ZZ Top formed after Gibbons' previous band, Moving Sidewalks, disbanded in 1969. Within a year, they signed with London Records and released ZZ Top's First Album in 1971. Subsequent releases, such as Tres Hombres (1973) and Fandango! (1975), and the singles "La Grange" and "Tush", gained extensive radio airplay. By the mid-1970s, ZZ Top had become renowned in North America for their live act, including the Worldwide Texas Tour (1976–1977), which was a critical and commercial success.
After a hiatus, ZZ Top returned in 1979 with a new musical direction and image, with Gibbons and Hill wearing sunglasses and matching chest-length beards. With the album El Loco (1981), they began to experiment with synthesizers and drum machines. They established a more mainstream sound and rose to international stardom with Eliminator (1983) and Afterburner (1985), which integrated influences from new wave, punk, and dance-rock. The popularity of these albums' music videos, including those for "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Sharp Dressed Man", and "Legs", gave them mass exposure on television channel MTV and made them prominent artists in 1980s pop culture. The Afterburner tour set records for the highest-attended and highest-grossing concert tour of 1986.
After gaining additional acclaim with the release of their tenth album Recycler (1990), and its accompanying tour, the group's experimentation continued with mixed success on the albums Antenna (1994), Rhythmeen (1996), XXX (1999), and Mescalero (2003). They most recently released La Futura (2012) and Goin' 50 (2019), a compilation album commemorating the band's 50th anniversary. By the time of Hill's death in 2021, ZZ Top had become the longest-running band with an unchanged lineup in the history of popular music. Per Hill's wishes, he was replaced by their longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis on bass.
ZZ Top has released 15 studio albums and sold an estimated 50 million records worldwide. They have won three MTV Video Music Awards, and in 2004, the members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Gibbons the 32nd greatest guitarist of all time. The band members have supported campaigns and charities including Childline, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and a fundraiser for the Delta Blues Museum.
Studio albums
ZZ Top's First Album (1971)
Rio Grande Mud (1972)
Tres Hombres (1973)
Fandango! (1975)
Tejas (1976)
Degüello (1979)
El Loco (1981)
Eliminator (1983)
Afterburner (1985)
Recycler (1990)
Antenna (1994)
Rhythmeen (1996)
XXX (1999)
Mescalero (2003)
La Futura (2012)
Sleeping Bag
ZZ Top Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go for a pallet that's so nice and thin.
Zip it on around while it's on the ground,
Spread it out and lay it on down.
Slip inside my sleeping bag,
Slip inside my sleeping bag.
You're afraid of the dark, baby, no need to be shy.
Don't be hesitating, it'll be alright,
We'll tuck it in until it's clean out of sight.
Slip inside my sleeping bag,
Slip inside my sleeping bag.
Let's go out to Egypt 'cause it's in the plan,
Sleep beside the pharoahs in the shifting sand.
We'll look at some pyramids and check out some heads.
Oh, we'll whip out our mattress 'cause there ain't no beds.
Slip inside my sleeping bag,
Slip inside my sleeping bag.
The opening verse of ZZ Top's "Sleeping Bag" immediately paints an image of a cold night and the desire to settle into a cozy sleeping bag. The lyrics are suggestively sexual, setting the stage for a seduction under the stars. The repetition of "Slip inside my sleeping bag" is a not-so-subtle invitation for intimacy. The second verse is specifically directed at a lover who is afraid of the dark, reassuring them that they have nothing to fear as they cuddle close and gaze at the stars. The chorus repeats the iconic line, emphasizing the physical intimacy and inviting listeners to participate in the experience.
The final verse of the song takes on a more adventurous tone, with the singer suggesting a trip to Egypt to sleep beside the pharaohs in the shifting sand. The couple will admire the pyramids and "check out some heads," presumably meaning the mummified remains of ancient Egyptian rulers. The line "we'll whip out our mattress 'cause there ain't no beds" reinforces the sexual undertones of the song, as the couple is clearly planning to have sex in a public place that lacks basic amenities. The song culminates in the repeated invitation to "slip inside my sleeping bag," with the lyrics driving home the sexual nature of the entire experience.
Line by Line Meaning
When it's cold outside and you want to sleep in
If you want to sleep outside on a cold night
Go for a pallet that's so nice and thin.
Use a thin and comfortable surface to sleep on
Zip it on around while it's on the ground,
Secure the sleeping bag while it's flat on the ground
Spread it out and lay it on down.
Stretch the sleeping bag and lie down on it
Slip inside my sleeping bag,
Join me in my sleeping bag
Slip inside my sleeping bag.
Join me in my sleeping bag
You're afraid of the dark, baby, no need to be shy.
You may feel scared of the dark, but it's okay
We'll talk about some lovin' while we look at the sky.
Let's have a romantic conversation under the stars
Don't be hesitating, it'll be alright,
Don't be afraid, everything will be okay
We'll tuck it in until it's clean out of sight.
We'll securely tuck everything inside the sleeping bag
Slip inside my sleeping bag,
Join me in my sleeping bag
Slip inside my sleeping bag.
Join me in my sleeping bag
Let's go out to Egypt 'cause it's in the plan,
We have a plan to travel to Egypt
Sleep beside the pharoahs in the shifting sand.
We'll sleep on the sand next to the pyramids
We'll look at some pyramids and check out some heads.
We'll explore the pyramids and see their intricate carvings
Oh, we'll whip out our mattress 'cause there ain't no beds.
We'll use our own mattress because there are no beds available
Slip inside my sleeping bag,
Join me in my sleeping bag
Slip inside my sleeping bag.
Join me in my sleeping bag
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: FRANK BEARD, BILLY GIBBONS, DUSTY HILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bartfreys
RIP Dusty Hill... top tune
@ewilliamson488
Each ZZ Top video is like a mini movie. It tells a story. Music videos of the 80's were like that.
@at1970
People don’t realize that at one time MatV was both fun and entertaining.
@acamiln8354
It is reason why ZZ-top music videos never dated.
@jamesdelaney3797
They're all the same
@dangoldbach6570
Yeah. Remember when MTV used to play music videos. Me too.
@petrisimila1965
Juuh on tullut nähtyä tämä musiikkivideo vuonna 1985 hittimittarissa
@brianunderwood7437
Dusty Hill of ZZ Top just passed away today. The music of ZZ Top will live forever because great music never dies. RIP Dusty.
@StelleRocks
Pio
@mattmccain8492
First ZZtop album I got was afterburner in late 1985. Hard to hear of Dusty's passing today. Thank you sir..you guys helped make our teen years In the 80s awesome. Rock on.