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.
I'll Keep You Safe
Sleeping at Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Try hard to concentrate
Hold out your hand
Can you feel the weight of it
The whole world at your fingertips
Don't be, don't be afraid
Our mistakes they were bound to be made
But I promise you I'll keep you safe
You'll be an architect
So pull up your sleeves
And build a new silhouette
In the skylines up ahead
Don't be, don't be afraid
Our mistakes they were bound to be made
But I promise you I'll keep you safe
I'll keep you safe
And darkness will be rewritten
Into a work of fiction, you'll see
As you pull on every ribbon
You'll find every secret it keeps
The sound of the branches breaking under your feet
The smell of the falling and burning leaves
The bitterness of winter or the sweetness of spring
You are an artist
And your heart is your masterpiece
And I'll keep it safe
Dismiss the invisible
By giving it shape
Like a clockmaker fixes time
By keeping the gears in line
Don't be, don't be afraid
God knows that mistakes will be made
But I promise you I'll keep you safe
As you build up your collection
Of pearls that you pulled from the deep
A landscape more beautiful
Than anything that I've ever seen
The sound of the branches breaking under your feet
The smell of the falling and burning leaves
The bitterness of winter or the sweetness of spring
You are an artist
And your heart is your masterpiece
And I'll keep it safe
"I'll Keep You Safe" is a song by Sleeping at Last that is a message of love and support to someone who needs encouragement in their artistic journey. The opening lines, "I'll keep you safe, try hard to concentrate, hold out your hand, and can you feel the weight of it" suggest that the singer is there to emotionally support the person they're singing to. The lines "Our mistakes, they were bound to be made, but I promise you, I'll keep you safe" communicates acceptance and understanding that mistakes are part of the artistic process.
The second verse invites the listener to be an architect and build a new silhouette for themselves. The imagery of building new skylines and silhouettes suggests a sense of hope and optimism for the future. The lines "And darkness will be rewritten into a work of fiction, you'll see, as you pull on every ribbon, you'll find every secret it keeps" represent the idea that there is beauty and hope to be found in every situation.
The bridge "Dismiss the invisible by giving it shape, like a clockmaker fixes time by keeping the gears in line" suggests the importance of being able to give form and shape to our emotions and experiences. The final verse "As you build up your collection of pearls that you pulled from the deep, a landscape more beautiful than anything I have ever seen," acknowledges the hard work and persistence required in creating art, and how it can result in something breathtaking and extraordinary.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll keep you safe
The singer promises to protect and keep the listener safe.
Try hard to concentrate
The listener is asked to focus and pay attention.
Hold out your hand
The listener is asked to extend their hand as a gesture of trust.
Can you feel the weight of it
The singer wants the listener to be aware of the significance of the moment.
The whole world at your fingertips
The listener is capable of achieving anything they desire.
Don't be, don't be afraid
The listener is encouraged to be courageous and face their fears.
Our mistakes they were bound to be made
Everyone makes mistakes, and the singer acknowledges this.
But I promise you I'll keep you safe
Despite any mistakes or struggles, the singer reassures the listener of their protection.
You'll be an architect
The listener will have great power and influence in shaping their life.
So pull up your sleeves
The listener is asked to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
And build a new silhouette
The listener is capable of creating a new image or identity for themselves.
In the skylines up ahead
The listener's potential for greatness and success is limitless.
And darkness will be rewritten
The listener can change their negative experiences into positive ones through their art.
Into a work of fiction, you'll see
The listener will be able to view their struggles as something beautiful or poetic.
As you pull on every ribbon
The listener must explore every aspect of themselves and their experiences.
You'll find every secret it keeps
The listener will have a better understanding of themselves and their life.
The sound of the branches breaking under your feet
The listener is asked to be present and appreciate the small details in life.
The smell of the falling and burning leaves
The listener is encouraged to use their senses to fully experience life.
The bitterness of winter or the sweetness of spring
The listener must accept both the good and the bad experiences in life.
You are an artist
The listener is capable of creativity and expression.
And your heart is your masterpiece
The listener's emotions and feelings are their greatest work of art.
And I'll keep it safe
The singer promises to protect the listener's heart and emotions.
Dismiss the invisible
The listener must acknowledge and confront their inner struggles and anxieties.
By giving it shape
The listener must understand and articulate their struggles to overcome them.
Like a clockmaker fixes time
The listener must take control of their life and their time.
By keeping the gears in line
The listener must maintain their focus and work hard to achieve their goals.
God knows that mistakes will be made
Even with the best intentions, the listener will still make mistakes.
As you build up your collection
The listener must actively collect and pursue their passions and achievements.
Of pearls that you pulled from the deep
The listener will have gained great wisdom and experience through their pursuits.
A landscape more beautiful
The listener's life and accomplishments will be breathtakingly beautiful.
Than anything that I've ever seen
The singer is in awe of the listener's potential and success.
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC SONGS
Written by: RYAN O'NEAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@shukeenajacobsabarder3402
Your heart is your masterpiece, and so is your music. Thank you for sharing your talent with us in this crazy, beautiful world.
@savannah9417
This song has truly guided me through thick and thin, I love it so much. Thank you Ryan for all that you do 🫶
@amberar
I dedicate this to my rescue pup. He had a lot of trauma after living on the streets and I promised him I would always keep him safe 🩷
@moonlight-ep3qc
This song just saved me from another breakdown while studying for my exams and gave me motivation. Thank you for your beautiful songs will always love them.
@DarthSiGi
Your exams will be over soon. When you are done with all of your courses you will be relieved but will also have something in which to be proud.
@Shamsramzi
This song is a promise to myself. Thank you Ryan ❤️
@mk47005
Been here for over a decade and still enjoy every bit of music. Triggers a sort of nostalgia you would wish for
@acaizinha
0:43 a forma como ele canta as palavras com carinho, eu realmente precisava disso...obrigada 💗
@muffintopz4692
“You are an artist but your heart is your masterpiece and I’ll keep it safe. Dismiss the invisible by giving it shape.”👍
@itsrosespace7761
Thank you for sharing this beautiful masterpiece.