Winwood released a new album "Nine Lives" on April 29, 2008, and started a tour with Tom Petty and others in May 2008.
Wake Me Up on Judgement Day
Steve Winwood Lyrics
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A stranger came
A man who lost his name
At night he tells his tale
Prison, women, wail
They took him in, he let them win
Over and over
Don't wake me up until the Judgment Day
'Cause if nothing is the way it seems
Then this life is just a haunted dream
And all this love is just falling
Down through the years
And oh, I'd rather sleep
Wake me up on Judgment Day
Let me hear golden trumpets play
Give me life where nothing fails
Not a dream in a wishing well
A man in tattered clothes, crying all he knows
The darkness grows, that's how it goes
Over and over
He said I think of the beauty I've had
And all it does is make me feel so bad
First they make you think you're riding high
Then they toss you off in the sky
And all this life is just falling
Down through the years
And oh, I'd rather sleep
Wake me up on Judgment Day
Let me hear golden trumpets play
Give me life where nothing fails
Not a dream in a wishing well
Say a prayer for the stranger
Listen to the stranger
Wake me up on Judgment Day
Let me hear golden trumpets play
Give me life where nothing fails
Not a dream in a wishing well
Wake me up on Judgment Day
Let me hear golden trumpets play
Give me life where nothing fails
Not a dream in a wishing well
Wake me up
Let me hear (let me hear, ooh)
Give me life (give me life, ooh)
Not a dream in a wishing well
Wake me up on Judgment Day
Let me hear golden trumpets play (give me life)
Give me life where nothing fails (ooh)
Not a dream in a wishing well (woah, woah)
Wake me up on Judgment Day
Give me life
Give me life where nothing fails (woah)
Oh
Wake me up on Judgment Day
Give me life, give me life
Give me life, give me life
The lyrics of "Wake Me Up on Judgment Day" by Steve Winwood present a story of a stranger who arrives at night and shares his tale of loss and struggle. The song's main theme revolves around the uncertainty and pain of life, as well as the desire for something meaningful to hold on to. The stranger describes his experiences in prison, his encounters with women, and his cries of wail. Despite his struggles, he remains hopeful for a better life, one that is free from the pain and sadness he has been through. He believes that nothing is as it seems, and that life is just a haunted dream.
The stranger in the song cautions against speaking ill of anything or anyone, emphasizing that the truth of the matter is unknown. He longs for the day of judgment, when he can hear the golden trumpets play and receive a new life where nothing fails. The song's message is clear: life is uncertain and fraught with disappointment, but hope and redemption can still be found. We must live with the struggles and hardships that come our way, but we will one day be granted a new life in which all our dreams come true.
Line by Line Meaning
The story goes, the truth is no one knows
The tale is told, but it's hard to say if it's true
A stranger came
An unknown person arrived
A man who lost his name
A man who's been stripped of his identity
At night he tells his tale
When darkness falls, he shares his story
Prison, women, wail
His story involves confinement, relationships, and grief
They took him in, he let them win
Others welcomed him, but he became a victim of their influence
Over and over
This pattern repeats
He said if you don't have good words to say
He advised to only speak if you can offer positivity
Don't wake me up until the Judgment Day
He'd rather sleep than face negativity
'Cause if nothing is the way it seems
He suggests that reality is not always as it appears
Then this life is just a haunted dream
If things are not what they seem, life is like a nightmare
And all this love is just falling
Love is failing and losing value
Down through the years
Over time, love diminishes
And oh, I'd rather sleep
He'd prefer to ignore the pain and avoid reality
Let me hear golden trumpets play
He wants to experience heavenly music
Give me life where nothing fails
He desires an existence without disappointment or failure
Not a dream in a wishing well
His ideal life is not just a fanciful thought
A man in tattered clothes, crying all he knows
A broken man, crying for something he's lost
The darkness grows, that's how it goes
There is more sadness and despair on the horizon
He said I think of the beauty I've had
He recalls the good times he's experienced
And all it does is make me feel so bad
But remembering the past just exacerbates his current pain
First they make you think you're riding high
People can make you believe you're doing well
Then they toss you off in the sky
Only to disappoint you and leave you to fall
Say a prayer for the stranger
He asks others to offer him a prayer or a kind thought
Give me life (give me life, ooh)
He hopes for a fulfilling existence
Wake me up on Judgment Day
He'll face reality when the time comes
Not a dream in a wishing well (woah, woah)
His ideal life is achievable
Give me life, give me life
He yearns for vitality and meaning
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: STEVE WINWOOD, WILL JENNINGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind