Founding band members Jared Watson and guitarist/vocalist Dustin Bushnell met in 1996 while in high school, embarking on a friendship based on music, as well as their shared passion for surfing, skating and the endless party of the laid-back SoCal lifestyle.
Early on, they spent many late nights jamming in Bushnell’s soundproof garage with a four-track recorder, writing unique acoustic hip-hop songs that featured reggae inflections. Inspired by the rock and reggae sounds of Bob Marley, Sublime, 311 and The Beastie Boys, the band’s music evolved into their distinct Dirty Heads style.
To complete the Dirty Heads’ sound, the duo added percussionist Jon Olazabal, drummer Matt Ochoa and David Foral on bass. With a set of solid material, the Dirty Heads were further motivated to take their craft to the next level, and they began building a loyal fan base throughout the west coast, while performing acoustically at local bars and small music venues.
Executive produced by the Grammy Award-winning Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Kid Rock, Paramore), the band connected with sought-after producers Steve Fox and Stan Frazier (Sugar Ray) working long hours to polish their material and further develop their style. The Dirty Heads also recruited mixing engineer Mario Caldato Jr., best known for his work with the Beastie Boys, to add the finishing touches and create just the right blend.
The band’s highly-anticipated expanded album titled, Any Port in a Storm – Special Edition (Executive Music Group (EMG)/Fontana, a division of Universal Music Group Distribution) features 22 tracks and a bonus video that are reminiscent of the upbeat, sun-soaked Southern California party energy. The first smash hit single is “Lay Me Down” featuring Rome, of Sublime with Rome.
Any Port in a Storm also features one of the final recordings of the late music industry icon Billy Preston. Frequently referred to as “The Fifth Beatle,” Preston played on three tracks, including “Stand Tall,” “Chelsea,” and “Driftin.’ ” Additional special guests on the album are drummer Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle, Sting, The Vandals), and veteran session percussionist Alex Acuna, whose A-list musician resume includes Peter Gabriel, Johnny Clegg, and Jackson Browne, to name only a few.
Recently, the band’s music has been attracting attention throughout the world of entertainment. They have been a featured artist on Fuel TV and their songs have been featured in the movie and soundtrack for Surf’s Up (Sony); and the television drama, Shark staring James Woods (CBS). Actor Matthew McConaughey selected the band’s music to be in his film, Surfer Dude. In addition, the Dirty Heads can be heard in Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam video game (Activision), and several other music compilations and surf/skate videos. On the marketing side, the Dirty Heads have also been included in campaigns for Etnies Jeans, Vestal Watches, Hurley, Skullcandy and more.
Dirty Heads vocalist Jared Watson sums up their fun, uncomplicated style, “We want to be positive and entertain,” he says. “We just want to make you feel good.”
Visit the band at: www.dirtyheads.com and www.myspace.com/dirtyheads
INSOMNIA
Dirty Heads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Darvaset, Vicodin, Calaudapin, sleeping pills and Nyquil.
I can't sleep yo and it's driving me mad
It's like my eyelids are glued to the top of my forehead.
I lie in bed with my eyes wide open
But Duddy don't you worry you'll be sleeping in a moment,
Then moments turn minutes and minutes turn to hours
Then hours turn to long ass nights and cold showers.
It's four in the morning still wide awake
Let's see how many bong tokes Duddy B can take.
I already drank all the alcohol left in my house so now
I sit here wide awake with a dry fucking mouth
And I just think of all the things on my mind
And then I let um roll around about a million times
Until it's got me you it grabs a hold of me baby,
It's insomnia kids you know its drivin' me crazy.
Turn out the lights, lie my head down,
I lie my head down, I close my eyes.
Now all I do girl is lie here
I think I'll die here
Insomnia.
Push my face in the pillow to asphyxiate the sound,
I'd cry my self to sleep but I'm too scared that I might drown.
I'm calling for the sandman but I don't think he's in town,
And all these sleepless nights have running thoughts have got me down.
I wish I had a sudden case of narcolepsy
Maybe call up Duddy B so we can smoke the best weed
And give me something nice so it can calm my chest peace
And talk about these things that we really don't need.
Now as I lay in bed in my head I'm running circles
Stuck in the land of low light and infomercials.
It's insomnia kids you know its drivin' me crazy
Only thing that can save me is an overdose maybe.
Turn out the lights, lie my head down,
I lie my head down, I close my eyes.
Now all I do girl is lie here
I think I'll die here
Insomnia.
Fallen fallen, trying to fall asleep.
I can't seem to 'cause my eyes are just too weak.
Fallen fallen, trying to fall asleep.
Fallen fallen 'cause my eyes are just too weak.
Turn out the lights lie my head down,
I lie my head down, I close my eyes.
Now all I do girl is lie here
I think I'll die here
Insomnia
The song "Insomnia" by Dirty Heads talks about the difficulties of falling asleep and the struggles it causes. The lyrics express the singer's desperation for various types of medication, pills, and drugs to help him sleep. The first stanza portrays the singer's frustration and helplessness, as he has tried all the usual remedies, but they do not seem to work. The use of multiple drugs and pills highlights his desperation and obsession with finding a solution to his problem. The lyrics then go on to describe the mental torture of being awake when he should be asleep. He lies in bed with his eyes open, trying to force himself to sleep, but it's not working. He turns to smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol to try and relax, but the effect is only temporary.
