I've Been Asleep for a Long Long Time
Hey Rosetta! Lyrics


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I've been asleep for a long, long time
Blond hair to brown and then brown to white
My ma is buried beside my dad
But I was asleep for all of that

I shut my eyes for a moment's rest
Cause I get so tired
What thing transpired while my body slept?
Beset my mind

All the schools that I went to have all been closed
And all of my teachers are dead I suppose
The songs that we sung have all gone quiet
What happens below as you sleep at night?

I shut my eyes for a moment's rest
Cause I get so tired
What things transpired while my body slept?
Beset my mind

The river's up, the reeds are caught
Halfway across what never was
The water rose and swept in slow
When the reeds awoke they were half below

I've been asleep for a long, long time
Blond hair to brown and then brown to white
My ma is buried beside my dad
But I was asleep for all of that

I've been asleep for a long, long time
Blond hair to brown and brown to white
My ma is buried beside my dad




But I was asleep for all of that
For all of that

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the song "I've Been Asleep for a Long Long Time" by Hey Rosetta! are about the feeling of being disconnected from one's surroundings due to being preoccupied with internal struggles. The singer appears to have been in a state of deep sleep for a long time, during which he missed significant life events such as the death of his parents and the closure of his schools. The song suggests that the singer has been struggling with some sort of emotional or mental distress, which has caused him to disengage from the world around him.


The first verse sets the scene for the song, with the singer waking up from a long sleep and realizing how much time has passed. The imagery of his hair changing color from blond to brown to white suggests the passage of time, and the fact that his parents are buried next to each other implies that they have both passed away while he was asleep. The chorus, which repeats throughout the song, emphasizes the singer's sense of detachment from his surroundings and his own life.


In the second verse, the singer reflects on the changes that have taken place in his absence. The fact that all of his schools are closed and his teachers are dead implies that many years have gone by, and the reference to quiet songs suggests a sense of loss or nostalgia for the past. The bridge of the song introduces a new metaphor, in which the singer imagines a river overflowing and reeds becoming half-submerged. This image suggests the idea of being caught in the current of life and struggling to stay afloat.


Overall, "I've Been Asleep for a Long Long Time" is a poignant and reflective song about the feeling of being disconnected from one's surroundings due to emotional or mental distress. The singer's sense of dislocation and loss is conveyed through vivid imagery and repetitive, haunting melodies.


Line by Line Meaning

I've been asleep for a long, long time
I have been missing out on life for a significant period.


Blond hair to brown and then brown to white
Over time, my hair has gone from being blonde to brown and finally to white.


My ma is buried beside my dad
My mother has been buried next to my father.


But I was asleep for all of that
Unfortunately, I was not awake to attend my parents' deaths or funerals.


I shut my eyes for a moment's rest
I occasionally pause to take a quick nap.


Cause I get so tired
This is due to the fact that I expend a lot of energy daily.


What thing transpired while my body slept?
What events occurred while I was in a trance?


Beset my mind
My subconscious is disturbed by these unconscious events.


All the schools that I went to have all been closed
All of the schools I attended have been shut down.


And all of my teachers are dead I suppose
It is likely that all of my instructors have passed away.


The songs that we sung have all gone quiet
The tunes that we sang have all died down.


What happens below as you sleep at night?
What takes place in the world while you are unconscious and unaware?


The river's up, the reeds are caught
The water level has risen, and the plant stems are tangled.


Halfway across what never was
Somewhere that did not exist before.


The water rose and swept in slow
The water elevated and moved gradually.


When the reeds awoke they were half below
Once the plants had emerged from their slumber, they were halfway submerged in water.


For all of that
Despite my absence or unavailability, life still goes on.




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Timothy John Baker

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Ma Murphy

Seen them live several times now, they're fantastic and the studio album doesn't do their skills justice

Luke Kintsukuroi

much love to a band long gone; their music lives on

Cain9236

This song is literally so amazing!!!!!!

NakVerrion

Rest assured, friend, I have seen them live and they do not disappoint!

jin blank

can confirm

Lexi Griffin

Heartland always has the best songs

Matt K

Ahead of their time

nico tiro

I thought this too, still do

It'sHappening

Heartland brought me here, thanks for introducing me to a great band!

Cain9236

Omg me 2 I head it and was like WAIT A MINUTE so unexpectedly good

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