How The Beatles Inspired Gary Wright To Write “Dream Weaver”

In 1970, Gary Wright, fresh from leaving the band Spooky Tooth, got a call from his friend Klaus Voormann, who had played with him on his first solo album. Klaus was working with George Harrison at Abbey Road Studios and invited Wright to join them.

Within half an hour, Wright was face-to-face with Harrison, one of his musical idols. Despite meeting a legend, the atmosphere was relaxed, as he later described it. He found Harrison to be humble and spiritually grounded. This led to a great musical partnership. Wright contributed to several Harrison albums, and their friendship grew.

During their friendship, Harrison gave Autobiography of a Yogi, a 1946 book by Indian guru Paramahansa Yogananda, to Wright. Harrison said that he had also given a copy of this book to President Gerald Ford on a visit to the White House. In it, Yogananda’s poem “God! God! God!” had the line: “When my mind weaves dreams.”

Reflecting on their friendship, Wright recalled:

“I marveled at both his courage and his role as an ambassador of peace and was so happy to have a real friend who spread the message of truth everywhere he went.”

John Lennon’s ‘Dream Weaver’ Contribution

Drawing inspiration from two Beatles members, Gary Wright found the spark for his iconic track, “Dream Weaver.” One source of influence came from a line in John Lennon’s 1970 song “God,” in which Lennon sang, “I was the Dreamweaver.”

Wright, fueled by this lyrical connection, laid the foundation for his most famous composition, “Dream Weaver,” which made its debut as a single on his 1975 album, The Dream Weaver.

To bring this song to life, Wright enlisted the talents of David Foster on electric piano and Jim Keltner on drums, a collaborator closely associated with George Harrison.

The song’s success would be a turning point in Wright’s career, forever altering his life trajectory. While on tour with Peter Frampton, Wright received the news that “Dream Weaver” had ascended to the top of the charts, marking a pivotal moment in his musical journey.

Reflecting on this milestone in 2017, he told Rock Cellar, he candidly expressed:

“When did I feel like I first made it? I guess when ‘Dream Weaver’ went to No. 1.”