I usually sleep pretty well. In bed by 9, up by 5. But last night, it didn’t work so well. I was up by 2:30 instead!
This episode, coupled with recently watching a very long and very entertaining documentary called Elm Street Legacy has me thinking about sleepless nights. Besides the obvious classic that this post title references, what do you think are the best songs about not being able to sleep?
My pick is Keith Urban’s “You’ll Think of Me.” The sleepless night is used as a springboard for the rest of the song: “I woke up early this morning around 4 am, with the moon shining bright as headlights on the interstate. I pulled the covers over my head and tried to catch some sleep, but thoughts of us kept keeping me awake.”
It’s such a vivid picture and really sets the tone for the rest of the song.
What’s your pick?
If we’re not limited exclusively to country, how about Bobby Lewis’ 1961 classic “Tossin’ And Turnin'”?
First song that comes to mind is Clay Walker’s “I Can’t Sleep” written by Clay & Chely Wright. I like “You’ll Think of Me” better.
Just remembered one of my favorite Gary Allan songs which seems to fit your sleepless nights theme. “Smoke Rings in the Dark”, written by Rivers Rutherford and Houston Robert, has the lines “and the night is like a dagger, long and cold and sharp, as I sit here on the front steps, blowin’ smoke rings in the dark”.
The only song that came to me was the Clay Walker song. I also thought of Crystal Gayle’s “Talking In Your Sleep” but it isn’t about a sleepless night.
Louise Mandrell had a song in the 80s titled “Too Hot To Sleep” (or something similar). It was a pretty good sized hit for her
Or how about Barbara Mandrell’s “Sleeping Single In A Double Bed”?
What about Walking After Midnight?
The obvious one that comes to my mind is “I Should Be Sleeping” by Emerson Drive.
…keith whitley’s “don’t close your eyes”
…or restless heart’s “fast moving train”
I find the Clay Walker song particularly rousing.
I love, love love Little Big Towns “Shut up Train”!!!!!!!!!!!!! Talk about a sleepless night!!!!
“Silent Night (After The Fight)”–Ronnie Milsap
“Walkin’ After Midnight”
I’m walking the floor over you,
I can’t sleep a wink that is true.
I’m hoping and I’m praying as my heart breaks right in two,
Walking the floor over you.
Staying up late is one of the less constructive solutions my mind may turn to when it has too much to process, so I tend to love songs with that theme. Favorite one offhand is the Pinmonkey version of “That Train Don’t Run”:
“Now I’m a good boy, and I do what’s right
Still, sometimes in the middle of the night
I hear the whistle, I hear the rumble
Around 2 am outside my door
Must be her memory rattlin’ the shutters
…
I lie and listen to the last box car
Sweet dreams, baby, wherever you are”
“Sleeping With The Telephone” – Reba and Faith Hill, love this song, still surprised it wasn’t released as a single.
“You can sleep while I drive” ?? does that qualify, I don’t know if the driving is at night??
“Walkin after Midnight”
It seems like most of the ones I thought of have already been mentioned. “I Can’t Sleep” was the first one that came to my mind, but I’m shocked that I didn’t recall “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “I Should Be Sleeping,” or even “Sleeping with the Telephone.”
AKUS “Restless”, is it me or does this band and its lead singer not get enough credit around here?
I was thinking of a different AK song “Sleep On” tells the story of a loveless relationship. Kind of heavy stuff for a 14 year old.