Dream Away

‘Dream Away’ is the ninth and penultimate song on George Harrison’s tenth solo album Gone Troppo.

The song was written for the 1981 film Time Bandits, which was produced by Harrison’s company HandMade Films. It features over the end credits of the film.

The Pythons, as individuals, were all writing scripts. Terry Gilliam presented us with this brilliant idea, which turned into Time Bandits.

‘Dream Away’ was originally to have appeared on a Time Bandits soundtrack album. When that idea was abandoned, Harrison chose to include it on his own 1982 album.

In February 1983 it was the third single issued from Gone Troppo, although it was only released in Japan. The b-side was another album track, ‘Unknown Delight’.

With Time Bandits, he wrote the song that goes over the end credits and it was very late in the day that I realised what he was saying in the song, because it turned out to be his notes for me about what he liked and didn’t like about the film. It’s all in the lyrics. And everything is about how it goes on too long – he didn’t phrase it like that – you know, you’re here to amaze then get out quickly before you bore us to tears. And there’s also comment about me being arrogant and not listening! And I thought it was the most brilliant, subtle, clever thing a man could ever do, to write a song. He’s writing about things that he felt strongly about and yet he’s too polite and decent and, I think, respectful of other artists, whatever form that takes, to interfere.