffic album Welcome to the Canteen
. The lyrics were written by Jim Capaldi
, while the music was written by Steve Winwood
and Chris Wood
.
The song has been covered by The Grateful Dead, Big Sugar
, Jimi Hendrix
and by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
. Crosby, Stills, and Nash added two new verses to the lyrics:
The song was on the setlist of Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton
's joint tour in 2009. A live recording appears on the album Live from Madison Square Garden.
In addition the song was performed on multiple occasions throughout the 80s by the Grateful Dead
with keyboardist Brent Mydland
on vocals. Phish
, Gov't Mule
and Widespread Panic
occasionally cover the song. It also appeared on The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper
in 1969, where its chord progression morphed into "Hey Jude
".
The song was covered by the American rock
band Tesla
on the album Real to Reel (2007).
The Chicano rock band Los Lobos
has played the song live, segueing into it from one of their own compositions.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
song by Traffic
Traffic (band)
Traffic were an English rock band whose members came from the West Midlands. The group formed in April 1967 by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason...
from their 1967 album, Mr. Fantasy
Mr. Fantasy
-Original US album :# "Paper Sun" – 3:26# "Dealer" – 3:13# "Coloured Rain" – 2:46# "Hole in My Shoe" – 3:04# "No Face, No Name, No Number" – 3:38...
. An extended live version (10:57) of the song also appears on the 1971 Traffic album Welcome to the Canteen
Welcome to the Canteen
Welcome to the Canteen is the fifth album by English rock band Traffic. It was recorded live at Fairfield Halls, Croydon and the Oz Benefit Concert, London, July 1971 and released in September of that year...
. The lyrics were written by Jim Capaldi
Jim Capaldi
Nicola James "Jim" Capaldi was an English musician and songwriter. His musical career lasted more than four decades. He co-founded Traffic in Birmingham with Steve Winwood, and the band's psychedelic rock was influential in Britain and the United States...
, while the music was written by Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
and Chris Wood
Chris Wood (rock musician)
Christopher Gordon Blandford 'Chris' Wood was a founding member of the English rock band Traffic, along with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Dave Mason....
.
The song has been covered by The Grateful Dead, Big Sugar
Big Sugar
Big Sugar is a Canadian blues-rock band, they were active from 1991 to 2004 and again since April 2010. The band has sold more than half a million albums in Canada.-History:...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young)
Crosby, Stills & Nash is a folk rock supergroup made up of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, also known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young when joined by occasional fourth member Neil Young...
. Crosby, Stills, and Nash added two new verses to the lyrics:
- Each time you choose to sing the rock & roll blues,
- you take everybody's loneliness with you.
- What do you lose each time you face down a room?
- All of us see our changes through you.
- So sing of the ocean of tears you have sailed,
- Strangers and lovers that took you.
- All of us sang, and all of us failed.
- In one way we don't ever hear you.
The song was on the setlist of Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
's joint tour in 2009. A live recording appears on the album Live from Madison Square Garden.
In addition the song was performed on multiple occasions throughout the 80s by the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
with keyboardist Brent Mydland
Brent Mydland
Brent Mydland was the fourth keyboardist to play for the American rock band the Grateful Dead. He was with the band for eleven years, longer than any other keyboardist.- Early life :...
on vocals. Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
, Gov't Mule
Gov't Mule
Gov't Mule is a Southern rock jam band formed in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project by Warren Haynes and Allen Woody.The band released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995...
and Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
occasionally cover the song. It also appeared on The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper
The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper
Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper is a double album documenting performances from two of blues-rock's most notable American musicians of the late 1960s...
in 1969, where its chord progression morphed into "Hey Jude
Hey Jude
"Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The ballad evolved from "Hey Jules", a song widely accepted as being written to comfort John Lennon's son, Julian, during his parents' divorce—although this explanation is not...
".
The song was covered by the American rock
American rock
American rock is rock music from the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and country music, and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music. The creation of American rock music was highly influenced by the British Invasion of the American pop...
band Tesla
Tesla (band)
Tesla is an American hard rock band formed in Sacramento, California in 1984. They have sold 14 million albums in the United States.-Formation and Mechanical Resonance :...
on the album Real to Reel (2007).
The Chicano rock band Los Lobos
Los Lobos
Los Lobos are a multiple Grammy Award–winning American Chicano rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as cumbia, boleros and norteños.-History:The...
has played the song live, segueing into it from one of their own compositions.
External links
- Steve Winwood new CD and tour, news.jamradio.org, March 25, 2008, Retrieved March 26, 2008