Armor for Sleep is an alternative rock band formed in New Jersey in 2001. … Read Full Bio ↴Armor for Sleep is an alternative rock band formed in New Jersey in 2001. The lineup consists of lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Ben Jorgensen, guitarist PJ DeCicco, bassist Anthony Dilonno, and drummer Nash Breen.

Ben Jorgensen created Armor for Sleep in 2001 and Nash Breen and PJ DeCicco later joined the band after leaving fellow New Jersey band Prevent Falls. He stated that the name of the band comes from his early experiences of writing music and not being able to sleep. After distributing demos Albany, New York-based indie label Equal Vision signed the band and released their first two concept albums: Dream to Make Believe, released in 2003, and What to Do When You Are Dead, released in 2005.

What to Do When You Are Dead spawned the popular singles "Car Underwater" and "The Truth About Heaven," receiving lots of airplay with their music videos. Each song on the album tells the story of the protagonist's suicide as well as his journey through the afterlife. The story goes through moments of personal introspection at the positive and negative aspects of his life while he quietly visits important locations of his past life without disturbing anyone. Analyzing the lyrics of each track, you can see him progress through the Kübler-Ross 5-stage model of grief management as he initially denies his situation, then wishes for a reversal, and finally accepts his fate. The album ends with the character finally coming to grips with his decision, and his spirit continues on, having completed his business in this life. Initial copies of the CD came with a bonus DVD that featured live footage of the band as well as the music videos for "My Town" and "Dream to Make Believe," both from Dream to Make Believe. It also included a making-of documentary and a small booklet titled "What to Do When You Are Dead: A Comprehensive Guide to The Afterlife" which featured satirical ways to cope with death should you unexpectedly perish. A remix by Machine Shop of "Remember to Feel Real" was featured on Snakes on a Plane: The Album in August 2006. A new song, "End of the World," was featured on Transformers - The Album. That song would be on their third and final album, Smile for Them, released through their new label Sire/Warner Bros..

Armor for Sleep released their first single from Smile for Them, "Williamsburg," on September 18, 2007, through iTunes. "Hold the Door" also received indie radio airplay. They played on Linkin Park's Projekt Revolution tour in 2008 on the US leg Revolution Stage to promote the album.

The band's final release, The Way Out Is Broken, was an EP released digitally on September 5, 2008. Fans were able to purchase download cards during the band's run on Projekt Revolution to use to download the EP on the release date.

On October 28, 2009, it was officially announced that Armor for Sleep would disband. Ben Jorgensen wrote a statement on AltPress.com informing fans of the inevitable, after the band had been inactive and not performing for over a year. Ben Jorgensen has since taken on a solo project and was associated with God Loves a Challenge with Sierra Shardae. PJ DeCicco has also moved on playing in Love Automatic with former Senses Fail bassist Mike Glita.

The band has embarked on multiple reunion tours, and played multiple reunion shows, the first of these being at Bamboozle 2012. They played three more shows following the festival appearance and then disbanded again. The band then announced an eight city tour to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their album What To Do When You Are Dead. On February 24, 2020, the band announced they would be reuniting for a summer tour with nineteen tour dates to celebrate the 15th anniversary of What To Do When You Are Dead. The tour was later postponed due to COVID-19, and later in year postponed dates for 2021 were announced.

Armor For Sleep officially returned with their new single How Far Apart on July 7, 2022. The band has signed back on to Equal Vision Records and are set to release their fourth full length album The Rain Museum in early September 2022.

Awkward Last Words
Armor for Sleep Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I wanna live again
I wanna start everything over again
I wanna get this right
I'll meet you in another life
Over again
I'm coming back around again
Coming back over again
I'm coming back around again

But now it's over

We're out of time and I can't breathe
I told you not to believe in me
'Cause all I do is push you far away from me
All I do is put you far away from me
Out of time and I can't breathe
I told you not to believe in me
'Cause all I do is push you far away from me
All I do is push you far away from me

I'm gonna make this work
I'm gonna change everything wrong with me
I'm gonna prove you wrong
When I meet you in another life
Over again
I'm coming back around again
Coming back over again
I'm coming back around again
But now it's over

We're out of time and I can't breathe
I told you not to believe in me
'Cause all I do is push you far away from me
All I do is push you far away from me
Out of time and I can't breathe
I told you not to believe in me
'Cause all I do is push you far away from me
All I do is push you far away from me

