John Tabacco, (born 26, February,1961) is a composer, singer-songwriter, re… Read Full Bio ↴John Tabacco, (born 26, February,1961) is a composer, singer-songwriter, recording engineer, multi instrumentalist, and graphic artist. He grew up in St. James, NY. He is co-founder of SA3 (a proprietary analog to digital conversion technology for sound and video) and has produced, engineered / mixed and mastered music for hundreds of NY artists since 1986. He is the CEO of It Iz What It Iz Music Publishing (SESAC), which currently holds over 700 songs in its catalog. His music background consists of extensive study of orchestration with noted 20th century composer John Lessard, harmony with the late electronic music maverick Bulent Arel, and composition with Stony Brook University professor Peter Winkler. He received a BA in Music from Stony Brook University in 1983.

Besides crafting over thirty CDs of original music, Tabacco has sang lead vocals for The Ed Palermo Big Band, and Stealin’ Dan 2 as well as vocals and drums for the Beatles Magical Orchestra, and the Beatle’s tribute band Mostly Moptop.

When not vocalizing or recording he plays host to a free form college radio show mysteriously entitled CLAM RADIO on WUSB, Stony Brook University.

Like an unfolding musical diary / puzzle, Tabacco’s music and art are constantly being re-worked, juxtaposed and intertwined. His style is a melding of pop, jazz, rock, r&b, avant-garde, aleatory, and neoclassical sprinkled with a good measure of absurd humor.

Main influences : The Beatles, Frank Zappa, Steely Dan, Firesign Theatre, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Stravinsky, Thelonious Monk, Brian Wilson, Captain Beefheart

Go to Sleep
John Tabacco Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

GO TO SLEEP

Go to sleep
Go to sleep my baby
Go to sleep
Reality is waiting

The oceans where we used to float

Among the stars we we're tied to
Sailing free without a boat
A dream we both subscribed to

Go to sleep
Go to sleep my baby
Go to sleep
Reality is waiting

Welcome home it's been light years
Of many lifetimes filled with many charms
What's that you say - The gang's all here
And they wait with open arms

Feel the love
Feel the love my baby
Feel the love
Feel the love that's waiting

A long long time ago me and you
We were building galaxies
Molecule by molecule
Now I think it's time to rest
And see what we've been up to

Go to sleep
Go to sleep my baby
Go to sleep
Reality is waiting

Reality is waiting
Reality is waiting

Overall Meaning

The song "Go To Sleep" by John Tabacco is a lullaby that highlights the inevitability of reality. The first stanza conveys the message to the baby to let go of the dream world and embrace reality. The singer wants the baby to leave behind the world where they float in the oceans among the stars that they both dreamed of. The next section of the song welcomes the baby home after exploring for light-years and many lifetimes. The singer tells the baby that everyone is waiting with open arms. The song indicates that the baby was not only dreaming but also building galaxies molecule by molecule long ago.

The song combines the message of a lullaby and the reality of life. Singing this song to a baby every night can condition their mind to accept reality positively. The song portrays life as a journey to exploration and creation. It fosters imagination, dreams, and love, but eventually, reality whispers and demands our attention. The baby must face reality and see what they have been up to; thus, it hints towards self-reflection and wisdom.

Line by Line Meaning

Go to sleep
It's time to sleep

Go to sleep my baby
It's time for you to sleep, my child

Go to sleep
It's time to sleep

Reality is waiting
We need to face reality when we wake up

The oceans where we used to float
Remembering a time of freedom and exploration

Among the stars we were tied to
We were linked to something greater than ourselves

Sailing free without a boat
We were able to explore without limits

A dream we both subscribed to
We both had a vision of limitless exploration

Welcome home it's been light years
Returning to where we started from a long time ago

Of many lifetimes filled with many charms
We've experienced many different things

What's that you say - The gang's all here
Everyone is reunited