I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow
But its better than sleeping by the wasteside of today
All the barbershops and funeral-homes were open
And the customers were coming and the business was doing great

I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow
Just dreaming dreams and drooling on my bed
All the people in my town would be born
Then they'd get themselves a little hair cut
And then promptly after they'd be dead

I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow
When a drunk girl awoke me on the train
But I did not see her stumbling and I did not hear her mumbling
As I dubbed myself a passenger
And kindly stepped away

I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow I was sleeping
I was sleeping I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow
I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow of tomorrow
Ladies and gentlemen
I was just sle-aah

I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow
But it's better than sleeping by the wasteside of today
All the barbershops and funeral-homes were open
And the customers were coming and the business
Was
Doing
Great


Lyrics submitted by medicine

Wasteside Lyrics as written by Regina Spektor

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Wasteside song meanings
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    General Comment

    the narrator is trying to express the concept of sleeping through life. time passes so pleasantly, "dreaming dreams and drooling on my bed." She does not see a problem with the time she is wasting, because she believes she has plenty of time- "wasteside of tomorrow-" but she thinks it's okay, because she doesn't think she's missing much at the present time, "better than sleeping on the wasteside of today." she marks the first milestones of the childhood of the people around her, from birth to their very first haircuts, but then time is fastforwarded to their deaths. This gap in the timeline is reaffirmed by the observation that the only businesses that are open and receiving customers seem to be barbershops and funeral homes, and nothing in between. she seems to be offering an excuse for her actions, addressing "ladies and gentlemen" with an explanation of what she has been doing all her life, but is cut short by her own gasping breath trailing off, symbolic of the fact that she cannot make any explanation that could gain her that time back.

    juliaspaperbagson May 12, 2007   Link

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