Sleepless Nights
Little River Band Lyrics


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I lie in bed and I just can't sleep
My mind's outside chasin' the beat
Thinkin' of you and of what went wrong
I wonder how I can carry on
With these sleepless nights

Oh, sleepless nights
I'm havin' sleepless nights over you
I toss and turn 'cause we're getting nowhere

The fire burns but there's nobody there
I need direction, need to find a way
I'm so tired of just sleeping my days away
Because of sleepless nights

Oh, sleepless nights
I'm having sleepless nights over you
Just can't get over you

I'm up all night watching my TV
I see the dawn with the late movie
I'm runnin' scared and I just can't find
A way to ease you off my mind
Can't stop these sleepless nights
Since you left me baby

Sleepless nights
I'm havin' sleepless nights over you
You know you got me cryin' baby

Sleepless nights, sleepless nights




Whoa, sleepless nights, sleepless nights
Sleepless nights, sleepless nights, sleepless nights

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sleepless Nights by Little River Band speak of someone who is going through a difficult time after a break-up. The person is lying in bed unable to sleep, as their mind is racing with thoughts of their former partner and what went wrong in their relationship. The person is struggling to find a way to move on and is tired of just sleeping their days away. The chorus of the song talks about the sleepless nights the person is having over their lost love, and how they can't seem to get over them.


As the song continues, the person expresses how they are constantly reminded of their former partner throughout the day, particularly at night. The person is watching TV to distract themselves, but they still can't seem to shake off their memories. They are running scared and can't find a way to ease the person off their mind, which is causing these sleepless nights.


Line by Line Meaning

I lie in bed and I just can't sleep
The persona reports their inability to sleep even though they are in bed.


My mind's outside chasin' the beat
The persona’s mind is agitated and distracted by thoughts.


Thinkin' of you and of what went wrong
The persona is fixated on the past, contemplating what went wrong with a past relationship.


I wonder how I can carry on
The persona is feeling lost or helpless, unsure of how to move forward.


With these sleepless nights
All this is causing them to experience several sleepless nights.


Oh, sleepless nights
The persona repeats the title of the song, emphasizing how uncomfortable sleep has become.


I'm havin' sleepless nights over you
The reason for the persona’s sleeplessness is the person they’re thinking of.


I toss and turn 'cause we're getting nowhere
The lack of resolution and progress in their thoughts causes tossing and turning while trying to sleep.


The fire burns but there's nobody there
The passion or desire for something is still burning, but the person isn’t there to satisfy it.


I need direction, need to find a way
The persona feels lost and needs guidance or a path to follow.


I'm so tired of just sleeping my days away
The persona is frustrated with feeling unproductive or unfulfilled due to lack of sleep.


Because of sleepless nights
The persona’s lack of sleep is causing other problems in their life.


I'm up all night watching my TV
The persona finds themselves turning to distractions like TV since they can’t sleep.


I see the dawn with the late movie
The persona is up long enough to see the sun rise while watching a late night movie.


I'm runnin' scared and I just can't find
The persona is feeling anxious and doesn’t know what to do.


A way to ease you off my mind
The persona is struggling to let go of thoughts about someone.


Can't stop these sleepless nights
The persona is feeling trapped and unable to stop the cycle of sleeplessness and overthinking.


Since you left me baby
The reason for the persona’s sleeplessness is a recent breakup or separation from someone.


You know you got me cryin' baby
The persona admits to still being emotional about the situation, possibly still grieving or processing their feelings.


Whoa, sleepless nights, sleepless nights
The persona repeats the title of the song again to emphasize how all-consuming the experience of sleeplessness can be.


Sleepless nights, sleepless nights, sleepless nights
The song ends with a final repetition of the title, highlighting the cyclical nature of the persona’s struggles with sleeplessness.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GRAHAM GOBLE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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