Founded in Detroit, Michigan, United States in 1959, The Supremes began as a quartet called The Primettes. Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglas public housing project in Detroit, were the sister act to The Primes (later The Temptations). In 1960, Barbara Martin replaced McGlown, and the group signed with Motown in 1961 as The Supremes. Martin left at the end of 1961, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio. After they achieved success in the mid-1960s with Ross as the lead singer, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1967, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Ross left the group for a solo career in 1970, and was replaced by Jean Terrell. After 1972, the lineup of the Supremes changed frequently, with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all becoming members before the group ended its eighteen-year existence in 1977.
Sleepwalk
The Supremes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sleep walk
Instead of dreaming
I sleep walk
'Cause I lost you
And now what am I to do
What to do
I don't care how much you tell me
Sleep talk
'Cause I miss you
I sleep talk
While the memory of you
Lingers like a song
Darling, I was so wrong
But I'll be right someday
The night
Fills my lonely place
I see your face
Spinning through my brain
I know
I miss you so
I still love you
And it drives me insane
Sleep walk
Every night
I just sleep walk
And when you
Walk inside the door
I will sleep walk no more
Sleep walk
Every night
I just sleep walk
And when you
Walk inside the door
I will sleep walk no more
I will sleep walk no more
I will sleep walk no more
The Supremes's song Sleepwalk is about the pain and loneliness that one feels after losing a lover. It expresses the feeling of walking through life in a daze and without purpose, as if one were sleepwalking. The lead singer's voice is filled with emotion as she laments the loss of her lover and the emptiness that she feels in his absence. She speaks of how she talks in her sleep because she misses him so much, and how memories of him linger in her mind like a song. Even though she knows she was wrong, she cannot help but still love him and feel driven insane by her emotions. The song suggests that the only way the singer will stop sleepwalking is when her lover returns to her.
The lyrics are very visual and emotive, allowing the listener to truly empathize with the singer's feelings of loss and desperation. The dreamy melody and slow, haunting rhythm create a mood of melancholy and despair, which evokes a sense of being lost and disconnected from reality. The Supremes's harmonies add depth and complexity to the song, as well as convey the sense of longing and nostalgia.
Line by Line Meaning
Sleep walk
I'm going through the motions of life, but I'm not fully awake or aware.
Instead of dreaming
I'm not even dreaming of a better life because it feels impossible without you.
I sleep walk
My mind wanders into a dazed state, numb to the world without you.
'Cause I lost you
You were everything to me, and now I'm lost without you.
And now what am I to do
I'm completely directionless and don't know how to move on.
What to do
I feel like I'll never find a way forward without you in my life.
Can't believe that we're through
It's hard to accept that our love story has come to an end.
I don't care how much you tell me
Nothing you could say could make up for the heartache of losing you.
Sleep talk
Even in my subconscious, I can't escape thoughts of you.
'Cause I miss you
I can't shake the feeling of emptiness without you by my side.
While the memory of you
The memory of you is so vivid, it's like you're here with me.
Lingers like a song
Your presence is so constant, it's like a melody that won't leave my head.
Darling, I was so wrong
Looking back on our relationship, I realize I made mistakes that contributed to losing you.
But I'll be right someday
Even though it hurts now, I'm determined to learn from my mistakes and do better in the future.
The night
When the day ends and the world quiets down, my thoughts consume me.
Fills my lonely place
My surroundings only emphasize the emptiness I feel inside without you.
I see your face
Your face haunts me no matter where I look.
Spinning through my brain
Thoughts of you are always on my mind, even when I'm sleeping.
I know
Deep down, I understand that we can't go back to how things were.
I miss you so
My heart aches with the sadness of losing you.
I still love you
Even though we're apart, my love for you hasn't diminished.
And it drives me insane
The constant pain of missing you feels like it's driving me crazy.
Every night
The cycle of my thoughts and emotions continues, like clockwork.
And when you
The only time I can find peace is when you're with me.
Walk inside the door
Just your presence can calm the chaos in my mind and soul.
I will sleep walk no more
With you by my side, I can fully wake up and take on the world again.
I will sleep walk no more
You've given me the strength to face my fears and anxieties, and I won't take that for granted.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC, ANIRAF INC
Written by: JOHN S FARINA, ANN FARINA, SANTO A FARINA, DONALD E WOLF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind