Bettye LaVette (born Betty Jo Haskins, January 29, 1946) is an American sou… Read Full Bio ↴Bettye LaVette (born Betty Jo Haskins, January 29, 1946) is an American soul singer-songwriter who made her first record at sixteen, but achieved only intermittent fame until 2005, with her album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise. Her eclectic musical style combines elements of soul, blues, rock and roll, funk, gospel, and country music.

With one of her first singles turning into a national hit, 1962's "Let Me Down Easy", Detroit-raised LaVette would seem a natural soul star, but she was never able to cut an album deal. In 1972 her album A Child of the Seventies was shelved by Atlantic Records, then thought lost forever in a fire. She eked out a living on the European festival circuit, occasionally surfacing such as with the disco single "Doin' the Best that I Can", but remained obscure until French soul collector Gilles Petard tracked down the lost masters and persuaded Atlantic to let him release them on his vanity label as Souvenirs. A live album and 2005's cover album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise followed.

With the release of The Scene of the Crime, Bettye Lavette inches closer to the mainstream, or at least a much bigger cult following. Backed by The Drive-by Truckers and released on -Anti, The Scene of the Crime is recorded at the legendary FAME studios in Muscles Shoals, Alabama. The same place as her lost album. The connection doesn't end there - Patterson Hood of the Drive-by Truckers is the son of David Hood, who played on the 1972 album.

In 2009, she appeared at President Barack Obama's Inaugural Celebration, singing "A Change Is Gonna Come" with Jon Bon Jovi. It was televised globally.

Sleep to Dream
Bettye Lavette Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I tell you how I feel, but you don't care.
I say tell me the truth, but you don't dare.
You say love is a hell you cannot bare.
And I say gimme mine back and then go there - for all I care.

I got my feet on the ground and I don't go to sleep to dream.
You got your head in the clouds and you're not at all what you seem.
This mind, this body, and this voice cannot be stifled by your deviant ways.

So don't forget what I told you, don't come around, I got my own hell to raise.

I have never been insulted in all my life.
I could swallow the seas to wash down all this pride.
First you run like a fool just to be at my side.
And now you run like a fool, but you just run to hide, and I can't abide.

I got my feet on the ground and I don't go to sleep to dream.
You got this head in the clouds and you're not at all what you seem.
This mind, this body, and this voice cannot be stifled by your deviant ways.
So don't forget what I told you, don't come around, I got my own hell to raise.

Don't make it a big deal, don't be so sensitive.
Were not playing a game anymore, you don't have to be so defensive.
Don't you plead me your case, don't bother to explain.
Don't even show me your face, cuz it's a crying shame.
Just go back to the rock from under which you came.
Take the sorrow you gave and all the stakes you claim -
And don't forget the blame.
I got my feet on the ground and I don't go to sleep to dream.
You got this head in the clouds and you're not at all what you seem.

This mind, this body, and this voice cannot be stifled by your deviant ways.
So don't forget what I told you, don't come around, I got my own hell to raise.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Bettye Lavette's "Sleep to Dream" expresses a powerful and assertive message to an ex-lover who betrayed her trust. The song is about a love that has turned sour and a refusal to settle for less than she deserves. Lavette's rage and indignance are evident in her vocal delivery, as she tells her former lover that she is through with his excuses and blames him for the emotional turmoil he has caused her.

In the first verse, Lavette confronts her ex and confronts him about his lack of concern for her feelings when she opens up to him. She demands the truth from him but knows that he is afraid to face it. He claims that love is a hell he cannot bear, and she responds sarcastically that he can keep his hell and go there. She is unwilling to compromise her standards for him and doesn't care if he leaves.

The chorus asserts Lavette's independence and self-assurance. She has both feet on the ground and is not living in a fantasy world like her ex. She is a strong and outspoken individual who is not afraid to stand up for herself. She will not be silenced by his oppressive ways and will not forgive him for his mistakes.

In the second verse, Lavette elaborates on how she has been wronged, and it's clear that she has been deeply hurt by what her ex has done. Despite her pride, she is ready to swallow her anger to get over him. She expresses resentment for his behavior, saying that he wanted to be with her, then left her high and dry when things got tough. Now that he realizes his mistake, it's too late, and she can't accept his apologies.

Overall, "Sleep to Dream" is a song about standing up for oneself and refusing to be treated poorly. It's a powerful and empowering message about finding the strength to move on and take control of one's life.

Line by Line Meaning

I tell you how I feel, but you don't care.
I express my emotions to you, but you are indifferent.

I say tell me the truth, but you don't dare.
I request honesty from you, but you are too afraid to provide it.

You say love is a hell you cannot bare.
You claim that being in love is unbearable for you.

And I say gimme mine back and then go there - for all I care.
I demand the return of what is mine and do not care about your response.

I got my feet on the ground and I don't go to sleep to dream.
I am grounded in reality and do not indulge in fantasies.

You got your head in the clouds and you're not at all what you seem.
You are not the person you present yourself to be due to your unrealistic thoughts.

This mind, this body, and this voice cannot be stifled by your deviant ways.
My thoughts, physicality, and expression cannot be hindered by your deviant behaviors.

So don't forget what I told you, don't come around, I got my own hell to raise.
Remember my words and do not return, as I have my own struggles to overcome.

I have never been insulted in all my life.
I have never felt disrespected in my entire existence.

I could swallow the seas to wash down all this pride.
I am incredibly full of pride and would do anything to regain my composure.

First you run like a fool just to be at my side.
At first, you pursued me relentlessly to be close to me.

And now you run like a fool, but you just run to hide, and I can't abide.
Now, you run away from me to avoid confrontation and I cannot tolerate it.

Don't make it a big deal, don't be so sensitive.
Do not exaggerate the situation and do not be so easily offended.

Were not playing a game anymore, you don't have to be so defensive.
This is not a game, so there is no need for you to be on the defense.

Don't you plead me your case, don't bother to explain.
Do not attempt to justify your actions or provide an excuse.

Don't even show me your face, cuz it's a crying shame.
Do not appear in my presence, as it is embarrassing for you.

Just go back to the rock from under which you came.
Return to the place that you originated from.

Take the sorrow you gave and all the stakes you claim -
Accept the pain you inflicted upon me and relinquish your claims.

And don't forget the blame.
Remember that you are responsible for the situation.

So don't forget what I told you, don't come around, I got my own hell to raise.
Remember my words and do not return, as I have my own struggles to overcome.

Contributed by Leo O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS