10 Best Rock Songs About Sleep

# 10 – Talking In Your Sleep – The Romantics

Read More: Top 10 Songs From The Romantics

# 9 – Wake Up Little Susie – The Everly Brothers

# 8 – Sleeping With The Television On – Billy Joel

“Sleeping With The Television On” is a lesser-known gem from Billy Joel’s highly successful Glass Houses album, released on March 12, 1980. While the album is widely remembered for its chart-topping singles like “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” this track stands out as a thoughtful exploration of loneliness and modern relationships, encapsulating a restless, late-night feeling of isolation. Glass Houses was recorded at A&R Recording Studios in New York City, produced by Billy Joel’s longtime collaborator Phil Ramone. The album showcased Joel’s shift toward a more rock-oriented sound, heavily inspired by the new wave and punk movements of the time.

Musically, “Sleeping With The Television On” carries an upbeat, power-pop vibe that contrasts with its melancholic lyrics. Joel weaves a narrative about unspoken desires and missed connections. The song’s protagonist watches Diane—an emotionally distant woman who hides behind her defenses—waiting for someone “good” to come along but ultimately settling for superficial encounters. Joel’s clever use of the television as a metaphor for emotional disconnection adds a layer of depth to the lyrics, suggesting that both characters are seeking solace in distractions rather than confronting their deeper feelings. The song features Joel’s energetic piano playing alongside David Brown on guitar, Doug Stegmeyer on bass, and Liberty DeVitto on drums, adding to the dynamic rock feel of the track.

Lyrically, the song taps into a recurring theme of Glass Houses: vulnerability beneath a tough exterior. Joel’s lines like, “Your eyes are saying talk to me, but your attitude is ‘don’t waste my time,’” convey the disconnect between internal desires and outward behaviors, a sentiment echoed throughout the album. The track resonates with other songs on the record, especially the more introspective ones like “Don’t Ask Me Why,” in which Joel balances emotional complexity with infectious melodies. The vivid imagery of “sleeping with the television on” speaks to a larger sense of numbness and loneliness, echoing themes of isolation found in songs by contemporaries like Bruce Springsteen and Jackson Browne during the same period.

Despite its lack of commercial release as a single, “Sleeping With The Television On” remains a fan favorite due to its relatable themes and catchy melody. Joel’s vocal delivery, combined with the tight instrumentation, brings a sense of immediacy to the track, making it an essential listen for those who appreciate deeper cuts from the Glass Houses era.

# 7 – Sleep’s Dark and Silent Gate – Jackson Browne

# 6 – I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead – Warren Zevon

# 5 – Sandman – America

# 4 – Sleeping Angel – Stevie Nicks

“Sleeping Angel” by Stevie Nicks, featured on the soundtrack for Fast Times at Ridgemont High, is a captivating song that blends Nicks’ ethereal voice with introspective and emotional lyrics. Released in 1982, this song accompanies a film known for its candid depiction of high school life in the early 1980s. Directed by Amy Heckerling and based on a book by Cameron Crowe, Fast Times at Ridgemont High has become a cultural touchstone, showcasing teenage angst, love, and coming-of-age experiences. Nicks’ contribution to the soundtrack provides a perfect emotional backdrop to the film’s more tender and reflective moments.

“Sleeping Angel” was recorded at Studio 55 in Los Angeles during a prolific time in Nicks’ career, when she was working on both solo projects and contributing to Fleetwood Mac. The song features Stevie Nicks on vocals, accompanied by delicate, dreamlike instrumentation that underscores the emotional weight of her lyrics. The song was produced by Jimmy Iovine, a frequent collaborator of Nicks, who brought out the raw vulnerability in her performance. The gentle yet haunting piano melodies, paired with Nicks’ signature rasp, give “Sleeping Angel” an otherworldly feel, making it one of the more understated yet emotionally resonant tracks in her catalog.

Lyrically, “Sleeping Angel” addresses themes of trust, love, and vulnerability. Nicks explores the complexity of relationships through lines like “Real love affairs are heavy spells for a woman and a man,” highlighting the intense emotional pull that love can have. She compares love to a “soft silver chain,” emphasizing both its beauty and its potential to bind. The song captures the delicate balance between dependence and freedom, much like other Stevie Nicks songs, such as “Landslide” or “Storms,” where she reflects on the passage of time and personal growth.

Critically, “Sleeping Angel” did not receive the same level of attention as some of her other solo work, but it has remained a fan favorite. The song stands out for its intimacy and poetic depth, fitting seamlessly into the emotional tone of the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack. It serves as a reminder of Nicks’ ability to tap into universal emotions through her unique storytelling and vivid imagery, making it a timeless piece in both her discography and the larger landscape of rock music.

# 3 – A Pillow Of Winds – Pink Floyd

“A Pillow of Winds” by Pink Floyd, from their 1971 album Meddle, stands as one of the band’s most serene and introspective tracks. This acoustic love song offers a contrast to the more experimental and often darker sounds that Pink Floyd is typically known for, showcasing a softer side to the band. The song is anchored by David Gilmour’s beautifully intricate guitar work, which is played using an open E tuning, creating a delicate, flowing sound that matches the dreamy quality of the lyrics. Gilmour’s slide guitar and Roger Waters’ fretless bass add subtle layers to this pastoral track, enveloping the listener in a tranquil atmosphere.

