This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
When you sleep
Where do your fingers go?
What do your fingers know?
What do your fingers show?
Where do your fingers go?
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're living your day all over again
When you sleep (when you sleep)
Where do your fingers go? (when you sleep)
What do your fingers know? (when you sleep)
What do your fingers show? (when you sleep)
Where do your fingers go, yeah? (when you sleep)
Do they play guitar in a Latin bar
Are they strangers or lovers
Do they drive your car
Are they swimming submissively
Sex acts of life
Or just cutting through jello with a very sharp knife
Now Zeus was a womanizer
Always on the make
But Hera usually punished her that Zeus was one to take
When you sleep
Where do your fingers go?
Are they pulling out weeds from the dusty soil
But then never rewarded with the fruits of their toil
Are they scratching their nails on the chalkboards of death
Only seeking attention when everyone in the room has left
(When you sleep) where do your fingers go?
(When you sleep) what do your fingers know?
(When you sleep) what do your fingers show?
(When you sleep) where do your fingers go?
(When you sleep)
When you sleep
Do they tremble on the edge of the bed
Or do you fold them neatly by your head
Where do your fingers go?
What do your fingers know?
What do your fingers show?
Where do your fingers go?
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're living your day all over again
When you sleep (when you sleep)
Where do your fingers go? (when you sleep)
What do your fingers know? (when you sleep)
What do your fingers show? (when you sleep)
Where do your fingers go, yeah? (when you sleep)
Do they play guitar in a Latin bar
Are they strangers or lovers
Do they drive your car
Are they swimming submissively
Sex acts of life
Or just cutting through jello with a very sharp knife
Now Zeus was a womanizer
Always on the make
But Hera usually punished her that Zeus was one to take
When you sleep
Where do your fingers go?
Are they pulling out weeds from the dusty soil
But then never rewarded with the fruits of their toil
Are they scratching their nails on the chalkboards of death
Only seeking attention when everyone in the room has left
(When you sleep) where do your fingers go?
(When you sleep) what do your fingers know?
(When you sleep) what do your fingers show?
(When you sleep) where do your fingers go?
(When you sleep)
When you sleep
Do they tremble on the edge of the bed
Or do you fold them neatly by your head
Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by Chrysolopus spectabilis
When You Sleep Lyrics as written by John M Mccrea
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
I think this song is about a guy asking his partner what her sex was like when she cheated on him. I think "sleep" refers to sex in this instance. He asks if they are strangers or lovers, which is basically him asking if it's a long term thing or just a one night stand. The Zeus and Hera lines refer to what their relationship is like (the singer being Hera and his partner being Zeus). This also seems to illustrate that this isn't the first time this happened. I think the second verse is more spiteful. "Never rewarded for the fruits of their toil" I think this is a jab at his lover because he is constantly putting work into their relationship. I think the next two lines refer to him desperately needing love and attention which his partner never gives him.