By age 15, McKee was writing songs and performing in the Seattle area. A friend helped get her EP to Nic Harcourt, a popular disc jockey in Los Angeles and host of KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic". He helped spark a major record label bidding war after playing the song "Somebody" on his radio program for several weeks. After signing a recording contract at age 16, she moved to Los Angeles to begin work on her debut album with producer Rob Cavallo. Trouble was commercially released on September 28, 2004.
After ending her recording contract, McKee spent many hours in the recording studio and was introduced to music producer Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, by her manager. Gottwald had collaborated with McKee's longtime friend Katy Perry on her debut album One of the Boys. They (along with Max Martin and Benny Blanco) began writing songs together, ultimately producing the hits that would appear on Perry's second album, the worldwide multi-platinum, Teenage Dream. The singles "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream" and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" each topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold millions of copies around the world. Other successful collaborations between McKee, Gottwald and Martin include Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me," Taio Cruz's "Dynamite," Rita Ora's "How We Do (Party)," and Katy Perry's singles from Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, "Wide Awake" and "Part of Me."
McKee recently signed a recording contract as a solo artist with Epic Records, and is currently at work on her second studio album, to be released in summer 2013. The lead single will be "American Girl," which McKee described as a "summer banger". "American Girl" was released in July 2013.
Sleepwalker
Bonnie McKee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I felt, I felt nothing
I listen to beats
I felt, I felt nothing
I went to a bar
I felt, I felt nothing
I towed down my car
I felt, I felt nothing
When I watched The Hills
I felt, I felt nothing (uh, uh)
I swallowed some pills
I felt, I felt nothing
But you wake me up
I was just a sleepwalker
You wake me up
Was just another sleepwalker
Bring me back to the land of living
You wake me up
I was out of my mind
I was just a sleepwalker
But you bring me to life, baby
You wake me up
I was out of my mind
Was just another sleepwalker
Bring me back to the land of living
Tequila and lime
I felt, I felt nothing
My card was declined
I felt, I felt nothing
They made me a star
I felt, I felt nothing
I broke a few hearts
I felt, I felt nothing
Caught in in my skin
I felt nothing
I did it again
I felt, I felt nothing
But you wake me up
I was just a sleepwalker
You wake me up
Was just another sleepwalker
Bring me back to the land of living
You wake me up
I was out of my mind
I was just a sleepwalker
But you bring me to life, baby
You wake me up
I was out of my mind
Was just another sleepwalker
Bring me back to the land of living
I was out of my mind
I was just a sleepwalker
But you bring me to life, baby
You wake me up
I was out of my mind
Was just another sleepwalker
Bring me back to the land of living
I was just a sleepwalker
You wake me up
Bring me back to the land of living
You wake me up
The lyrics of Bonnie McKee's "Sleepwalker" suggest a level of detachment from reality, as the singer describes engaging in various activities but feeling nothing. The singer goes to the beach, listens to music, goes to a bar, and watches television, but none of these experiences evoke emotions or reach the singer in any meaningful way. The mention of taking pills and drinking tequila also suggest the possibility of the singer trying to escape reality or dull their senses.
However, the chorus reveals an important shift in the singer's experience. The repetition of "You wake me up" indicates that someone or something has brought the singer back to reality, or perhaps even into a new, more meaningful reality. The singer was merely a sleepwalker before this wake-up call, going through the motions without really engaging in life, but now that they have been awakened, they have returned to "the land of the living."
The repeated refrain "Bring me back to the land of living" captures a sense of longing or desperation, as if the singer was lost and needed to be brought back to reality by an outside force. The lyrics suggest that someone has had a profound impact on the singer, waking them up from a state of emotional numbness and bringing them back to life.
Overall, "Sleepwalker" can be interpreted as a tale of awakening, of finding meaning and purpose after being lost in a state of detachment. It's a reminder that even when life feels empty and meaningless, wake-up calls can come in unexpected ways and change everything.
Line by Line Meaning
I went to the beach
I went somewhere to find happiness or peace, but I couldn't feel anything
I felt, I felt nothing
I was numb and unable to experience emotions or sensations
I listen to beats
I tried to distract myself with music, but it didn't change how I felt
I went to a bar
I went to a social setting hoping to feel something, but it didn't work
I towed down my car
I made reckless decisions, potentially putting myself and others in danger
When I watched The Hills
I engaged in activities that are supposed to be enjoyable, but still couldn't feel anything
I swallowed some pills
I resorted to self-medicating to try and numb my feelings
But you wake me up
You brought me out of my numbness and made me feel alive again
I was just a sleepwalker
I was going through the motions of life without any real awareness or purpose
Was just another sleepwalker
My state of mind was nothing unusual or unique
Bring me back to the land of living
Help me rediscover my feelings and fully experience the world around me
Tequila and lime
I continued to engage in self-destructive behavior, hoping it would bring me happiness or relief
My card was declined
My actions had consequences, and I had to face them
They made me a star
I achieved success, but it didn't bring me the fulfillment I was hoping for
I broke a few hearts
I hurt others in my pursuit of happiness, not really considering the impact of my actions
Caught in my skin
I was trapped in my own numbness, unable to break free
I did it again
I repeated my self-destructive behavior, even though it didn't bring me happiness
I was out of my mind
I was in a state of numbness and disconnection from reality
But you bring me to life, baby
You helped me rediscover my feelings and find joy in the world again
Contributed by John S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.