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.
Snow
Sleeping at Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All warm-blooded creatures make ghosts as they breathe
Scarves are wrapped tightly like gifts under trees
Christmas lights tangle in knots annually
Our families huddle closely
Betting warmth against the cold
But our bruises seem to surface
So we sing carols softly, as sweet as we know
A prayer that our burdens will lift as we go
Like young love still waiting under mistletoe
We'll welcome december with tireless hope
Let our bells keep on ringing
Making angels in the snow
May the melody disarm us
When the cracks begin to show
Like the petals in our pockets
May we remember who we are
Unconditionally cared for
By those who share our broken hearts
The table is set and our glasses are full
Though pieces go missing, may we still feel whole
We'll build new traditions in place of the old
'cause life without revision will silence our souls
So let the bells keep on ringing
Making angels in the snow
May the melody surround us
When the cracks begin to show
Like the petals in our pockets
May we remember who we are
Unconditionally cared for
By those who share our broken hearts
As gentle as feathers, the snow piles high
Our world gets rewritten and retraced every time
Like fresh plates and clean slates, our future is white
New year's resolutions will reset tonight
This song, Snow by Sleeping at Last, recounts the beauty and the fragility of the winter season. At the beginning of the first verse, the singer describes how the trees have lost their leaves and are covered in white snow. He also mentions how all warm-blooded creatures emit cold air as they breathe, and how people wrap themselves up in scarves to battle the cold. The second part of the verse describes how families come together and huddle closely, trying to keep each other warm during the season. However, the bruises and pain that have been covered up by the festivity make their presence known.
The chorus brings about a glimpse of hope, where everyone comes together to sing carols in the warmth of the season. The hope that their burdens will be lifted and a new beginning will come is expressed. The next verse speaks of building new traditions while holding onto the old, keeping the essence of the season alive, and reminding everyone to cherish the memories that they have made. The bridge urges everyone to remember who they are, and how they are unconditionally cared for by those who share their brokenness. Additionally, the song's third and final verse describes how every winter brings around an opportunity for a fresh start, like fresh plates and clean slates, to start anew with hope for the future.
Line by Line Meaning
The branches have traded their leaves for white sleeves
The snow has settled on the branches of trees, covering their leaves as if turning them into white sleeves
All warm-blooded creatures make ghosts as they breathe
As the cold weather sets in, we can see our breath like ghosts made visible by the chilly air
Scarves are wrapped tightly like gifts under trees
People wrap scarves tightly around their necks to keep themselves warm, like gifts being wrapped and placed under Christmas trees
Christmas lights tangle in knots annually
When Christmas lights are taken down and put away each year, they are often found tangled in knots from being hastily stowed away
Our families huddle closely
In the cold winter months, families tend to gather together to stay warm and close to one another
Betting warmth against the cold
When families huddle together, they are essentially betting that being close to one another will provide warmth in the cold weather
But our bruises seem to surface
Even though we are huddled together for warmth, our emotional and physical bruises may become more apparent in the quiet intimacy of these moments
Like mud beneath the snow
Just as mud is exposed when snow melts, our pain and vulnerabilities are exposed when we are stripped down to our most intimate moments
So we sing carols softly, as sweet as we know
To lift our spirits and bring joy to these intimate moments, we sing sweet carols softly to each other
A prayer that our burdens will lift as we go
Singing carols is a form of prayer that helps us lift our burdens and find hope as we move forward
Like young love still waiting under mistletoe
Just as young love waits patiently for a kiss under the mistletoe, we wait in hope for the future and the unknown possibilities it brings
We'll welcome december with tireless hope
We greet December with unflagging hope, believing that it will bring new opportunities and possibilities
Let our bells keep on ringing
The bells we ring mark the passage of time and remind us to cherish each moment as it passes
Making angels in the snow
The laughter and joy we experience when making snow angels is an expression of our love for life and our desire to live it fully
May the melody disarm us
The music we listen to has the power to disarm us and can help us to let go of our fears, anxiety, and stress
When the cracks begin to show
During stressful times, when the cracks in our emotional armor begin to show, the right combination of music and company can help us overcome these struggles
Like the petals in our pockets
Just as we keep dried petals in our pockets as reminders of the beauty in life, we should also remember our own worth and value as human beings
May we remember who we are
We should always remember our own identities and stay true to who we are, regardless of the struggles we face
Unconditionally cared for
