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.
Umbrellas
Sleeping at Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a silver ring that will hug you tight,
Our life begins.
Our life begins with this.
I?ll prove my love if you would let me.
Over and over and over again.
And we?ll say the one thing
Everyone should hear:
You were meant for amazing things.
Give me your hand, it?s time.
It?s time to show new eyes their home.
When fences divide our land,
I would catch bullets with my bare hands.
Because you were meant for amazing things.
The song Umbrellas by Sleeping at Last speaks to the power of love and the promise of a new beginning. The first verse suggests a proposal between two people with the lines "I'll make you mine if you would have me. With a silver ring that will hug you tight, our life begins." The imagery of the silver ring suggests commitment and the start of a new life together. The second line repeats the first but emphasizes the potential for a fresh start, "our life begins with this."
The second verse speaks to the determination and loyalty of the singer in their love. "I'll prove my love if you would let me. Over and over and over again." This line implies that the singer is willing to work for the relationship and do what it takes to prove their love to their partner.
The final verse introduces the idea of starting a family together with the lines "We'll bring a child into this world, and we'll say the one thing everyone should hear: You were meant for amazing things." This line resonates with the idea that every person has great potential and speaks to the hope for a bright future for their child. The song concludes with the line "Because you were meant for amazing things" which serves as a reminder that their love can push each other towards fulfilling their potential and encourage each other to chase their dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll make you mine if you would have me.
I promise to devote myself to you if you choose to be with me.
With a silver ring that will hug you tight,
I will express my love and commitment through this physical symbol.
Our life begins.
Our journey together starts here and now.
Our life begins with this.
This moment marks the start of a new chapter in our lives.
I'll prove my love if you would let me.
I want to demonstrate the strength of my love for you, if you allow me to.
Over and over and over again.
I will show you my love repeatedly, consistently, and without falter.
We'll bring a child into this world
We will create a new life together.
And we'll say the one thing
We'll express the most important message.
Everyone should hear:
This is the truth that should be shared with all humanity.
You were meant for amazing things.
You have an incredible purpose and potential.
Give me your hand, it's time.
Take my hand and let's embark on this journey together.
It's time to show new eyes their home.
It's time to reveal the beauty and wonder of the world to the next generation.
When fences divide our land,
When conflicts arise that divide us,
I would catch bullets with my bare hands.
I would defend you and those I love from harm, no matter the cost.
Because you were meant for amazing things.
My actions are a reflection of my deep belief in your incredible potential.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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