The Sleeping, consisting of a few of the original members of Long Island's … Read Full Bio ↴The Sleeping, consisting of a few of the original members of Long Island's now defunct metalcore group skycamefalling, was formed after skycamefalling's last show at Hellfest '03. Living on after the legacy of SCF - Doug Robinson, Cameron Keym, Sal Mignano, and Joseph Zizzo continue to develop and write music that we now know and love.
With a drastic change from the hardcore scene, the Sleeping is now considered to be post-hardcore/Rock/Alternative, and has played with bands such as Fightstar, Halifax, Silverstein, Bayside, Stretch Armstrong, Spitalfield and Haste the Day.

On August 6, 2008 the band announced that after 6 months of auditioning for a new pianist/guitarist to replace Cameron Keym, they had recruited Paul Cadena (Guitar) and Christopher Evans (Keyboards/Synths), the newest members of The Sleeping.

The band proceeded to tour across the East Coast and Midwest US with Envy On The Coast and Secret Lives of the Freemasons.

On February 17, 2009, new album What It Takes was released.

Shallow Lungs
The Sleeping Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

cold
out of touch
i just let my lungs fill up with the worst of the worst
bloodshot eyes wide shut
buried awake all night
paranoid from the weight of the world

bad vibes corrupt my head

half dead, half dead
bad vibes corrupt my head
half dead, half dead, half dead

smoke
comatose
poisonous to the lips from a kiss i just couldn't ignore
passed the green, passed the trees, passed the catatonic breeze
i don't want
i don't want
i don't want

bad vibes corrupt my head
half dead, half dead
bad vibes corrupt my head
half dead, half dead, half dead

save me
won't somebody save me

head trips wrapped around my neck
that's when i swear i lost my head again
i swear, i swear i lost my head again
i swear, i swear i lost my head again
cold
smoke
i swear, i swear i lost my head again
i swear, i swear i lost my head again
i swear, i swear i lost my head again
i swear, i swear i lost my head again

bad vibes corrupt my head
half dead, half dead
bad vibes corrupt my head
half dead, half dead, half dead

save me

won't somebody save me
head trips wrapped around my neck

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Shallow Lungs" by The Sleeping convey a sense of detachment and dissociation from reality. The singer describes feeling cold, out of touch, and paranoid, allowing the "worst of the worst" to fill his lungs. He also mentions being comatose from smoking and feeling poisoned by a kiss he couldn't resist. The repeated refrain of "bad vibes corrupt my head" emphasizes the singer's disconnection from the world around him and the negative thoughts that consume him. The final lines of the song implore someone to save him from his head trips that seem to be suffocating him.

The lyrics suggest a deep-rooted despair and a sense of being lost. The imagery of the bloodshot eyes, half-dead state, and losing one's head convey a struggle with mental health and the inability to cope with the weight of the world. The song paints a bleak picture of how negative experiences can infect our minds and cause a permanent sense of detachment.

Line by Line Meaning

cold
Feeling emotionally distant and unfeeling

out of touch
Disconnected from reality, feeling lost

i just let my lungs fill up with the worst of the worst
Taking in harmful things without caring about the consequences

bloodshot eyes wide shut
Tired and unable to fully comprehend the situation

buried awake all night
Feeling weighed down and unable to sleep

paranoid from the weight of the world
Feeling anxious and overwhelmed by the problems of the world

bad vibes corrupt my head
Negative thoughts and feelings clouding one's mind

half dead, half dead
Feeling physically and emotionally drained

smoke
Inhaling harmful substances

comatose
Feeling numb and disconnected

poisonous to the lips from a kiss i just couldn't ignore
Being drawn to something or someone that is harmful