We should always feel loved and cared for by those closest to us, even if we are struggling and vulnerable
By those who share our broken hearts
The love and care we receive from others is especially important when we are struggling and in pain, as it reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles
The table is set and our glasses are full
We prepare ourselves for the future by setting the table and filling our glasses to signify abundance and gratitude
Though pieces go missing, may we still feel whole
Even when we are faced with loss and grief, we should strive to feel whole and complete
We'll build new traditions in place of the old
Instead of grieving for what we have lost, we can create new traditions and rituals to celebrate what we still have and the possibilities of the future
'cause life without revision will silence our souls
Without the opportunity to revise and grow, life can become stagnant and unfulfilling, leading to a loss of meaning and purpose
As gentle as feathers, the snow piles high
The snow falls gently and quietly, yet builds up into towering drifts, much like our struggles and problems accumulate in our lives
Our world gets rewritten and retraced every time
Each time we face new struggles or overcome obstacles, our worldview and understanding of life are rewritten and retraced
Like fresh plates and clean slates, our future is white
Just as fresh plates and clean slates represent new opportunities and a blank canvas, our future is open and full of possibilities
New year's resolutions will reset tonight
New Year's Eve is a time for making resolutions and setting intentions for the future, which will help to reset and shape our personal narratives going forward
Contributed by Jonathan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@estrada981
The branches have traded
Their leaves for white sleeves
All warm blooded creatures make ghosts as they breathe
Scarves are wrapped tightly like gifts under trees
Christmas lights tangle in knots annually
All families huddle closely
Betting warmth against the cold
All the bruises seem to surface
Like mud beneath the snow
So we sing carols softly
As sweet as we know
A prayer that our burdens will lift as we go
Like young love still waiting under mistletoe
We'll welcome December with tireless hope
Let our bells keep on ringing
Making angels in the snow
And may the melody disarm us
When the cracks begin to show
Like the petals in our pockets
May we remember who we are
Unconditionally cared for
By those who share our broken hearts
The table is set
And all glasses are full
The pieces go missing
May we still feel whole
We'll build new traditions in place of the old
Cause life without revision will silence our souls
Let the bells keep on ringing
Making angels in the snow
And may the melody surround us
When the cracks begin to show
Like the petals in our pockets
May we remember who we are
Unconditionally cared for
By those who share our broken hearts
As gentle as feathers
The snow piles high
Our world gets rewritten and retraced every time
Like fresh plates and clean slates
Our future is white
New Years resolutions are reset tonight
@haru8202
Lyrics:
The branches have traded
Their leaves for white sleeves
All warm blooded creatures make ghosts as they breathe
Scarves are wrapped tightly like gifts under trees
Christmas lights tangle in knots annually
All families huddle closely
Betting warmth against the cold
All the bruises seem to surface
Like mud beneath the snow
So we sing carols softly
As sweet as we know
A prayer that our burdens will lift as we go
Like young love still waiting under mistletoe
We'll welcome December with tireless hope
Let our bells keep on ringing
Making angels in the snow
And may the melody disarm us
When the cracks begin to show
Like the petals in our pockets
May we remember who we are
Unconditionally cared for
By those who share our broken hearts
The table is set
And all glasses are full
Tho pieces go missing
May we still feel whole
We'll build new traditions in place of the old
Cause life without revision will silence our souls
Let the bells keep on ringing
Making angels in the snow
And may the melody surround us
When the cracks begin to show
Like the petals in our pockets
May we remember who we are
Unconditionally cared for
By those who share our broken hearts
As gentle as feathers
The snow piles high
Our world gets rewritten and retraced every time
Like fresh plates and clean slates
Our future is white
New Years resolutions are reset tonight
@abbyjones6121
to this day, i will never understand why sleeping at last is so darn underrated.
@pasteldaydream2979
It's about the trend, but songs like how he created are only for a few and their hearts to keep.
@hayleymarse2853
I think it’s because our entire society is built around fast paced ideology. That’s why fast food and amazon are in business. It’s not a bad thing but most people aren’t able to step back and appreciate taking things slow. Peacefulness isn’t valued as much anymore. I kind of love how Sleeping At Last isn’t popular because when an artist is hugely popular the fan base tends to get toxic
@primroselily8165
let's keep it that way. still there's a lot of people who admires his music. he feels the world too much in his every songs that's what I like about his style of music.
@smmshoe
I will enjoy him more with a smaller fan base, the community's quality is good this way.
@kusumawijaya7771
world doesnt need him. we are need him. just keep it that way
@saadetpoyraz342
please don't stop making music beautiful man these are like my breath
@seleman-MW
Me too!!
@smmshoe
Ahhm this is a 4 years old song ....
@higgsboson9509
@smmshoe Irrelevant.