Near its inception, Sleeping At Last's amateur debut album, Capture, was noticed by Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, who helped expose the music to the major-label world. Soon after, the band signed to Interscope Records and released 2003's Ghosts , their first official full-length album. Two independently-released full-length records followed: 2006's Keep No Score and 2009's Storyboards . In between the writing and recording of albums, the band has established a reputation for a pitch-perfect live show, successfully headlining several U.S. tours and sharing the stage with such artists as Switchfoot, Yellowcard, Something Corporate, Billy Corgan's Zwan, Alanis Morrisette, Lifehouse, and Phantom Planet, just to name a few. The creative process has always been protected, as the band self-produced each record, working with respected mixers such as John Goodmanson and Alan Moulder.
After the departure of drummer Chad O'Neal in 2011, the remaining duo embarked on the ambitious Yearbook project, in which O'Neal and Perdue released three songs on the first of every month in individual EPs. After its completion, all EPs were compiled into an LP and published independently. However, upon the final release of the Yearbook series, Perdue stepped down from the duo, leaving Ryan O'Neal a solo artist under the group's pre-existing moniker.
On December 10, 2012, O'Neal announced his largest project to date: the Atlas series, a three-part project approaching the themes of the origins of the universe and human development. Similar to 2011's Yearbook compilation, each set of new songs would be released as individual EPs until each part's completion, at which time the compilation of songs would be released as an LP. Up to now, 2014's Atlas I and 2019's Atlas II remain as stellar examples of O'Neal's accomplishments as a solo independent artist. Production on Atlas III is in progress, and its first two songs, "Overture III" and "Awake" have been released as singles.
Besides the Atlas series, O'Neal has kept busy with other projects, including three albums of covers commissioned by ABC's "Grey's Anatomy", in which Sleeping At Last has appeared a whopping 77 times. Sleeping At Last also produced the scores for the documentaries Many Beautiful Things (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) and charity:water's The Spring (Original Score). Finally, O'Neal has released multiple singles surrounding significant astronomical events, published as a compilation in 2020 under the title of Astronomy, Vol. 1.
Sleeping At Last has long been a beacon shining brightly on behalf of independent artists. In the ever-changing climate of the music industry, the quest for a successful independent career seems evermore difficult to attain. From his new home in L.A., O'Neal pursues this challenge relentlessly through his commitment to musical integrity in his songwriting, and in this way nurtures a unique and personal relationship with his listeners. He has remained true to the things that brought him to music in the first place: his love of melody and the power of words. His music and lyrics emerge from a place that is honest, raw, and spiritual: Says Ryan, "Our faith is a big part of who we are, but we have always intended our music to be for anyone that cares to listen, no matter who they are or what they believe in. Everyone hears a song in a different light."
In keeping with this, Ryan's lyrics ask every important question that occurs. While he promises no fast, sure answers, he somehow always offers hope as the consistent, overarching theme.
Earth
Sleeping at Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Swear to the earth that I will keep it
Brush off the dirt
And let my change of heart occur
Sold soon after the appraisal
The hammer struck the auction table
Louder than anything I′ve ever heard
Fault lines tremble underneath my glass house
But I put it out of my mind
Long enough to call it courage
To live without a lifeline
I bend the definition
Of faith to exonerate my blind eye
Till the sirens sound, I'm safe
Meanwhile, my family′s taking shelter
The sparks send the fire down the wire
A countdown begins
Until the dynamite gives in
The echo, as wide as the equator
Travels through a world of built up anger
Too late to pull itself together now
Fault lines tremble underneath my glass house
But I put it out of my mind
Long enough to call it courage
To live without a lifeline
I bend the definition
Of faith to exonerate my blind eye
Till the sirens sound, I'm safe
There was an earthquake
There was an avalanche of change
We were so afraid
We cried ourselves a hurricane
There were floods
Tidal waves over us
So we folded our hands and prayed
Like a domino
These wildfires grow and grow
Until a brand new world takes shape
Fault lines tremble underneath my glass house
But I put it out of my mind
Long enough to call it courage
To live without a lifeline
I bend the definition
Of faith to exonerate my blind eye
Till the sirens sound, I'm safe
Until the sirens sound, I′m safe
Until the sirens sound, I′m safe
The lyrics of Sleeping at Last's song "Earth" seem to be a reflection on personal growth and the ability to adapt and change. The opening lines, "I dig till my shovel tells a secret, swear to the earth that I will keep it" suggest a metaphorical digging and excavating of one's own emotions and personal truths. The act of keeping the secret implies a commitment to self-discovery and introspection.
