Wet Dream

Album: Wet Dream (1968)
Charted: 10
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • As the title suggests, the subject of this song is nocturnal emissions. "Wet Dream" is an uptempo reggae number, a genre that is not noted for strong melodies, but this is a rare exception.

    Unsurprisingly it was a hit in Romeo's native Jamaica, where the population were more candid about such matters than in Britain, even during the "Swinging '60s" - it was unsurprisingly banned from airplay by the BBC when it was released in Britain. It is one of a number of records mentioned in passing in the March 11, 1972 issue of Melody Maker which was concerned primarily with a similar ban for an entirely different reason on the MacCartney composition "Give Ireland Back To The Irish."
  • In January 2007, when Max Romeo was interviewed by the leading Jamaican newspaper the Gleaner, he was unrepentant and claimed that he had started the sexual revolution. The song had played twice on BBC radio he said, until some Jamaicans called in and reported it. All the same it stayed on the British charts for 22 weeks. When asked why he had recorded the song, the "original rude boy of reggae" replied: "The devil made me do it."

    Decades later, the lyrics to "Wet Dream" seemed far less shocking. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Joan Armatrading

Joan ArmatradingSongwriter Interviews

The revered singer-songwriter talks inspiration and explains why she put a mahout in "Drop the Pilot."

John Parr

John ParrSongwriter Interviews

John tells the "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" story and explains why he disappeared for so long.

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"They're Playing My Song

It wasn't her biggest hit as a songwriter (that would be "Bette Davis Eyes"), but "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" had a family connection for Jackie.

Movie Stars In Music Videos

Movie Stars In Music VideosSong Writing

Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis and John Malkovich are just a few of the film stars who have moonlighted in music videos.