Whatever Gets you Thru the night - wikipedia Whatever Gets you Thru the night `` Whatever Gets You Thru the Night '' Single by John Lennon from the album Walls and Bridges B - side `` Beef Jerky '' Released 23 September 1974 ( US ) 4 October 1974 ( UK ) Format 7 '' Recorded June -- July 1974 Genre Rock, funk, disco Length 3 : 27 Label Apple Songwriter ( s ) John Lennon Producer ( s ) John Lennon John Lennon singles chronology `` Mind Games '' ( 1973 ) `` Whatever Gets You Thru the Night '' ( 1974 ) `` # 9 Dream '' ( 1974 ) `` Mind Games '' ( 1973 ) `` Whatever Gets You Thru the Night '' ( 1974 ) `` # 9 Dream '' ( 1974 ) Walls and Bridges track listing 12 tracks Side one `` Going Down on Love '' `` Whatever Gets You thru the Night '' `` Old Dirt Road '' `` What You Got '' `` Bless You '' `` Scared '' Side two `` # 9 Dream '' `` Surprise, Surprise ( Sweet Bird of Paradox ) '' `` Steel and Glass '' `` Beef Jerky '' `` Nobody Loves You ( When You 're Down and Out ) '' `` Ya Ya '' `` Whatever Gets You Thru the Night '' is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1974 on Apple Records, catalogue Apple 1874 in the United States and Apple R5998 in the United Kingdom. It peaked at number 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Cashbox Top 100. It also peaked at number 36 on the British singles chart. It was the lead single for the Walls and Bridges album in the US ; in the UK it was released the same day as the album. In Canada, the song spent two weeks at number two, and became the 30th biggest hit of 1974. Contents 1 Content 2 Chart performance 2.1 Weekly charts 2.2 Year - end charts 3 Personnel 4 References 5 External links Content This was Lennon 's only solo number 1 single in the United States during his lifetime, and Lennon was the last member of The Beatles to achieve his first American number one solo hit. The recording featured Elton John on harmony vocals and piano. While in the studio, John bet Lennon that the song would top the charts, and such was Lennon 's skepticism that John secured from him a promise to appear on stage at one of his performances should the record indeed hit number one. When the record did achieve that feat, Lennon appeared at John 's Thanksgiving performance at Madison Square Garden on 28 November 1974. It was his last major concert appearance. The inspiration for the lyrics came from late - night television. In December 2005, May Pang told Radio Times : `` At night he loved to channel - surf, and would pick up phrases from all the shows. One time, he was watching Reverend Ike, a famous black evangelist, who was saying, `` Let me tell you guys, it does n't matter, it 's whatever gets you through the night. '' John loved it and said, `` I 've got to write it down or I 'll forget it. '' He always kept a pad and pen by the bed. That was the beginning of ' Whatever Gets You Thru the Night '. '' The music was inspired by the number one single at the time, `` Rock Your Baby '' by George McCrae. Although the released track bears little resemblance, the inspiration is more apparent on the alternative version released on John Lennon Anthology. This track was not Lennon 's first choice for a single. It was chosen by Capitol Records vice-president Al Coury, who had recently worked his singles ' magic ' with Paul McCartney 's Band on the Run album. Lennon created a promotional film for the song, in which he lip - synced the first verse while walking through Manhattan. Yoko Ono later created an alternate video for the song, featuring an animation of Lennon 's drawings. In 2007, Yoko Ono granted Amnesty International the opportunity to have a number of bands cover John Lennon 's solo songbook, which includes this song. Los Lonely Boys and Les Trois Accords performed it as the second single from the Instant Karma : The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur album. The live recording with the Elton John Band was released in 1981 on the EP 28th November 1974. The recording is also available on the Lennon box set and the 1996 remastered edition of John 's Here and There album. Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1974 - 75 ) Peak position Canada RPM Netherlands 21 Australia 34 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 36 US Billboard Hot 100 US Cash Box Top 100 Year - end charts Chart ( 1974 ) Rank Canada 30 US ( Joel Whitburn 's Pop Annual ) 35 Personnel The musicians who performed on the original recording were : John Lennon -- lead vocals, guitar Elton John -- harmony vocals, piano, organ Ken Ascher -- clavinet Jesse Ed Davis -- electric guitar Arthur Jenkins -- percussion Jim Keltner -- drums Bobby Keys -- tenor saxophone Ron Aprea -- alto saxophone Eddie Mottau -- acoustic guitar Klaus Voormann -- bass The musicians who performed on the 1974 live recording were John Lennon -- guitar, vocals Elton John -- harmony vocal, piano Davey Johnstone -- Guitar Dee Murray -- bass Nigel Olsson -- drums Ray Cooper -- percussion The Muscle Shoals Horns References ^ Jump up to : Blaney, John ( 2005 ). `` 1973 to 1975 : The Lost Weekend Starts Here ''. John Lennon : Listen to This Book ( illustrated ed. ). ( S.l. ) : Paper Jukebox. p. 135. ISBN 978 - 0 - 9544528 - 1 - 0. Jump up ^ Blaney, John ( 2005 ). John Lennon : Listen to This Book ( illustrated ed. ). ( S.l. ) : Paper Jukebox. p. 326. ISBN 978 - 0 - 9544528 - 1 - 0. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 10. Jump up ^ Playboy Interview, Sheff, 1981 Jump up ^ Blaney, John ( 2005 ). `` 1973 to 1975 : The Lost Weekend Starts Here ''. John Lennon : Listen to This Book ( illustrated ed. ). ( S.l. ) : Paper Jukebox. p. 138. ISBN 978 - 0 - 9544528 - 1 - 0. Jump up ^ Pang `` Instamatic Karma '' 2008 Jump up ^ `` Elton John Band Featuring John Lennon And Muscle Shoals Horns, The * - 28th November, 1974 at Discogs ''. Discogs.com. 28 November 1974. Retrieved 30 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 10. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Music lyrics, charts, Games, & more ''. Top40db.net. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 10. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 10. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1999 ). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 142 - X. Jump up ^ Blaney, John ( 2005 ). John Lennon : Listen To This Book. Guildford, Great Britain : Biddles Ltd. p. 145. ISBN 0 - 9544528 - 1 - X. Jump up ^ http://www.jpgr.co.uk/pctc253.html External links John Lennon - Whatever Gets You Thru The Night at Graham Calkin 's Beatles Pages. Original video for `` Whatever Gets You Thru the Night '' on YouTube Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` You Ai n't Seen Nothing Yet '' by Bachman -- Turner Overdrive Billboard Hot 100 number - one single 16 November 1974 ( one week ) Succeeded by `` I Can Help '' by Billy Swan John Lennon Discography Song list Studio albums John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band Imagine Mind Games Walls and Bridges Rock ' n ' Roll with Yoko Ono Unfinished Music No. 1 : Two Virgins Unfinished Music No. 2 : Life with the Lions Wedding Album Some Time in New York City Double Fantasy Milk and Honey Live albums Live Peace in Toronto 1969 Live Jam Live in New York City Compilations Shaved Fish The John Lennon Collection Menlove Ave. Lennon Legend : The Very Best of John Lennon Wonsaponatime Instant Karma : All - Time Greatest Hits Acoustic Peace, Love & Truth Working Class Hero : The Definitive Lennon Power to the People : The Hits Icon Box sets Lennon John Lennon Anthology John Lennon Signature Box Gimme Some Truth Books In His Own Write A Spaniard in the Works Skywriting by Word of Mouth Films Beatles films Erection ( 1971 ) Sweet Toronto ( 1971 ) Imagine ( 1972 ) John and Yoko : A Love Story ( 1985 ) Imagine : John Lennon ( 1988 ) Two of Us ( 2000 ) In His Life : The John Lennon Story ( 2000 ) The U.S. vs. John Lennon ( 2006 ) The Killing of John Lennon ( 2006 ) Chapter 27 ( 2007 ) I Met the Walrus ( 2007 ) Nowhere Boy ( 2009 ) Lennon Naked ( 2010 ) LennoNYC ( 2010 ) Family Cynthia Lennon ( first wife ) Julian Lennon ( son ) Yoko Ono ( second wife ) Sean Lennon ( son ) Alfred Lennon ( father ) Julia Lennon ( mother ) Julia Baird ( half - sister ) Mimi Smith ( aunt ) George Smith ( marital uncle ) Related People / artists The Quarrymen The Beatles Plastic Ono Band David Peel The Lower East Side Band The Dirty Mac May Pang Harry Nilsson John Sinclair Rosaura Lopez Albums The Pope Smokes Dope Pussy Cats Roots : John Lennon Sings the Great Rock & Roll Hits A Toot and a Snore in ' 74 Imagine : John Lennon Working Class Hero : A Tribute to John Lennon S.I.R. John Winston Ono Lennon The U.S. vs. John Lennon Instant Karma : The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur The 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute : Live from the Beacon Theatre, NYC Lennon Bermuda Songs `` That 's My Life ( My Love And My Home ) '' `` The Immigrant '' `` All Those Years Ago '' `` Empty Garden ( Hey Hey Johnny ) '' `` Here Today '' `` Life Is Real ( Song for Lennon ) '' `` Roll On John '' `` The Late Great Johnny Ace '' `` Working Class Hero '' Other media Lennon Remembers Marx & Lennon : The Parallel Sayings The Lost Lennon Tapes Toronto Rock and Roll Revival Come Together : A Night for John Lennon 's Words and Music ( concert ) Lennon ( musical ) Lennon Legend : The Very Best of John Lennon ( DVD ) The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus Articles Death 251 Menlove Avenue Bagism Bed - In The Beatles discography Nutopia Lennon -- McCartney Liverpool John Lennon Airport More popular than Jesus John Lennon Museum John Lennon 's musical instruments The Dakota Strawberry Fields John Lennon Park John Lennon Peace Monument Imagine Peace Tower LennonOno Grant for Peace Lennon Wall Book John Lennon singles discography Lifetime 1969 `` Give Peace a Chance '' / `` Remember Love '' ( Ono ) `` Cold Turkey '' / `` Do n't Worry Kyoko ( Mummy 's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow ) '' ( Ono ) 1970 `` Instant Karma ! '' / `` Who Has Seen the Wind ? '' ( Ono ) `` Mother '' / `` Why '' ( Ono ) 1971 `` Power to the People '' / `` Open Your Box '' ( Ono ) ( UK ) `` Power to the People '' / `` Touch Me '' ( Ono ) ( US ) `` Imagine '' / `` It 's So Hard '' ( US ) `` Happy Xmas ( War Is Over ) '' / `` Listen, the Snow Is Falling '' ( Ono ) 1972 `` Woman Is the Nigger of the World '' / `` Sisters O Sisters '' ( Ono ) 1973 `` Mind Games '' / `` Meat City '' `` Whatever Gets You thru the Night '' / `` Beef Jerky '' `` # 9 Dream '' / `` What You Got '' `` Ya Ya '' / `` Be-Bop - A-Lula '' ( Germany only ) `` Stand by Me '' / `` Move Over Ms. L '' `` Imagine '' / `` Working Class Hero '' ( UK ) 1977 `` Stand by Me '' / `` Woman Is the Nigger of the World '' ( reissue ) ( US ) 1980 `` ( Just Like ) Starting Over '' / `` Kiss Kiss Kiss '' ( Ono ) Posthumous 1981 `` Woman '' / `` Beautiful Boys '' ( Ono ) `` Watching the Wheels '' / `` Yes, I 'm Your Angel '' ( Ono ) ( UK ) `` Watching the Wheels '' / `` Beautiful Boy ( Darling Boy ) '' ( US ) 1982 `` Love '' / `` Give Me Some Truth '' 1984 `` Nobody Told Me '' / `` O ' Sanity '' ( Ono ) `` Borrowed Time '' / `` Your Hands '' ( Ono ) `` I 'm Stepping Out '' / `` Sleepless Night '' ( Ono ) `` Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him '' / `` It 's Alright '' ( Ono ) 1985 `` Jealous Guy '' / `` Going Down on Love '' 1986 `` Rock and Roll People '' ( promo ) 1998 `` I 'm Losing You '' ( promo ) Unreleased 1972 `` The Luck of the Irish '' / `` Attica State '' ( release pulled after receiving an Apple catalogue number ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Whatever_Gets_You_thru_the_Night&oldid=834196632 '' Categories : John Lennon songs Apple Records singles 1974 singles Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Songs written by John Lennon Song recordings produced by John Lennon 1974 songs Elton John songs Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from October 2016 Use British English from July 2011 Use dmy dates from February 2014 Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Español Français Italiano 日本 語 Português Română Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 4 April 2018, at 12 : 51. 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Question: who played bass on whatever gets you through the night
Answer: Klaus Voormann