The succeeding line, "Brush off the dirt and let my change of heart occur," suggests a desire for transformation and a willingness to let go of previous beliefs or misconceptions. It signifies a readiness to embrace new perspectives and growth, symbolized by the cleansing act of brushing off the dirt.
The following stanza alludes to a significant moment of realization or change that is abrupt and impactful. The metaphorical hammer striking the auction table introduces a sense of surprising loudness that disrupts the singer's previous understanding. This event challenges their perception of the world and sparks a reevaluation of their own life choices.
The repeated mention of fault lines represents underlying tension or vulnerabilities within the singer's own life. Despite being aware of these fault lines, they choose to ignore them, putting them "out of their mind" to find the courage to live without relying on a safety net or lifeline. The singer acknowledges bending the definition of faith to justify turning a blind eye to their own faults or weaknesses until they feel secure, as symbolized by the sirens sounding.
The subsequent verse shifts focus to the larger world, as the singer's family seeks shelter while turmoil and disaster strike. The sparks and fire traveling down the wire represent the rapid spread of chaos or tragedy. The countdown until the dynamite gives in could be interpreted as the impending collapse of the facade they've built, a reminder that avoiding or denying problems won't make them disappear.
The reference to floods, tidal waves, and wildfires hints at the destructive consequences of neglecting or repressing issues. The metaphorical folding of hands and praying suggests an attempt to seek solace or ask for divine assistance in the face of calamity. However, it also implies a recognition that one's actions or lack thereof contribute to these disastrous events.
The final stanza reiterates the presence of fault lines beneath the singer's glass house. They acknowledge their ability to temporarily ignore or justify their blind eye, forcing a distorted definition of faith to feel safe. Until the sirens sound, signifying a threat or imminent danger, they continue to feel secure in their self-imposed ignorance.
In summary, "Earth" depicts the journey of a person grappling with personal growth and the consequences of ignoring their flaws. It explores themes of self-discovery, change, and the impact of neglecting one's own faults. Through metaphors of digging, seismic activity, and natural disasters, the lyrics convey the importance of facing truth and not turning a blind eye to the fault lines within oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
I dig till my shovel tells a secret
I search and explore deeply until I discover something hidden or unknown
Swear to the earth that I will keep it
Make a solemn promise to nature to protect and preserve the secret I've unearthed
Brush off the dirt
Remove the debris and impurities
And let my change of heart occur
Allow myself to experience a transformation and shift in my beliefs or feelings
Sold soon after the appraisal
After being evaluated, the decision is made to let go or give up
The hammer struck the auction table
An impactful moment when the auction began with a strong force
Louder than anything I've ever heard
Louder and more significant than any other sound I've ever experienced
Fault lines tremble underneath my glass house
Tectonic forces of conflict and instability threaten to expose my vulnerabilities
But I put it out of my mind
Choose to ignore or suppress these potential dangers
Long enough to call it courage
Pretend that my avoidance is an act of bravery
To live without a lifeline
To exist without any support or safety net
I bend the definition
I manipulate or distort the meaning of something
Of faith to exonerate my blind eye
Use my faith as an excuse to justify turning a blind eye to reality
Till the sirens sound, I'm safe
As long as there are no immediate warning signs or alarms, I maintain a false sense of security
Meanwhile, my family's taking shelter
While I'm preoccupied, my family seeks protection and safety
The sparks send the fire down the wire
Small bursts of conflict and tension spread and escalate rapidly
A countdown begins
The start of a process or period leading up to a significant change or event
Until the dynamite gives in
Until the intense pressure and explosive force reaches its breaking point
The echo, as wide as the equator
The repercussion or consequence, spanning across a vast area
Travels through a world of built up anger
Passes through a society filled with accumulated resentment and hostility
Too late to pull itself together now
It's now impossible to restore harmony or unity
There was an earthquake
A metaphorical event of immense upheaval or change
There was an avalanche of change
A sudden overwhelming transformation occurred
We were so afraid
We experienced intense fear and uncertainty
We cried ourselves a hurricane
Our emotions erupted and spiraled into a destructive force like a hurricane
There were floods
There were overwhelming and uncontrollable surges of emotions or events
Tidal waves over us
Powerful and overwhelming influences engulfed and affected us
So we folded our hands and prayed
We turned to prayer and faith as a source of comfort and guidance
Like a domino
One event or action led to a chain reaction
These wildfires grow and grow
These destructive forces and conflicts intensify and spread uncontrollably
Until a brand new world takes shape
Until a completely new and transformed reality emerges
Until the sirens sound, I'm safe
As long as there are no immediate warning signs or alarms, I maintain a false sense of security
Until the sirens sound, I'm safe
As long as there are no immediate warning signs or alarms, I maintain a false sense of security
Writer(s): Ryan O'neal
Contributed by Eliana G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.