Don't Wake Me Up
The Hush Sound Lyrics
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In seamless sleep
And slipped right in
Behind my eyes
On the back of my mind
We swam a sea
Of pretty sights and chandelier skies
It was all so real to me
The light, it slipped through the window
The morning ripped you away, oh
Don't wake me up
I am still dreaming
The story's undone
Unraveled at the seams
Don't wake me up
Death is misleading
And when I fall asleep
Sleep with a ghost
I moved in the dark
The room calm and cold
The quiet hollow
I am such a haunted soul
Your ghost has gone
The bed is so cold
The light, it slipped through the window
The morning ripped you away, oh
Don't wake me up
I am still dreaming
The story's undone
Unraveled at the seams
Don't wake me up
Death is misleading
And when I fall asleep
Sleep with a ghost
Oh, you were a fire caught in a storm
Memories, like embers keep us warm
You will leave me in the morning
Leave me
The light, it slipped through the window
The morning ripped you away, oh
The light, it slipped through the window
The morning ripped you away, oh
The light, it slipped through the window
The morning ripped you away, oh
The Hush Sound's song "Don't Wake Me Up" is a poignant and introspective piece about the nature of memory and loss. The first verse describes a dream, in which the singer is joined by a presence that seems both familiar and comforting. They "swam a sea of pretty sights and chandelier skies," creating an ethereal atmosphere that blurs the line between wakefulness and sleep. The singer becomes convinced that this dream-world is real, stating that they "swore [they] could feel [the presence] breathe." However, the dream is cut short by the intrusion of morning light, which "rips [the presence] away" from the singer's consciousness.
The second verse is a contrast to the brightness of the first. Here, the singer is alone in a dark and quiet room, and they describe themselves as a "haunted soul." They long for the return of the presence from their dream, which once again acts as a source of comfort and warmth. However, they acknowledge that this presence is ultimately fleeting, and "memories, like embers, keep us warm" when it is gone. The chorus repeats the longing for continued sleep, and a denial of death's finality by insisting that the presence in the dream will "sleep with a ghost."
Although the lyrics of "Don't Wake Me Up" are somewhat abstract and open to interpretation, they seem to center around the idea of impermanence and the inevitable loss of loved ones. The dream-world represents a realm of fantasy and escape, where the dead can still live on in some sense. However, the intrusion of morning light into this world serves as a reminder that this escape is ultimately temporary. The singer longs to keep their loved one alive in their thoughts, but acknowledges that even memories can eventually fade.
Line by Line Meaning
You came to me
The singer has a dream where someone comes into their mind
In seamless sleep
The singer is asleep and unaware of anything happening
And slipped right in
The person in the dream enters the singer's consciousness easily
Behind my eyes
The person in the dream settles deep into the artist's mind
On the back of my mind
The person in the dream affects the artist's thoughts and perspective
We swam a sea
The singer and the person in the dream are having a shared experience
Of pretty sights and chandelier skies
The experience is beautiful and fanciful
I swore I could feel you breathe
The artist has a deep emotional connection to the person in the dream
It was all so real to me
The artist is fully immersed in the dream and it feels genuine
The light, it slipped through the window
The sun is starting to rise and the dream is coming to an end
The morning ripped you away, oh
The singer is suddenly jolted awake and the dream ends abruptly
Don't wake me up
The artist wishes to stay asleep and continue the dream
I am still dreaming
The singer wants to believe that the dream is still happening
The story's undone
The dream was not properly concluded or resolved
Unraveled at the seams
The dream ended messily and without closure
Death is misleading
The artist feels as though they are stuck in a limbo between life and death
And when I fall asleep
The artist hopes to return to the dream state
Sleep with a ghost
The singer is aware that the person in the dream is not present and only a memory
I moved in the dark
The singer is awake and aware of their surroundings in the real world
The room calm and cold
The atmosphere is stark and desolate
The quiet hollow
The artist's emotions and thoughts are empty and numb
I am such a haunted soul
The artist is deeply affected by their dream and it leaves a lasting impression
Your ghost has gone
The person in the dream is no longer present
The bed is so cold
The artist is alone and feeling empty
Oh, you were a fire caught in a storm
The person in the dream was a bright spot in an otherwise tumultuous situation
Memories, like embers keep us warm
The memory of the dream is comforting and provides solace
You will leave me in the morning
The singer is aware that the dream is fleeting and temporary
Leave me
The artist is resigned to the fact that the dream is over and the person is gone
Contributed by Bentley D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.