Sleepwalking
Lovett Lyle Lyrics
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I was tossing, turning, and counting sheep
To tell the truth
The next thing I knew
I woke up on the outside
In the middle of the avenue
A policeman spied me traffic there
He said, son, son
It sure don't look good
The way you've been calling for your baby
All over the neighborhood
It seems I was sleepwalking
Again last night
The way I was sweet talking
It must have caused a terrible fright
Last night when I was sleepwalking
Someone saw me at a doughnut shop
I was sitting, crying on a tabletop
It was not a pretty sight
I was out of control
The way that I was carrying on
About my sweet jelly roll
I said officer please
My baby's got me down on my knees
Lying in bed
Late at night
Sometimes I just go out of my head
At night
And I go out sleepwalking
Later on down at the jail cell
I was hoping things would turn out well
Because I don't recall
That masquerade ball
And I don't remember nothing y'all
About that blown up rubber doll
So lately I've stopped going anywhere
And I've taken to sleeping with a teddy bear
It's a very full and rich
Imaginary life
And it's sure enough better than dreaming y'all
About any imaginary wife
Lyle Lovett's "Sleepwalking" is a story-song about a man's tendency to sleepwalk and wreak havoc in his sleep. The song follows his misadventures, including waking up in the middle of the street, crying in a doughnut shop, and being mistaken for a criminal. The lyrics are full of humorous and clever wordplay, as Lovett's narrator tries to explain his odd behavior to a skeptical policeman.
The song also has an existential quality, as Lovett's narrator seems to be grappling with larger questions about his identity and purpose. Sleepwalking becomes a metaphor for feeling lost and disconnected from oneself, as the singer searches for meaning in his relationships and in the world around him.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night you know I couldn't sleep
Last night, I experienced insomnia and was not able to sleep
I was tossing, turning, and counting sheep
I was restless and trying various methods, like counting sheep, to fall asleep
To tell the truth
To be honest
The next thing I knew
Suddenly
I woke up on the outside
I found myself outside
In the middle of the avenue
I was in the middle of the street
A policeman spied me traffic there
A police officer observed me on the road
In my t-shirt and my underwear
I was only wearing a t-shirt and underwear at the time
He said, son, son
The police officer addressed me as son
It sure don't look good
The situation did not appear good
The way you've been calling for your baby
The way I had been calling for my significant other
All over the neighborhood
Throughout the entire area
It seems I was sleepwalking
It appears that I was sleepwalking
Again last night
Once again, last night
The way I was sweet talking
The words and mannerisms I used while sleepwalking
It must have caused a terrible fright
It must have been a scary experience for others witnessing me sleepwalking
Last night when I was sleepwalking
During the previous night when I was sleepwalking
Someone saw me at a doughnut shop
An individual observed me at a doughnut shop
I was sitting, crying on a tabletop
I was weeping while seating on a surface in the shop
It was not a pretty sight
It was an unpleasant view
I was out of control
I was not able to manage myself
The way that I was carrying on
The manner in which I was behaving
About my sweet jelly roll
About something that I treasured
I said officer please
I requested the officer
My baby's got me down on my knees
My significant other has made me feel helpless
Lying in bed
While resting in bed
Late at night
During the late hours of the night
Sometimes I just go out of my head
At times, I lose control of myself
At night
During nighttime
And I go out sleepwalking
And I start sleepwalking
Later on down at the jail cell
Subsequently, when I was in jail
I was hoping things would turn out well
I was optimistic that things would work in my favor
Because I don't recall
Because I have no memory
That masquerade ball
The instance of the masquerade ball
And I don't remember nothing y'all
And I do not recollect anything, people
About that blown up rubber doll
About that inflated rubber toy
So lately I've stopped going anywhere
Recently, I have ceased going out
And I've taken to sleeping with a teddy bear
I now sleep with a stuffed animal
It's a very full and rich
It is a fulfilling and enriching
Imaginary life
Fantasy life I create for myself
And it's sure enough better than dreaming y'all
And it is indeed better than even dreaming, you all
About any imaginary wife
About a fictitious partner
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: WILLIS ALAN RAMSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind