Dreaming from the Waist

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"Dreaming from the Waist"
Single by The Who
from the album The Who by Numbers
A-side"Slip Kid" (US)
Released7 August 1976 (US only)
GenreRock
Length4:09
LabelPolydor/MCA
Songwriter(s)Pete Townshend
Producer(s)Glyn Johns
The Who singles chronology
"Squeeze Box"
(1975)
"Slip Kid" / "Dreaming from the Waist"
(1976)
"Who Are You"
(1978)
The Who by Numbers track listing
10 tracks
Side one
  1. "Slip Kid"
  2. "However Much I Booze"
  3. "Squeeze Box"
  4. "Dreaming from the Waist"
  5. "Imagine a Man"
Side two
  1. "Success Story"
  2. "They Are All in Love"
  3. "Blue, Red and Grey"
  4. "How Many Friends"
  5. "In a Hand or a Face"

"Dreaming from the Waist" is a song by

B-side of the "Slip Kid" single, released in 1976 in the United States. The track's lyrics deal with sexual frustration and the restlessness associated with getting older (Townshend had turned 30 in 1975), while the music features a bass solo from John Entwistle
.

A live version recorded in

one-off show
at Kilburn in December 1977); in humorous contrast, John Entwistle, claimed in the same series of interviews that "Dreaming from the Waist" was one of his favorite songs to perform.

Lyrics and music

The original title of "Dreaming from the Waist" was "Control Myself".[1] Self-control is the theme of this song, as it is of another song on the album, "However Much I Booze".[1] On the earlier song the singer laments his inability to control his drinking; on this song he chastises himself for being unable to control his sexual urges.[1]

The song's introduction includes high-pitched guitar chords that Pete Townshend found tricky to play.[2] The end of the song includes a bass guitar solo for John Entwistle.[2]

Critical reception

Record Mirror regarded "Dreaming from the Waist" as one of the highlights of The Who by Numbers.[1] Critic Chris Charlesworth regards it as one of the Who's best songs.[2] Authors Steve Grantley and Alan G. Parker praise Keith Moon's drumming and especially John Entwistle's "nimble-fingered" bass guitar playing.[1] Charlesworth concurs that Entwistle's bass solo is "a stunning display of virtuosity".[2]

Live history

"Dreaming from the Waist" debuted onstage in October

1997 during an acoustic version of "Won't Get Fooled Again
". As in the studio version, live renditions always showcased an Entwistle bass solo.

A live version of the song from June 12, 1976 was included on

30 Years of Maximum R&B.[2] Charlesworth finds this performance "faultless", particularly praising the vocal harmonies and Entwistle's "immaculate bass solo".[2]

However, Pete Townshend states this and "Sister Disco" are his least favourite songs to perform live, mostly due to Roger Daltrey’s love of both songs.[4] In contrast, Entwistle declared in the same series of interviews that "Dreaming from the Waist" was one of his favourite songs to perform live.

References