When You Sleep
cake- Lyrics
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what do your fingers know?
what do your fingers show?
where do your fingers go... yea
when you sleep... do they tremble..on the edge.. of the bed
or do you fold them... neatly.. by your head
do they clench like claws against your own skin
When you sleep.... where do your fingers go?
what do your fingers know?
what do your fingers show?
where do your fingers go... yea
when you sleep... do they tremble..on the edge.. of the bed
or do you fold them... neatly.. by your head
do they clench like claws against your own skin
when youre living your day all over again
do they play guitar in a latin bar
are they strangers or lovers, do they drive your car?
are they swimming submissivly, sex acts of life
or just cutting through jell-o with a very sharp knife
now Zeus was a womanizer
always on the lake
but Hera usually punished her
that Zeus was one to take
when you sleeeeeeeeeeeeep
where do your fingers go?
Are they pulling out weeds form the dusty soil
are they never rewarded fruits of the toil
are they scratching their nails on the chalk boards of death
only seeking attention when everyone in the room has left
When you sleep.... where do your fingers go?
what do your fingers know?
what do your fingers show?
where do your fingers go... yea
when you sleep... do they tremble..on the edge.. of the bed
or do you fold them... neatly.. by your head
In the song “When You Sleep” by Cake, the lyrics pose a series of introspective questions about what our hands do when we’re asleep. The lyrics ask where our fingers go, what they know, and what they show during this vulnerable and unconscious state. The song also explores the idea of reliving past events in our dreams and whether our fingers react to these memories by trembling or clutching our skin. The lyrics suggest that there are a variety of possibilities for what our fingers do while we sleep, including playing guitar in a Latin bar, swimming submissively, or cutting through jello with a sharp knife.
Overall, the mood of the song is introspective and somewhat haunting. The lyrics force the listener to think about what their own fingers might be doing while they sleep and imagine the various scenarios that the song suggests. The repetition of the question “Where do your fingers go?” emphasizes the mystery of this unconscious state and suggests that there may be deeper meanings and symbols lurking in the shadows of our dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
When you sleep.... where do your fingers go?
Are you aware of where your fingers are when you are asleep?
what do your fingers know?
Are there things that your fingers know that you are not aware of?
what do your fingers show?
Do your fingers give away secrets about your subconscious mind?
where do your fingers go... yea
Are your fingers wandering around aimlessly while you sleep?
when you sleep... do they tremble..on the edge.. of the bed
Do your fingers shudder while they are near the edge of the bed when you sleep?
or do you fold them... neatly.. by your head
Do you position them carefully and intentionally by your head when you sleep?
do they clench like claws against your own skin
Do your fingers tense up and grip into your own skin when you sleep?
when youre living your day all over again
Do your fingers react to your dreams as if you were reliving your day?
do they play guitar in a latin bar
Do your fingers play imaginary guitar in your dreams in a latin bar setting?
are they strangers or lovers, do they drive your car?
Do your fingers interact with strangers or loved ones or drive your car in your dreams?
are they swimming submissivly, sex acts of life
Do your fingers act out sexually submissive scenarios while swimming in your dreams?
or just cutting through jell-o with a very sharp knife
Do your fingers cut through jell-o easily with a sharp knife in your dreams?
now Zeus was a womanizer
An unrelated statement about Zeus being a womanizer
always on the lake
Another unrelated statement about Zeus being on a lake
but Hera usually punished her
An unrelated statement about Hera punishing Zeus
that Zeus was one to take
An unrelated statement about Zeus being one to take
Are they pulling out weeds form the dusty soil
Do your fingers perform mundane tasks like pulling out weeds while you sleep?
are they never rewarded fruits of the toil
Do your fingers toil without ever receiving the rewards in your dreams?
are they scratching their nails on the chalk boards of death
Do your fingers make unpleasant noises on chalkboards of death in your dreams?
only seeking attention when everyone in the room has left
Do your fingers seek attention when no one is around to witness it in your dreams?
Lyrics © Cake - Stamen Music
Written by: JOHN M MCCREA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stephenpeters1463
Cake is highly under-rated
@justsaying605
What do your fingers KNOW?0_o?
@syrettsynths9907
ratings are overrated!
@vaultdweller4208
What an awesome band, been listening to them since the late 90's
@cecilkombamid3905
Can't wait to see them live.
@itsoliveoil8362
I always think of this song when taking a nap
Love the lyrics of this one
@jaredholmes46
Just introduced this album to my barman and we listened to the entire album. In a Czech bar, the Czechs loved it.
@GenghisWanghis
Great album, can't believe how young I was when I had it, think it's still my favorite of theirs alphabeta parking lot and let me go 👍👍
@xPeski
This sounds like a Moth worthy experience
@wanghiskhan7345
@GenghisWanghis I loved the first two albums, but they were more my brothers albums, this was the first I bought for myself, when you sleep is classic and Let Me Go is incredible. Satan is my Motor is an epic opener, too. Damn this is making me yearn for my high school station wagon