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.
overture
Sleeping at Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
then the mind was made to illuminate the heart.
and when every constellation suddenly appeared,
through telescopes and calculations,
the far was pulled so near.
But even after everything we’ve seen
we’ve barely caught a glimpse of what it means.
the universe began with our eyes closed.
We claim our lands,
we tame our seas,
we carve our names
on the surface of history,
’til our hands get tied
by the stubborn will of gravity.
But even after everything we’ve seen
we’ve barely caught a glimpse of what it means.
in the architecture of the soul
the universe began with our eyes closed.
In the rise and fall
of a newborn’s chest,
like the ocean swells,
we inhale, exhale and reset.
every living thing
is in this constant state of unrest.
But even after all our history
we’ve barely caught a glimpse of what it means.
in the architecture of the soul
the universe began.
even after everything we’ve seen
we’ve barely caught a glimpse of what it means.
in the architecture of the soul
the universe began with our eyes closed.
The lyrics of Sleeping at Last's Overture are an introspective exploration of the beauty and mysteries of the universe and the human experience. The song begins with a reflection on the human tendency to be comfortable with darkness, but how we are ultimately made to see and feel deeply. The reference to telescopes and constellations and how they bring the far close seems to indicate the stunning power of human ability to perceive and comprehend the universe, yet it is also a reminder that we have only scratched the surface of what there is to behold.
The second verse portrays our desire to make our mark on the world, to conquer and claim it, yet how ultimately we are bound by the laws of nature. The final verse ties the ideas of the song together, reminding us that despite all the knowledge and accomplishments of humanity, we are all connected by the constant state of unrest we share in the rhythms of our breath and the fluctuations of life.
Overall, the lyrics of Overture reflect on the beauty and limits of the human experience in relation to the vast and complex universe around us. The imagery of constellations, seas, and our own inner architecture signals the intricate interconnectedness of all things and the deep mysteries that remain even as we strive to understand.
Line by Line Meaning
It starts with our eyes well acquainted with the dark.
At the beginning of our journey, we are struggling through the darkness with our eyes already accustomed to it.
then the mind was made to illuminate the heart.
However, our mind helps us to understand and enlighten our innermost desires.
and when every constellation suddenly appeared, through telescopes and calculations, the far was pulled so near.
As we learn and discover more through our studies and explorations, the faraway galaxies come closer to our understanding.
But even after everything we’ve seen we’ve barely caught a glimpse of what it means.
Despite our knowledge, we have barely scratched the surface and have a long way to go.
in the architecture of the soul the universe began with our eyes closed.
The origins of our universe can be found deep within ourselves, even in our subconsciousness.
We claim our lands, we tame our seas, we carve our names on the surface of history, ’til our hands get tied by the stubborn will of gravity.
We fight for our own existence, explore the unknown and make our marks in history, but are limited by the forces of the universe, like gravity.
In the rise and fall of a newborn’s chest, like the ocean swells, we inhale, exhale and reset.
We can find beauty in the simple things in life, such as the breath of a newborn, which represents the never-ending cycle of reset and renewal.
every living thing is in this constant state of unrest.
Living things are always adapting and changing, never truly settled or at rest.
even after all our history we’ve barely caught a glimpse of what it means.
Throughout all our experiences and history, we still have much to discover and comprehend about the universe and ourselves.
in the architecture of the soul the universe began.
The universe and our very existence are interconnected and rooted in the depths of our own soul and consciousness.
even after everything we’ve seen we’ve barely caught a glimpse of what it means.
Again, despite our experiences and knowledge, we still have only glimpsed a small fraction of what the universe and our existence truly entail.
in the architecture of the soul the universe began with our eyes closed.
Our understanding of the universe and the beginnings of creation are tied deeply to our own inner being, even beyond what we are consciously aware of.
Contributed by Kayla K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.