I never had the gift of holding on to you
You're so far, so far away
No I, never had to give up of holding on to you
You're so far, so far away

I wanna live again
I wanna live again
I wanna live again
I wanna start everything over again
I wanna live again
I wanna live again
I wanna live again
I wanna start everything over again

We're out of time and I can't breathe
We're out of time and I can't breathe
We're out of time and I can't breathe
We're out of time and I can't breathe
I told you not to believe in me

'Cause all I do is push you far away from me
All I do is push you far away from me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Armor for Sleep's song 'Awkward Last Words' express feelings of remorse, regret, and a deep desire for a second chance. The singer speaks of wanting to live again, to start everything over and get things right, to make a change and prove someone wrong. They are aware of their mistakes and the way they have pushed someone away from them, yet they still hope for a chance to make amends in another life. However, the song ends with the realization that it's over and that they are out of time, unable to breathe under the weight of their mistakes.

The recurring phrase "We're out of time and I can't breathe" is a powerful expression of the singer's anxiety and desperation. They feel like they are running out of time to make things right, and the weight of their mistakes is suffocating them. At the same time, they can see how their actions have pushed someone they care about away from them.

Overall, the song 'Awkward Last Words' is a poignant expression of the human desire for a second chance, and the pain we feel when we realize we may never get it.

Line by Line Meaning

I wanna live again
I want to have a fresh start in life and forget about my past mistakes.

I wanna start everything over again
I want to have a clean slate and begin everything anew.

I wanna get this right
I want to correct my past mistakes and make things right this time.

I'll meet you in another life
I hope to meet you in another life when things can be different and we can have a better relationship.

Over again
I want to start over from the beginning and forget about the past.

I'm coming back around again
I hope to come back around and have another chance to make things right.

But now it's over
Unfortunately, things have come to an end and it's too late to fix anything now.

We're out of time and I can't breathe
Our relationship has come to an end and I feel suffocated and trapped by the situation.

I told you not to believe in me
I warned you not to put your trust in me because I knew I would end up hurting you.

'Cause all I do is push you far away from me
Every action I take seems to push you further and further away from me, despite my intentions.

I'm gonna make this work
I am determined to try and make this relationship work, no matter how difficult it may be.

I'm gonna change everything wrong with me
I recognize my flaws and aim to improve myself so that I can be a better partner to you.

I'm gonna prove you wrong
I want to show you that I am capable of change and can be the partner you deserve.

I never had the gift of holding on to you
I was never good at holding on to you and keeping our relationship strong and healthy.

You're so far, so far away
You have distanced yourself from me and our relationship has become distant and strained.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ben Jorgensen, Nash Breen, Peter James Decicco, Anthony Diionno

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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01Car Underwater3:46

02The Truth About Heaven3:31

03Remember to Feel Real

04Awkward Last Words

Armor for Sleep

05Stay on the Ground

06A Quick Little Flight

07The More You Talk the Less I Hear

08Basement Ghost Singing

09Walking at Night, Alone

10I Have Been Right All Along

11The End of a Fraud

12One Last Regret1:17

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@hmm6366

4y↑38

I wanna live again
I wanna start everything over again
I wanna get this right
I'll meet you in another life
Over again
I'm coming back around again
Coming back over again
I'm coming back around again,
but now it's over

We're out of time and I can't breathe
I told you not to believe in me
'Cause all I do is push you far away from me
All I do is push you far away from me
Out of time and I can't breathe
I told you not to believe in me
'Cause all I do is push you far away from me
All I do is push you far away from me

I'm gonna make this work
I'm gonna change everything wrong with me
I'm gonna prove you wrong
when I meet you in another life
Over again
I'm coming back around again
Coming back over again
I'm coming back around again,
but now it's over

We're out of time and I can't breathe
I told you not to believe in me
'Cause all I do is push you far away from me
All I do is push you far away from me
Out of time and I can't breathe
I told you not to believe in me
'Cause all I do is push you far away from me
All I do is push you far away from me

I never had the gift of holding on to you
You're so far, so far away
No I, never had the gift of holding on to you, now
You're so far, so far away

I wanna live again [x3]
I wanna start everything over again
I wanna live again [x3]
I wanna start everything over again

We're out of time and I can't breathe [x4]

We're out of time and I can't breathe
I told you not to believe in me
'Cause all I do is push you far away from me
All I do is push you far away from me

All comments from YouTube:

@curtisminton1652

4y↑116

Most underrated album ever

@blainealexander5091

4y↑9

MySpace remembers

@coinexplorer5135

Underrated song for sure. Who wouldn't want to start over ..

