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.
The Safety Dance
Sleeping at Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We can leave the old friends behind
Cause, your friends don't dance
And if they don't dance
Well, their no friends of mine
We can go where we want to
A place where they'll never find
We can act like we've come from out of this world
We can dance
We can dance
We can dance
We can dance
We can go where we want to
The night is young
And so am I
We can dress real neat from our hands to our feet
And suprise 'em with a victory cry
We can act if we want to
If we don't nobody will
You can act real rude
And totally remood
And I can act like an imbacil
We can dance
We can dance
Everything is out of control
We can dance
We can dance
We're doing it from wall to wall
We can dance
We can dance
Everybody look at your hands
We can dance
We can dance
Everybody is taking
Taking a chance
We can dance if we want to
We've got all your life in mind
As long a we abuse it
We're never gonna lose it
Everything will turn out right
We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
Cause, your friends don't dance
And if they don't dance
Well, they're no friends of mine
We can dance
We can dance
Everything is out of control
We can dance
We can dance
We're doing it from wall to wall
We can dance
We can dance
Everybody look at your hands
We can dance
We can dance
Everybody is taking
Taking a chance
The safety dance
The Safety Dance by Sleeping at Last is a cover of the popular 80's new wave song by Men Without Hats. In this interpretation, the lyrics are emphasized and delivered in a more somber and contemplative tone, adding an unexpected depth to the song. The lyrics themselves talk about the desire to break free from societal norms and expectations, to dance and have fun without judgment or criticism from others. The chorus urges listeners to take a chance and join in the dance, even if it feels reckless or out of control. In essence, the song is about finding joy and freedom in individual expression and breaking away from conformity.
The lyrics also touch on themes of identity and self-discovery. The line "We can act like we've come from out of this world, leave the real one far behind" suggests a desire to shed one's old identity and embrace a new, more authentic self. The chorus encourages listeners to take control of their own lives and not let fear or other people's opinions hold them back.
Overall, Sleeping at Last's version of The Safety Dance is a poignant reminder of the power of self-expression and the importance of breaking free from societal constraints.
Line by Line Meaning
We can dance if we want to
We have the freedom to express ourselves through movement.
We can leave the old friends behind
We don't have to conform to the expectations of those around us.
Cause, your friends don't dance
Our peers may not understand or support our desire to dance.
And if they don't dance
If our peers choose not to dance, that's their choice.
Well, their no friends of mine
We value companionship with those who respect our choices and join in our fun.
We can go where we want to
We have the liberty to explore new horizons.
A place where they'll never find
We may seek a destination free of judgement or societal expectations.
We can act like we've come from out of this world
We can express ourselves in ways uncommon to our everyday lives.
Leave the real one far behind
We may temporarily depart from our usual modes of existence.
We can dance
We have the ability to move with the rhythm of the music.
The night is young
We have time to live in the moment and enjoy life.
And so am I
We acknowledge our own vitality and embrace the present moment.
We can dress real neat from our hands to our feet
We can wear outfits that make us feel confident and stylish.
And suprise 'em with a victory cry
We may revel in our new-found sense of liberation and triumph.
We can act if we want to
We can choose to behave in ways that express our authentic selves.
If we don't nobody will
If we fail to act on our desires, nobody else will do so in our stead.
You can act real rude
We could go against societal norms and behave unconventionally.
And totally remood
We can alter our emotional state and adopt a new persona for the night.
And I can act like an imbacil
We can let loose and behave foolishly, without fear of social consequences.
Everything is out of control
We may feel as though we've relinquished control over our surroundings and our emotions.
We're doing it from wall to wall
We are dancing with exuberance and energy in every corner of the room.
Everybody look at your hands
We may invite others to join in the revelry and see the beauty in their own movements.
Everybody is taking
Everyone is seizing the opportunity to let loose and be themselves.
Taking a chance
We are willing to take risks and embrace the unknown.
We've got all your life in mind
We are aware that our time on earth is limited, and we want to make the most of it.
As long a we abuse it
We must be mindful and responsible with the life we've been given.
We're never gonna lose it
With the right choices, we can maintain our sense of wonder and joy throughout our lives.
The safety dance
We celebrate the freedom to be ourselves and express ourselves through the power of dance.
Contributed by Josiah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.