While some subsequent Sleep Station albums have been recorded with a full band (After the War, The Pride of Chester James), others have essentially been David Debiak solo albums (Von Cosel, The Blood of Our Our Fathers), featuring very little, if any, instrumentation other than David Debiak's own guitar playing.
Sleep Station is known for its concept albums; to date, all Sleep Station releases have called "rock operas" by some critics. David Debiak himself, however, has stated that he is not trying to tell a story in his songs, stating in a MySpace bulletin "Every record I have done as Sleep Station has been thematic in its nature, not trying to tell a story but just create a mood". Unconventional love affairs and war are common lyrical themes in Sleep Station's music.
Following the release of the album After the War in 2004, Sleep Station went on hiatus, with David Debiak starting a side project, New London Fire, with his brother Jason Debiak.
In 2008, Sleep Station returned from hiatus with the album The Pride of Chester James, an album about a fictional circus drifter who shows up in a small town.
Silver Hills
Sleep Station Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of Sleep Station's song Silver Hills are reflective of someone who is struggling with their identity and is questioning their own sanity. The opening lines suggest that the person is about to undergo some kind of testing, which can be interpreted as a mental evaluation. They want to remember who they are before the testing begins, indicating that they fear losing their sense of self or being labeled as mentally ill. They also long for a sense of familiarity and comfort, suggesting that they have been through this process before and found it challenging.
The singer of the song appears to be grappling with a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. They feel like they are on the brink of breaking down, possibly due to external pressures or internal turmoil. They are pretending to be fine and hoping to see their friends, but deep down, they are struggling. They mention listening to the voice inside their head, which suggests that they may be battling with their own thoughts and feelings. They question why they are being blamed for their struggles, highlighting the stigma and shame that can surround mental illness.
Overall, Silver Hills is a poignant and introspective song that explores the complexities of mental health and the human experience. It reminds us that we all have moments of vulnerability and doubt, and that it's important to reach out for support when we need it.
Line by Line Meaning
Before we go in I'd like to see if I remember who I am.
I want some time to reflect on my own identity before undergoing any testing or experiments.
Before the testing comes I'd like to see if I can settle in again.
I need to get comfortable and prepare myself mentally before undergoing any kind of evaluation or examination.
Too far, do you remember where we are, I learned my lesson again.
I feel like we've gone too deep and lost track of where we are; I've been through this before and it hasn't been good.
I can't take it I'm not that far from breaking, all I can do now....is pretend and hope they let me out to see my friends.
I'm at my breaking point and can't handle this any longer, so I'm putting on a facade and hoping they'll release me to be with my loved ones.
I listened to the words inside my head.
I paid attention to my own thoughts and inner dialogue.
I think I know just where that got me now.
Now I understand the consequences of my self-talk and the impact it has had on my life.
Why am I to blame for this I only mentioned that I was braking down.
I don't understand why I'm being held responsible for my emotional state when all I did was express my struggles.
I've been one to thrive on this, pictures sent just to show me who I am.
I've had a tendency to rely on external validation, such as photos, to define and affirm my identity.
Does it end? Look at me I'm here again, sometimes I don't know who I am.
I feel like I'm stuck in a cycle and questioning my own sense of self in the process.
I can't take it I'm not that far from breaking and all I can do now.......is pretend and hope they let me out to see my friends.
I'm at my breaking point and can't handle this any longer, so I'm putting on a facade and hoping they'll release me to be with my loved ones.
I listened to the words inside my head, I think I know just where that got me now.
I paid attention to my own thoughts and inner dialogue and now I understand the consequences of it on my life.
Contributed by Kennedy D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rupman27isback
wow. awesome.. yeah great music man.. you come across NEWER music like this anymore
@chickboomcrash
It is a truly amazing composition...I was the drummer on the album and for the band back during that era. It was an amazing experience and I have experienced nothing quite like that gathering of musicians or those compositions since...the music remains stunningly relevant, even now. Thanks for putting it up...Dave Eisenhardt.
@rupman27isback
Nice!!
@thedandepasque
I loved the song "Maybe you can stay with me," haven't heard it in years but I don't think it was on any of the cd's
@Javier.alejandro.n
for years expected some live version or some vidieo on this song, but nothing .... I thank you for uploading the video! I love this song of sleep station, I heard the song on the page eyeball records in 2002, there were some other songs ... greetings from Chile
@june854
They sound pretty nice!
@rupman27isback
These guys were amazing
@thedandepasque
There is a promo video for this, I saw it at Loop Lounge back then. Anyone else ever see it? - Dan (chain saw)
@rupman27isback
dont*