As the night drags on, his mind becomes more and more active, and he thinks about all the things that are bothering him. He tries to avoid thinking, but the thoughts keep coming back, and it feels like a vicious cycle. The lyrics demonstrate how sleep difficulties can impact one's mental health, as the singer seems to be on the edge of a breakdown. The song's chorus highlights the sense of helplessness that comes with insomnia, as the singer feels like he'll die before finding a solution to his problem.
In summary, "Insomnia" by Dirty Heads expresses the struggles of sleeplessness that many people face. The lyrics highlight the singer's desperation to find sleep and the toll it takes on his mental and physical health. The song's chorus conveys a sense of hopelessness and despair that comes with insomnia.
Line by Line Meaning
I need some Valium, Zanex, Percaset,
The singer is expressing a desire for various drugs that can help with sleep, likely due to insomnia.
Darvaset, Vicodin, Calaudapin, sleeping pills and Nyquil.
The singer continues to list off possible drugs that they believe will help them sleep.
I can't sleep yo and it's driving me mad
The singer is unable to get to sleep and this is causing them distress.
It's like my eyelids are glued to the top of my forehead.
The artist is struggling to get their eyes to close and feels as though they are stuck open.
I lie in bed with my eyes wide open
The artist is trying to get to sleep but is unable to close their eyes.
But Duddy don't you worry you'll be sleeping in a moment,
The singer implies that someone named Duddy will soon be sleeping, but they themselves are still awake.
Then moments turn minutes and minutes turn to hours
Despite thinking that they will soon fall asleep, the singer has been awake for an extended period of time.
Then hours turn to long ass nights and cold showers.
The artist has been suffering from insomnia for an extended period of time, causing them to be awake for long, uncomfortable nights.
It's four in the morning still wide awake
The artist has been unable to fall asleep and it is now early in the morning.
Let's see how many bong tokes Duddy B can take.
The artist is considering using marijuana to try and help them sleep, and suggests Duddy may do the same.
I already drank all the alcohol left in my house so now
The singer has tried drinking alcohol to help them sleep but has run out.
I sit here wide awake with a dry fucking mouth
The artist is still struggling to get to sleep and is experiencing physical symptoms of dehydration.
And I just think of all the things on my mind
The singer has racing thoughts that are preventing them from being able to fall asleep.
And then I let um roll around about a million times
The singer's thoughts are repetitive and cyclical, preventing them from being able to quiet their mind and get to sleep.
Until it's got me you it grabs a hold of me baby,
The singer's racing thoughts have taken over, making it even more difficult for them to fall asleep.
It's insomnia kids you know its drivin' me crazy.
The artist recognizes that they are experiencing insomnia and it is impacting their mental health.
Turn out the lights, lie my head down,
The artist is trying to get to sleep and is preparing to go to bed.
I lie my head down, I close my eyes.
The singer is attempting to go to sleep by resting their head and closing their eyes.
Now all I do girl is lie here
Despite trying to sleep, the singer is still awake and unable to get to sleep.
I think I'll die here
The artist is feeling dramatic and hopeless about their inability to sleep.
Insomnia.
The repeated occurrences of insomnia are the focus of this song.
Push my face in the pillow to asphyxiate the sound,
The artist tries to block out noise by pressing their face into their pillow, but this does not help them fall asleep.
I'd cry my self to sleep but I'm too scared that I might drown.
The singer feels overwhelmed and emotional, but is afraid to cry because it could lead to drowning in their tears.
I'm calling for the sandman but I don't think he's in town,
The artist is searching for someone or something, like the traditional figure of the Sandman who brings sleep, to help them fall asleep.
And all these sleepless nights have running thoughts have got me down.
The singer's lack of sleep is causing them to feel down and overwhelmed by their repetitive thoughts.
I wish I had a sudden case of narcolepsy
The singer jokingly wishes for a condition where they would suddenly fall asleep.
Maybe call up Duddy B so we can smoke the best weed
The singer still considers using marijuana to help them sleep, and envisions doing so with someone named Duddy B.
And give me something nice so it can calm my chest peace
The artist is looking for something that will help them feel calm and reduce stress.
And talk about these things that we really don't need.
The artist suggests talking about trivial things with Duddy B to help them relax and potentially fall asleep.
Now as I lay in bed in my head I'm running circles
The singer is still lying in bed, unable to fall asleep, and their thoughts are continuing in repetitive circles.
Stuck in the land of low light and infomercials.
Despite trying to fall asleep, the singer is awake and has few options for entertainment, stuck in a state of insomnia watching late night TV commercials.
Only thing that can save me is an overdose maybe.
The artist feels hopeless and considers the possibility of an overdose being the only solution to their long-term insomnia.
Fallen fallen, trying to fall asleep.
The artist is still attempting to fall asleep but is struggling to do so.
I can't seem to 'cause my eyes are just too weak.
The artist's eyes are too tired to stay open but they still cannot fall asleep.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STAN FRAZIER, STEVE FOX, JARED WATSON, DUSTIN BUSHNELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind