Archive was formed by Londoners Darius Keeler and Danny Griffiths in 1994 and began as an electronica project. At the beginning, they mixed Bristol-style, Massive Attack, Portishead with Rap. The first album of the band, Londinium released in 1996 (with Roya Arab and Rosko John as guest vocalists). The second album, Take my Head, (which the band hates) was released in 1999 (with a new guest vocalist Suzanne Wooder), it is much more melodic than Londinium. The first song of the album, You Make Me Feel, illustrates this change in the Archive's music. After being dropped by their label and more changes in the lineup, the band seemed to hit its stride on the third album You All Look The Same To Me (2002), featuring singer Craig Walker (formerly of Power of Dreams), which took a decided turn toward more progressive music (with some Progressive Rock influences, notably Pink Floyd whose indelible influence is audible on tracks such as 'Finding it so Hard' and 'Again'), while still maintaining electronic elements. The band saw growing popularity and critical acclaim, especially in France, Greece, Germany and Poland. After recording two more artistically—but not too commercially—successful albums, Michel Vaillant (2003) and Noise (2004), Walker left the band for reasons the band and he will not talk about. The project continued on as a Collective, with new vocalists, Pollard Berrier and Dave Pen. In May 2006 they released the album Lights with Pollard Berrier on lead vocals, who is also a member/guest member of the innovative group, "Bauchklang" - a completely vocal beat-box (Vocal Groove) group based in Vienna, Austria. Archive released a live album, entitled,Live at Paris Zenith, in May, 2007 - which was recorded on January 20th, 2007 at the sold out Zentih Arena in Paris. Rolling Stone called it, "The best live album ever made." Archive continues to tour and is working on a number of forthcoming releases in the near future.
Archive are a Collective, not a band.
Sleep
Archive Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Afraid of the sea and what's down there
I need to sleep
It's been a whole week
'Cause tears keep falling into my pool
Bright lights driving right into me cold
I need to sleep
It's been a whole week
'Cause tears keep falling into my pool
Bright lights driving right into me cold
My bones keep breaking
Tearing me away from the quiet
The silence of my soul, of my soul from the quiet
Night time, grueling, just time to waste
Heights they kill me, leave scarring on my face
'Cause I never, ever, ever fall into sleep
And I've never, ever, ever felt so weak
'Cause tears keep falling into my pool
Bright lights driving right into me cold
My bones keep breaking
Tearing me away from the quiet
The silence of my soul, of my soul from the quiet
I wanna fall down
I wanna fall down
I wanna fall down
...
The song Sleep is a hauntingly beautiful track that speaks about the struggles of insomnia and the toll it can take on a person's mental and emotional state. The lyrics speak about the enemy, which could refer to the negative thoughts and anxiety that often accompany sleeplessness. The fear of the unknown - in this case, the sea and what lies beneath - could represent the fear of the unknown that can keep someone awake at night. The desire to sleep is strong, as evidenced by the repetition of the phrase "I need to sleep".
The imagery of tears falling into the pool and bright lights driving right into the singer creates a sense of discomfort and unease. The tears could be a symbol of the emotional pain that insomnia can cause, while the bright lights could represent the harsh reality of being awake while the rest of the world sleeps peacefully. The repetition of the lines "My bones keep breaking, tearing me away from the quiet, the silence of my soul from the quiet" creates a sense of physical and emotional fatigue that is hard to shake.
The chorus paints a picture of desperation and helplessness - the singer has never felt so weak and is desperate for relief from the constant cycle of wakefulness. The repetition of the phrase "I wanna fall down" is a powerful statement of the singer's desire to simply give in and let sleep take over.
Overall, Sleep is a song that speaks to anyone who has ever struggled with insomnia and the mental and emotional toll it can take. The vivid imagery and repetition of key phrases creates a sense of desperation and longing for relief.
Line by Line Meaning
The enemy is after me again
I feel like something or someone is constantly threatening me
Afraid of the sea and what's down there
I have a deep fear of the unknown and what dangers may lurk beneath the surface
I need to sleep
I am desperate for rest and relief from the constant stress and turmoil in my life
It's been a whole week
I haven't been able to sleep for an entire week, and it's starting to take a toll on me
'Cause tears keep falling into my pool
I am constantly crying and my tears are filling up the metaphorical pool of my emotions
Bright lights driving right into me cold
I feel exposed and vulnerable under the harsh spotlight of attention and scrutiny
My bones keep breaking
I am emotionally and physically exhausted and feel like I am falling apart
Tearing me away from the quiet
I am being forcefully taken away from the peace and calm that I desperately crave
The silence of my soul, of my soul from the quiet
The stillness and introspection that I need are being drowned out by the chaos and noise around me
Night time, grueling, just time to waste
Even when I should be finding rest at night, I only feel the burden of wasting precious hours that don't bring me any relief
Heights they kill me, leave scarring on my face
I have a fear of heights that makes me feel vulnerable and exposed, leaving me with scars from my experiences
'Cause I never, ever, ever fall into sleep
My inability to sleep has become chronic and never seems to improve over time
And I've never, ever, ever felt so weak
My constant exhaustion and emotional turmoil have left me feeling totally depleted and helpless
I wanna fall down
I am so exhausted and overwhelmed that all I want to do is collapse and let go of my burdens
I wanna fall down
I am desperate for a respite from the constant stress and pain in my life
I wanna fall down
I would do anything to escape the struggles and hardships that I am facing every day
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: EARL LEBIEG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind