Can't Sleep
Above & Beyond Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

4:30 am., I'm awake again
Singing to the dark through open eyes
While dreaming I see only you and me
Stuck between desire and compromise

If I said I want you back I'd be a liar
There's nothing left of us to long for anymore
But inside the ashes burns an endless fire
And every night I can't help reaching out for more

And I can't sleep
You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep
You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep

And I can't sleep
You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep

And I can't sleep
You're so far away from me




And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Above & Beyond's song Can't Sleep express a sense of longing and despair. The singer is awake at 4:30 am and can't fall asleep, singing to the dark with open eyes. The person is stuck between desire and compromise; perhaps there are unresolved feelings towards someone they were once involved with. The singer acknowledges that if they were to say they want the person back, they would be lying; it seems that whatever relationship they had is irreparable. However, there is still an endless fire burning inside of them, and every night, they can't help reaching out for more.


The repetition of the phrase "and I can't sleep" reinforces the sense of restlessness and frustration the singer feels. The fact that this refrain is repeated throughout the song underscores the idea that this is a cyclical and ongoing struggle. The distance between the person and the singer is emphasized with the line "You're so far away from me." This could be interpreted as either physical distance or emotional distance, which further highlights the sense of separation and isolation the singer feels.


The lyrics to Can't Sleep are open to interpretation, but one possible meaning is that the singer is struggling with a sense of loss and regret. They can't let go of the past, even though they know it's over. The repetition in the lyrics creates a sense of circularity, as if the singer is caught in a cycle of longing and despair. The song is a testament to the power of unresolved emotions and the difficulty of moving on from a past relationship.


Line by Line Meaning

4:30 am., I'm awake again
It's early in the morning and I am unable to sleep.


Singing to the dark through open eyes
I am staring into the darkness with my eyes wide open and singing as if trying to break the silence.


While dreaming I see only you and me
Even in my dreams, I only see us together.


Stuck between desire and compromise
I am caught between wanting you back and accepting the reality that we can't be together.


If I said I want you back I'd be a liar
I can't pretend that I want us to be together again because it would be a lie.


There's nothing left of us to long for anymore
Our relationship has ended and there is no point in wishing for something that no longer exists.


But inside the ashes burns an endless fire
Despite the end of our relationship, I still feel a burning passion for you.


And every night I can't help reaching out for more
Every night, I still desire more of what we had together, even though it's not possible.


And I can't sleep
My thoughts of you keep me awake.


You're so far away from me
You are physically distant from me, but our emotional distance hurts the most.


And I can't sleep
I am unable to escape my thoughts of you even in my sleep.


And I can't sleep
My insomnia is a constant reminder of my longing for you.


And I can't sleep
My inability to sleep is a reflection of my emotional turmoil over our past relationship.


You're so far away from me
Your emotional distance from me is what keeps me up at night.


And I can't sleep
My mind is consumed by thoughts of you, making it impossible to fall asleep.


And I can't sleep
I am forced to stay awake with my thoughts of you for yet another night.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTHONY PATRICK JAMES MCGUINNESS, ASHLEY TOMBERLIN, JONATHAN DAVID GRANT, PAAVO OLAVI SILJAMAEKI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

SUMAN DAS THAKUR

Four thirty A.M, I'm awake again
Singing to the dark through open eyes
While dreaming I see only you and me
Stuck between desire and compromise

If I said I want you back I'd be a liar
There's nothing left of us to long for anymore
But inside the ashes burns an endless fire
And every night I can't help reaching out for more

And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep

You're leaving me scars scattered in my heart
A road map of all the places you have been
And I can't escape, can't wash this away
Love has burned your mark so deep within

If I said I want you back I'd be a liar
There's nothing left of us to long for anymore
But inside the ashes burns an endless fire
And every night I can't help reaching out for more

And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep

And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep



All comments from YouTube:

Cong-Mao Syu

one of the greatest trance songs in the world

Gui Trabue

I agree

swept_away_dreams

@Gui Trabue Me too!

Myrna Rosales

I agree too

Mario Baesler

vocal trance of course

Uchihadr10

You're right,🙌🙌🙌

14 More Replies...

Adam Iaccheo

Absolute classic. They just don’t make them like this anymore

dedfsh42

I've literally been trying to rediscover song this for almost ten years. I didn't know the artist or title and I only remembered the words "I can't sleep," which didn't help much. I'm overjoyed to find this, it's just as magical as I remember!! Quintessential trance as I grew to know it in college.

Matas Navickis

This a remastered obe tho. Great tune but personally the original is still best

Dave Dave

My preferred 'night driving tune'! Never gets old..timeless lyrics, timeless trance

More Comments

More Versions