Before coming together to form the duo, Fredriksson and Gessle were already established artists in Sweden, with Fredriksson releasing a number of solo albums and Gessle being the lead singer and songwriter of Gyllene Tider, which had three No. 1 albums. On the advice of the managing director of their record label, they came together to record "Neverending Love", which became a hit single in Sweden.
After the release of Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus!, a greatest hits record, the duo took a hiatus before returning with the albums Have a Nice Day (1999) and Room Service (2001). They continued to chart in other territories, mainly in Europe and Latin America, where they earned various Gold and Platinum awards until the beginning of the new millennium. In 2002, the duo took a break from recording and touring when Fredriksson was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Gessle went on to release solo albums and reunited with Gyllene Tider before Roxette took to the stage together again for the first time in 8 years, in 2009, during Gessle's European Party Crasher tour. In 2011, they released Charm School, their first studio album in ten years, which was followed by Travelling in 2012. Their latest studio album, Good Karma, was released in 2016.
Their songs "It Must Have Been Love" and "Listen to Your Heart" continue to receive wide radio airplay, with both singles recently receiving awards from BMI for achieving five million radio plays. They have sold an estimated 75 million records worldwide, with over 10 million in certified units from Germany, the US and the UK, achieving gold and platinum certifications for Joyride and Look Sharp! in all three regions.
On 18 April 2016, an official statement was released, cancelling the last leg of the RoXXXette 30th Anniversary Tour due to concerns about Marie Fredriksson's health. As her doctors have advised her to refrain from playing live, she will no longer tour with Roxette. Fredriksson stated: "Sadly, now my touring days are over and I want to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful fans that has followed us on our long and winding journey." Gessle added: "The joyride on the road is over now – but we sure had fun, didn't we?" Roxette has also worked in the studio on their tenth studio album, Good Karma. They have worked with young producers from Sweden like Addeboy vs Cliff "to inject new blood into the Roxette sound". Remixes aside, this is the first time that they have allowed anyone outside of the Roxette canon to produce new music. On 8 April 2016, the lead single off the album, "It Just Happens", was released. The album followed on 3 June 2016.
Per Gessle toured Europe in October and November 2018 as "Per Gessle's Roxette" with a set that lent heavily on the band's back catalogue.
Go To Sleep
Roxette Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A snow dance for the living
There's heavy weather on the way
I heard it on the news.
And life's a tough principal who won't reward the losers
Your name is on the tea-cup
There's nothing I can do.
But to wish you'd think about me before you go to sleep
And I wish you the best there is before you go to sleep.
There are tears without the colour
A million seas with water
An ocean full of people where shattered hearts can go.
And love's a golden ripple where answers are so simple
But the explanations are very hard to do.
And I wish you'd think about me before you go to sleep
And I wish you the best there is before you go to sleep
Go to sleep.
The first verse of Roxette's song "Go to Sleep" talks about a "shadow on the terrace" and a "snow dance for the living," possibly indicating impending danger or bad news. The lyrics suggest that the world is a tough place, and that life is like a strict school principal who doesn't reward those who fail. The line "your name is on the tea-cup" could be interpreted as a symbol of fate or destiny, and implies that the singer is powerless to change the course of events.
The chorus of the song repeats the plea to "think about me before you go to sleep," indicating a desire for connection or affirmation from another person. The lyrics also express a wish for the person to have the best possible life, even if the singer can't be a part of it. The second verse compares the tears of human emotion to the "million seas with water," and suggests that love is a powerful force that can heal broken hearts, but is difficult to fully understand.
Overall, "Go to Sleep" is a melancholy song about the struggles of life and the human desire for love and connection, even when those things seem out of reach.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a shadow on the terrace
There's something ominous or troubling lurking in the background.
A snow dance for the living
A symbol of life's beauty, with a suggestion that it is fleeting and fragile.
There's heavy weather on the way
Trouble or difficulty is approaching.
I heard it on the news.
Confirmation that the bad news is real and not imagined.
And life's a tough principal who won't reward the losers
Life is challenging and doesn't give prizes or recognition to those who fail.
Your name is on the tea-cup
Your presence is felt or anticipated, possibly a hopeful gesture toward a better future.
There's nothing I can do.
Despite the looming difficulties, there's a sense of powerlessness in trying to influence or control outcomes.
But to wish you'd think about me before you go to sleep
A hope to be remembered, a wish to remain connected even when apart.
And I wish you the best there is before you go to sleep.
A message of love and support, hoping for the recipient's happiness and well-being.
There are tears without the colour
Sorrow that's almost hidden or not easily recognizable.
A million seas with water
The world is vast, full of possibilities and surprises.
An ocean full of people where shattered hearts can go.
The world is also a place of healing and solace, where people can find comfort and hope even in the midst of hardship.
And love's a golden ripple where answers are so simple
Love has a simple power and beauty that transcends complexity or confusion.
But the explanations are very hard to do.
Trying to capture the essence of love or to explain its effects is difficult or impossible.
Go to sleep.
A gentle farewell, a wish for rest and peace.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARIE FREDRIKSSON, PER GESSLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind