The song could be considered "schmaltzy based on the chords, melody, and phrasing alone" (Pollock 156). It has jazz chords and is in G major, while the backing track, written by George Martin, “uses a string section that would be small even for an orchestra of Mozart's time, as well as a sparse complement of wind and brass instruments ; ditto for the little choir” (Pollock 156). A “very slow, dreamy Lennon ballad” concludes the White Album and follows “Revolution 9” (MacDonald 294). “Revolution 9,” an avant-garde piece full of terrifying noises and screams that can leave the listener scared and confused, stands in stark contrast to “Good Night” (Pollock 156). If any other song on the album were chosen to follow "Revolution 9", it would "sound some combination of underwhelming, stylistically repetitive, underwhelming, or too strange" (Pollock 156). After "Revolution 9", "'Good Night' has the simultaneous virtues of providing musically arch-conservative ballast, a change of style as pleasantly surprising as anything else on the album, and a clever, self-referential way of telling you that the music is finished." ; turn out the lights” (Pollock 156). The listener needs Starr's calming voice after the jarring impact of “Revolution 9,” and Starr's childlike innocence and naive personality add an extra sense of calm. Starr's childlike personality can easily put us to sleep