@hurakane213

100 %

@hurakane213

I have the CD lol

@joerosales9690

Well it was deff known lol but all our style of music was underrated at that time

2 More Replies...

@JoeLaFon3

3y↑39

This whole album makes you feel an indescribable way

@jacquelinenjeremiahcliff8440

Yea it does

@samuelfeldman9226

3y↑1

It's called nostalgiaaaa

@bobjoe1593

2y↑1

@@samuelfeldman9226 this album has always made me feel an indescribable way

@deftones8717

3y↑13

This song seriously helped me to keep fighting to stay alive and change my life throughout the many years when I was in the grips of full blown addiction to heroin. I subjected myself to the worst imaginable hell for like 14 years. I completely lost myself and had absolutely no hope left. I was extremely suicidal. Much of those years I was homeless, sleeping on sidewalks and subways all over NYC. All of the seediest, most ghetto places of course because that’s where it’s easiest to feed your addiction. Places such as Harlem, Jamaica Queens, lower east side Manhattan, Washington Heights, Flatbush Brooklyn, and Long Island. Spent many winter nights, rain, sleet, and snow, sleeping outside, freezing cold. Always starving because my addiction was so bad that I could never put aside a few bucks for food because every single penny had to go towards my drugs. 80% of the time I was dopesick.. in withdrawal the majority of each day while I panhandled and committed crimes for money to “get well”.. I never thought I could ever stoop down to panhandling and it is so f’ing embarrassing and shameful.. but after getting locked up a million times and spending a total of over 2 years in jail if you added up all of the stints I did. I was so sick of getting in trouble and met many other drug addicts and homeless people who would gloat about how much money they make from panhandling. So I did just that… made a cardboard sign begging for help, and I was astonished when I first experienced how lucrative it is when you are in a busy metropolitan area, which I was. I sat right outside of Madison square garden on 34th street in Manhattan (Penn Station) and was shocked when I would end up with anywhere from $50-$150 by sitting there for 2-3 hours. More money than a lot of people make working at a real job. If I sat there for a whole 8 hour shift, on a good day, I could walk away with like &400-$500 which I find to be incredibly crazy. Now that I am no longer on drugs and I have much more clarity, I feel extremely bad and guilty for taking advantage of peoples kindness. Though I’d imagine most people are well aware that most homeless people use their money for drugs. But yea, I shamefully did this for a while. I was in and out of SO MANY institutions that I am too embarrassed to even share an estimated number of how many. SOOO MANY detoxes, rehabs, shelters, jails, halfway houses, psych wards, etc etc.. then my oldest brother hanged himself in 2014 which really took a huge toll on me and still does to this day. Like my late brother, I too suffer with extremely severe major depressive disorder which is a huge part of why I would get high .. to cope and numb my feelings and the constant negative thoughts in my head. So yea… my point of sharing all of this is 1) just to vent, which is cathartic, even if no one reads this or replies.. and 2) because I feel obligated to thank this band for creating such beautiful music which helped me tremendously during the darkest times of my life. This band, among many others that fall under this particular genre/sound helped me to cope with my feelings and keep fighting my addiction when all I wanted to do was end my life the way my brother did due to his own struggles with the same exact things I am plagued by. But music like this was so therapeutic for me and I somehow managed to get through another day. I’d be even more lost in this world without music.Thankfully I eventually did manage to abstain from all drugs and change my entire lifestyle. It’s been quite a few years now, and I still struggle really bad with the depression so I can’t lie and say that once I got clean my life turned into a fairy tale and I lived happily ever after.. because I definitely didn’t. However, STILL my absolute worst day sober is far better than my best day using. And I still listen to this and the same music that I listened to then, despite the painful memories that it can sometimes provoke. I use those memories as a reminder to never go back to the drugs ever again. Okay .. phew 😅 .. this is the longest comment I have ever typed on YouTube, and I apologize for getting so personal and if I come of as being overly negative or as if I am whining, that’s not my intention. And like I said, I don’t expect anyone to read this long sh*t and/or reply.. just wanted to vent a bit. Again, thank you Armor for Sleep!!! 🤟🏻🖤

@tytar1037

2y↑2

Same here. Opiate addict. Heroin, dilaudid. Was on suboxone for 10 years. Day 7 without anything. Music helps so much. The nostalgia from high school helps me remember who I am. Hope you’re doing well

@dedtamagotchi3371

40w

Proud of you for pushing through!

@DBlski-nd8nw

3y↑45

I miss highschool so much. What I wouldn't give to stay in 2007 - 2008 and be 16 forever.
I still can't get over a girl who I never had the guts to approach. Always thinking of her and I'll die before I make peace with it.
Emo for life.

@graymatter242

3y↑4

I feel you brother, it was a great time to grow up in and with the best music.
All you can do is take what you've learned, apply it to yourself the best that you can and move forward. You'll find the right one. That's what I keep telling myself too

@DanielJayUSA

2y↑2

Same

@andredvs

2y↑2

EMO ATTACK

@DBlski-nd8nw

2y↑2

@@andredvs Tell me about it. I've gone so far as to grow my hair longer and start wearing eye-shadow.

@DBlski-nd8nw

@@graymatter242 I want to say that I desire to move on, but inside I know I'm lying to myself. I'm already a ghost..

2 More Replies...

@willbinney9248

3y↑19

This is the album i come to when i feel like ending it all its a reminder that life is painful and yet beautiful and contrary to belief you would be missed..

@tylernewman9873

2y↑2

Same ❤

@zabrizzL

Same, life is ruff but we still persevere. (-:

@iamjacobwulff

3y↑4

Just bought my tickets for the Orlando show. I've waited over 10 years to see them again!

@anaa.2420

3y↑15

I can't believe I forgot about this freaking band up until about an hour ago. They were literally one of my favorites. I remember I was barely out of grade school. I heard what emo was and thought it was the coolest thing on the planet! I would come home dressed in all black and blare the song "Awkward Last Words" on one of those gigantic desktop computers back in the day over in over again until my parents would start screaming at me to "Shut that damn song off" lol. I can't believe its been freaking a decade almost...

@jacquelinenjeremiahcliff8440

Music is always In my heart it is like..I'm becoming music :)

@ilovearcticfox

Hahahah. I felt that.

@hmm6366

4y↑38

@infasis

Thanks, but it seems this is one of the few bands where I can actually tell what the singer is saying all the time anyway :p

@hmm6366

@@infasis I commented these lyrics for myself, because i like to read along when im watching.

Edit- a word

@infasis

@@hmm6366 It was nice when YouTube just actually let people post subtitles. I'm not sure why they removed that but it's really stupid

@hmm6366

@@infasis mine shows closed caption subtitles-- but they are also extremely unaccurate. It hears "i wanna live again" as "one liver care" and also omitts half of the lyrics...
Honestly I wish all artists would just include their own lyrics in the description section of their videos. I see more artists doing this nowadays thankfully-- hopefully it just becomes the norm.

@infasis

@@hmm6366 Oh, I mean how you used to be able to submit them to other people's videos if you wanted to contribute. Now I guess it's just Auto translation or ones that the original creator takes the time to add themselves.

@diegokasady

11w

20 years later 500 different albums listed to this still in the top 20

@AyeSupQT

4y↑19

i told you not to believe in me

@blainealexander5091

But I still did. And now my ass will never be the same

@johna374

2y↑1

Great album every track 👌

@loschua7538

1y↑1

holy fuck i listen to this when i was 15.. now i'm 31 time is runnin guys. but good music will never be forgotten - greeting from germany hope ya'll stayin well

@TheCocolapraline

4y↑6

love the intro

@blainealexander5091

4y↑3

And I love you

@TheCocolapraline

3y↑2

@billychretien-pd3oh

Awkward last words this album is all so true !!!

@killa_kayy.3198

I remember this song from way back in the day!

@ovahdose2470

1y↑1

I just witnessed this album live lastnight with hawthorne heights & it was fucking amazinggggg

@jiroshigenos8234

3y↑9

I'm 16 and I had an emo phase with these songs, it's so nostalgic, I can't explain it

@ErosYuno

facts these songs saved my life

@arthuroliveira4326

2y↑1

damn that one hits hard

@WhereThereDude

Best song ever...

@rubenarroyo299

I finally found this sound after 10+ years. I had 2 days thinking of this song, trying to remember the lyrics which I did remember few parts , but it never showed up . Until I remember just rn " always last words_"