Snoozin' Songs
- By Adam Turner
- Jan 23, 2017
Music can be a powerful tool to help ease us into slumber, from lullabies as children to classical music as adults. Warning: This is NOT one of those playlists. Rather, enjoy this dreamy collection of tunes from a wide variety of artists and eras that all, at the very least, vaguely reference the strange, wonderful world of sleep. And if it helps you relax and forget about your day even a little, you might be well on your way to dozing off anyway. So without further ado, here’s our playlizzzt. (If you think that’s bad, just wait.)
Listen on Spotify:
Can't Sleep
We’ve all been there. It can be hard to sleep with a lot on your mind. Follow this song’s advice regarding your daily stresses: “You just gotta let it go.” Life can wait. Sleep can’t.
John Lennon was exceptional in many ways, but even he suffered sleepless nights on occasion. Or in this case, three weeks of them. He’d give everything he’s got for “a little peace of mind,” but luckily great sleep doesn’t cost much at Sleep Outfitters.
“You were one inch from the edge of this bed/I drag you back a sleepyhead”
Way to go, Michael Angelakos, frontman of indietronica band Passion Pit! Never let a friend leave a comfortable bed if you can help it.
“Sleeping Lessons” – The Shins
This song title and album (Wincing the Night Away) are made in reference to lead singer James Mercer’s crippling insomnia. “You’re not obliged to swallow anything you despise,” he sings. Such as sleeping pills, perhaps? Consider a new mattress instead, Mr. Mercer, from your friendly neighborhood Sleep Outfitters.
“An Illustration of Loneliness (Sleepless in New York)” – Courtney Barnett
“I lay awake at three, staring at the ceiling/It's a kind of off-white, maybe it's a cream/There's oily residue zipping from the kitchen”
When sleep eludes us, we get to know the layout of our ceilings quite well.
“No Sleep Till Brooklyn” – Beastie Boys
“Waking up before I get to sleep/'Cause I'll be rockin' this party eight days a week!”
Have your fun, boys, but this lifestyle can’t sustain itself for long…
“I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” – Warren Zevon
Funnily enough, Mr. Zevon, if you go long enough without sleep, you might not make it out alive.
Preparing for Bed
“The Sound of Silence” – Simon and Garfunkel
“Hello darkness, my old friend/I've come to talk with you again”
If sleep is just our minds talking with the dark, we never want this conversation to end.
“A Few Minutes of Silence” – Paul Westerberg
If you’re looking for an afternoon power nap, a few minutes of silence is all you’ll need. But be careful: nap for too long and you risk waking groggy.
“Sleep On The Floor” – The Lumineers
Oh no, Wesley Schultz, lead singer of The Lumineers! We know you’re trying to leave your town behind in a hurry, but find a way to invest in a quality air mattress at the very least!
“Can I Sleep in Your Arms” – Willie Nelson
That’s quite romantic, Willie, sure, but make sure arms aren’t the ONLY thing you’re sleeping on. A comfortable mattress is only a visit to Sleep Outfitters away!
“Mattress Warehouse” – Foxygen
“He wants for me to say/That there's a sale today/At the Mattress Warehouse”
You made the right call, Foxygen. There’s always a sale at any of our parent company Innovative Mattress Solutions’ locations!
“If we just sleep on it/Everything's gonna be alright”
Chaka Khan gets it. Still unsure if you should invest in a new sleep environment? Sleep on it!
“Put those sunglasses on your hips/Mayonnaise on your lips/Pass me a bag of potato chips/When I wanna put my money on a monkey”
…well it’s called “Mattress” at least! Look, there aren’t many songs that even mention mattresses, so cut us some slack.
“There's a world where I can go/And tell my secrets to/In my room”
The perfect world to sleep in, and the perfect place to put a new mattress!
“Go to Sleep” – The Avett Brothers
“Lay back, lay back, go to sleep my man/Wipe the blood from you face and your hands/Forgive yourself if you think that you can/Go to sleep, go to sleep my man”
Sounds like someone enjoyed himself a large, rare steak and is feeling a little guilty about it. At least with a full stomach, sleep is just around the corner. Or maybe it’s a metaphor. Either way, sleep is great.
“I'm gonna go to sleep/And let this wash all over me”
The titles of these songs may be the only thing Radiohead and The Avett Brothers have in common as musicians. But good advice is good advice!
Dreamworld
“I've just closed my eyes again/Climbed aboard the dream weaver train/Driver take away my worries of today/And leave tomorrow behind”
Ah, the escape dreams can provide.
Demarco’s songs always sound like he’s walking in a dreamscape, so it’s only fitting he has a song about it here.
“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” – Eurythmics
“Everybody’s looking for something”
If you truly want those sweet dreams, that something is certainly a new mattress (properly fitted to your needs by Sleep Outfitters).
“Only in dreams/We see what it means”
Sleep provides our brains the essential opportunity to sort through our daily memories, sort out what we need, and even draw new connections and problem solve. Surely this is what lead singer Rivers Cuomo was referring to here.
Okay, we admit it. This song doesn’t have much to do with literal sleep. But what a hit, right?
“Dreamer” – The Head and the Heart
“So call me a dreamer, I feel like a clown”
There’s no need to be embarrassed, singer Jonathan Russell! You need your sleep (at least seven hours a night, according to the National Sleep Foundation).
Sleep can even reunite you with loved ones lost or long gone. Bittersweet perhaps, but Mr. Orbison understands this better than anyone.
“All I Have to Do Is Dream” – The Everly Brothers
Following Roy Orbison’s lead, The Everly Brothers also indulged in sleep as way to dream up loved ones they could no longer reach during the day. But the pull of sleep is a little too strong. “Only trouble is, gee whiz/I'm dreamin' my life away.” Perhaps set an alarm!
Something's Wrong
But then again, not all dreams are of the whimsical, cotton candy variety. Some are of wars, of liars, even of dragon’s fire. Let Metallica scream you to sleep.
This song explores the plight of a night shift worker and how your body’s internal rhythms get disrupted by fighting the natural sleep cycle. The word “circadian” is even dropped here. Deep stuff for a pop song, but you’d expect as much from a band named after a stage of sleep.
Though youth itself can feel a bit like walking through a dream as you get older, as singer Isaac Brock seems to allude to here, sleepwalking is a real and odd phenomenon, particularly prevalent among children.
“The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh)” – The Tokens
Even lions do it! But beware: the lionesses hunt at night…
Sleep Forever
“Sing me to sleep/And then leave me alone/Don't try to wake me in the morning”
Every teenager that’s ever lived can relate, Morrissey.
“I’m Only Sleeping” – The Beatles
“Everybody seems to think I'm lazy/I don't mind, I think they're crazy/Running everywhere at such a speed/Till they find there's no need”
Without a doubt the best defense of napping we’ve ever heard.
“California Stars” – Wilco & Billy Bragg
“I'd like to rest my heavy head tonight/On a bed of California stars/I'd like to lay my weary bones tonight/On a bed of California stars”
Though Sleep Outfitters sports the stars and moon in our logo, the best we can offer is a California King bed, stars not included.
After hearing about sleep for so long, you’re probably ready to do so yourself. Here’s a soothing storm to sing you to sleep, courtesy of Sleep Outfitters.
Thanks for listening!
