Jack Johnson, the singer you might know from soundtracking everyone’s childhood with the Curious George movie, is no newcomer to music. In fact, Johnson’s third studio album In Between Dreams turns 20(!) years old this Saturday, Mar. 1. Released in 2005 and recognizable by its bright yellow cover, In Between Dreams skyrocketed Johnson’s career right before he soundtracked the memorable and iconic Curious George movie in 2006. Combining love songs with critiques and opinions on the evolving world in the early aughts, Johnson’s third LP still stands as a landmark in his decades long career.Â
In Between Dreams is a 14 song LP, opening with one of Johnson’s most recognizable songs, “Better Together.” Johnson has notoriously said many of his songs are love songs for his wife, and “Better Together” has since turned into the same tribute for many couples. As of publication, “Better Together” is Johnson’s most streamed song on Spotify, with over 918,000,000 streams. Following “Better Together,” the track list is followed by “Never Know,” “Banana Pancakes,” “Good People,” “No Other Way,” “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing,” “Staple It Together,” “Situations,” “Crying Shame,” “If I Could,” “Breakdown,” “Belle,” “Do You Remember,” and “Constellations.”
Of the 14 songs on In Between Dreams, Johnson continues his discussions on society — seen frequently on his sophomore record On and On — primarily in the songs “Never Know,” “Good People,” and “Crying Shame.” “Good People” bluntly asks in its chorus: “Where’d all the good people go?” With these songs, Johnson weaves in his penchant for a more just and peaceful world that has become a theme across his eight LPs since his debut in 2001. Additionally, the track “Breakdown” is a response to the fast-paced nature of the evolving and digitizing world in the early 2000s, which is an idea still highly applicable to our even more digitized world today.
Many of Johnson’s most famous love songs come from his third album. Aside from “Better Together,” songs like “Banana Pancakes,” “Do You Remember,” and “Belle” round out the love songs on the record. “Banana Pancakes,” which is one of Johnson’s most famous songs, is also one of my personal favorites! There’s just something about it that makes me put it on loop for half an hour when it comes on my shuffle. Additionally, the live medley version of “Belle” and “Banana Pancakes” from Johnson’s 2009 En Concert live album is one of my favorite Johnson tracks! “Belle” is the shortest song on In Between Dreams, clocking in at 1:42 seconds, and includes accordion and French lyrics from Johnson, making it a standout on the album compared to the other songs because of its inclusion of French lyrics, something Johnson has not since.Â
A perfect album for the warm weather on the horizon, that also touches on themes still seen today, In Between Dreams still stands as a landmark in Jack Johnson’s discography for more than its popularity and sales but also for its sound and relevant lyrics. If you only know “Better Together” or “Banana Pancakes,” I encourage you to listen to the entirety of In Between Dreams, and there’s no better time than the day it turns 20!