Sleep
Midnight Oil Lyrics


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So you've got the blues
The evening wore out your shoes
To a shuffling beat
It's a colorful crowd

Spraycan information
Cover the lonely station
Checkpoint for the state of the nation

On the missionbeat beat
The radio drug
Wayward destinations
Secondhand sensation

In the back of the cell
The plug and the cord
Shoulder dislocation
Bruised in isolation

In the eye of the storm
Writing on walls
Cross my heart confusion
Looking for a new solution

It's the heat of the land
Swallowing sweat
Say those dreams can shake me
Dawn come down and save me

Take this heart




Break this heart
Wrap it up and let me sleep

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Sleep" by Midnight Oil depict a surreal and somewhat dystopian world that seems to be on the brink of collapse. The first stanza describes a worn-out evening where the singer finds themselves feeling blue, and a "colorful crowd" is shuffling to a beat. The next stanza speaks about graffiti being a lonely outpost and a "checkpoint for the state of the nation," implying that the world is in turmoil. The radio is also mentioned as a drug, and people are on a wayward mission to secondhand destinations.


The third stanza is the most disturbing, describing someone in the back of a cell with a bruised shoulder and dislocation, presumably from torture. The following lines switch to the singer observing the chaos from the eye of the storm, with confusion in their heart and a need for a new solution. The fourth and final stanza speaks about the intense heat of the land and how dreams can shake and scare us. The singer asks for their heart to be broken and wrapped up, allowing them to sleep and escape the nightmare.


Overall, the lyrics to "Sleep" are intense and describe a world that is seemingly falling apart. The imagery created is vivid and unsettling, with hints of hopelessness and a need for change.


Line by Line Meaning

So you've got the blues
You are feeling sad or down


The evening wore out your shoes
You have been walking around for a long time


To a shuffling beat
The music you are hearing has a steady, slow rhythm


It's a colorful crowd
There are many different types of people gathered here


Spraycan information
Graffiti on the walls


Cover the lonely station
The train station is empty and abandoned


Checkpoint for the state of the nation
This location is an indicator of the state of the entire country


On the missionbeat beat
The police are patrolling the area


The radio drug
The music on the radio is very addictive


Wayward destinations
People are going to places they shouldn't be going to


Secondhand sensation
The feeling you get when you are doing something you have heard about and not experienced yourself


In the back of the cell
The artist is locked up in a cell


The plug and the cord
The singer has been restrained using an electrical cord


Shoulder dislocation
The singer has been physically harmed and their shoulder is out of place


Bruised in isolation
The singer has been hurt while they were alone


In the eye of the storm
During a difficult situation


Writing on walls
Graffiti on the walls with messages of hope and rebellion


Cross my heart confusion
I am feeling confused and uncertain


Looking for a new solution
Searching for a fresh way to deal with a problem


It's the heat of the land
The weather is very hot and oppressive


Swallowing sweat
The humidity is so high that sweat is always present


Say those dreams can shake me
My dreams or goals can help me overcome these struggles


Dawn come down and save me
I am hoping for a better tomorrow


Take this heart
I am giving away my love and emotions


Break this heart
My heart has already been broken by difficult experiences


Wrap it up and let me sleep
I want to forget my troubles and rest peacefully




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARTIN ROTSEY, PETER GIFFORD, ROBERT HIRST, JAMES MOGINIE, PETER GARRETT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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