Under the Table and Dreaming

Last updated
Under the Table and Dreaming
Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 27, 1994 (1994-09-27)
RecordedMay 1994
Studio Bearsville (Woodstock, New York)
Genre
Length62:52
Label RCA
Producer Steve Lillywhite
Dave Matthews Band chronology
Recently
(1994)
Under the Table and Dreaming
(1994)
Crash
(1996)
Singles from Under the Table and Dreaming
  1. "What Would You Say"
    Released: September 1994
  2. "Ants Marching"
    Released: September 1995
  3. "Satellite"
    Released: November 1995

Under the Table and Dreaming is the debut studio album by the American rock band Dave Matthews Band, released on September 27, 1994. The album's first single was "What Would You Say", featuring John Popper of Blues Traveler on harmonica. Four other singles from the album followed: "Jimi Thing", "Typical Situation", "Ants Marching" and "Satellite". By March 16, 2000, the album had sold six million copies, and was certified sextuple platinum by the RIAA. [1]

Contents

Recording

The acoustic guitar tracks on the album were played by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds. During the recording sessions, Matthews and Reynolds would sit face-to-face with a piece of glass between them, playing the same guitar part. This was done twice for each song to yield a total of four acoustic guitar tracks, two apiece from Matthews and Reynolds. Producer Steve Lillywhite frequently turned the volume down on Matthews' parts and turned the volume up on Reynolds', resulting in Reynolds' guitar playing being more prominent on the final album. Reynolds then overdubbed additional acoustic and electric guitar parts. [2]

Matthews has stated during performances that the harmonica solo performed by John Popper on "What Would You Say" was done in only five to ten minutes, while Matthews was in the bathroom.

"Granny" was recorded for this release and Matthews wanted this to be the band's first single, but the song never made it to any of the studio albums. A studio version of this track is included on the 2014 reissue of the album. [3]

"#34" is the only instrumental track on the album although it was played live with lyrics on nine occasions in 1993, prior to the band taking it to the studio. The band originally recorded the song with lyrics, but they were removed from the final album cut.

The album's title comes from a lyric of the song "Ants Marching": "[He] remembers being small / playing under the table and dreaming".

The album was dedicated to Matthews' older sister Anne, who was killed by her husband in 1994 in a murder–suicide. Included in the jewel case packet is a picture of Dave Matthews and one of Anne's children. [4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Entertainment Weekly C+ [7]
The Philadelphia Inquirer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [8]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [9]
The Village Voice C+ [10]

Stereo Review noted that "Matthews is a lucid dreamer and idealist whose folk-jazz forays call to mind Bruce Cockburn, another square peg who wins fans with a combination of artistry and perseverance." [11] The Baltimore Sun determined that "the band has a great sense of groove, evincing all the rhythmic discipline of a jazz band without ever losing its sense of the song." [12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by David J. Matthews, except "#34" by Matthews, LeRoi Moore, Carter Beauford and Haines Fullerton

Under the Table and Dreaming track listing
No.TitleLength
1."The Best of What's Around"4:17
2."What Would You Say"3:43
3."Satellite"4:52
4."Rhyme & Reason"5:16
5."Typical Situation"5:59
6."Dancing Nancies"6:08
7."Ants Marching"4:31
8."Lover Lay Down"5:38
9."Jimi Thing"5:57
10."Warehouse"7:06
11."Pay for What You Get"4:35
12."#34"4:58
20th anniversary edition bonus tracks [3]
No.TitleLength
13."Granny"3:56
14."Dancing Nancies" (Acoustic)4:13
15."The Song That Jane Likes" (Acoustic)2:56

Note: Original CD editions of the album include 22 tracks of silence between "Pay for What You Get" and "#34".

Personnel

Dave Matthews Band
Additional musicians
Technical personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [17] Platinum100,000
United States (RIAA) [18] 6× Platinum6,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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