Lyrically, “A Pillow of Winds” is meditative, using nature-based imagery to explore themes of love, sleep, and comfort. The song opens with the line, “A cloud of eiderdown draws around me,” immediately setting a tone of softness and warmth. As the song progresses, it drifts between themes of the changing seasons, nighttime rituals, and the dreamlike state of early morning. The line “Now wakes the owl, now sleeps the swan” encapsulates the stillness of nighttime, while the concluding line, “And I rise like a bird in the haze when the first rays touch the sky,” hints at a peaceful awakening. This imagery, paired with the gentle, almost hypnotic music, creates a lullaby-like quality that evokes the quiet intimacy of lying next to a loved one, on the cusp of sleep.

The song’s structure, moving between major and minor keys, further enhances the dreamlike mood. The shift to a darker E minor in the middle of the track, coinciding with the lyric “And the candle dies,” adds a brief moment of melancholy, but the return to E major restores the soothing tone. Pink Floyd’s ability to navigate between light and dark, peace and unease, is on full display here. While the song is quite different from the more progressive or space-rock elements that would define other works like The Dark Side of the Moon or Wish You Were Here, its beauty lies in its simplicity and the tender emotions it conveys.

Recorded during the Meddle sessions at AIR Studios and EMI Studios in London, “A Pillow of Winds” was produced by Pink Floyd and engineered by John Leckie. The album itself marked a transition for Pink Floyd, as they were moving away from the psychedelia of their early albums and developing the more expansive and conceptual sound they would become known for. Though “A Pillow of Winds” wasn’t a commercial hit, it remains a deep cut cherished by fans for its emotional depth and tranquil beauty, making it a fitting inclusion in any discussion of rock songs centered around sleep.

Read More: Top 25 Pink Floyd Songs

# 2 – Behind the Wall of Sleep – The Smithereens

“Behind the Wall of Sleep” by The Smithereens is a quintessential track from their 1986 debut album Especially for You. This song captures the band’s signature blend of alternative rock, power pop, and catchy melodies. Written by lead singer Pat DiNizio, the lyrics are inspired by a real-life crush he developed on Kim Ernst, the bassist of the Boston-based band The Bristols, after a show. The song’s vivid imagery, like “She had hair like Jeannie Shrimpton, back in 1965” and “She stood just like Bill Wyman,” offers a nostalgic snapshot of 1960s pop culture while blending the personal and the fantastical. DiNizio crafted the lyrics on a cocktail napkin during a hungover flight from Boston to New York, and the song’s melody came to him in the same moment, which he kept humming to himself to ensure he wouldn’t forget it.

The track quickly became a fan favorite, blending a driving rhythm with jangly guitars and DiNizio’s longing vocals. Musically, the song’s upbeat tempo contrasts with the more melancholic undertones of the lyrics, which center around unrequited love and daydreaming. The central theme of being captivated by someone you can’t have, expressed in the recurring line, “Now I lie in bed and think of her, sometimes I even weep / Then I dream of her, behind the wall of sleep,” resonates with listeners who have experienced the bittersweet pangs of infatuation. The Smithereens were masters at creating catchy hooks layered with emotion, and this song is a perfect example of that balance.

“Behind the Wall of Sleep” saw success, reaching number 23 on the US Mainstream Rock Charts and number eight on the UK Indie Charts. The band’s ability to blend alternative rock with pop sensibilities garnered them a loyal following in the underground rock scene of the 1980s, and this song remains one of their standout tracks. Its raw, guitar-driven sound, combined with its introspective lyrics, draws comparisons to bands like R.E.M. and The Replacements, who similarly merged jangly guitars with emotional depth. The Smithereens’ knack for storytelling, nostalgia, and heartache is on full display here, making “Behind the Wall of Sleep” a perfect inclusion in any list of classic rock songs about sleep.

Read More: Top 10 Smithereens Songs

# 1 – Tie – I’m Only Sleeping / Golden Slumbers The Beatles

To wrap up our list of the 10 Best Rock Songs About Sleep, we couldn’t settle on just one Beatles song to close it out, so it’s a tie between “I’m Only Sleeping” and “Golden Slumbers.” Each track offers a different perspective on sleep, from the dreamy, laid-back vibe of “I’m Only Sleeping” to the tender, hopeful lullaby of “Golden Slumbers.” Both songs are beloved classics in the Beatles catalog, and their distinctive sounds, themes, and moods make it impossible to choose between them.

“I’m Only Sleeping”

“I’m Only Sleeping” is a track from Revolver, released in 1966, during a period when the Beatles were experimenting heavily with studio techniques and psychedelic sounds. Written primarily by John Lennon, the song captures his desire to escape the pressures of fame and find peace in the sanctuary of sleep. The song was recorded at Abbey Road Studios between April 27 and May 6, 1966, with production by George Martin.

Musically, “I’m Only Sleeping” stands out with its backward guitar solos, a technique that was groundbreaking at the time. George Harrison’s reversed guitar parts give the song a hazy, dream-like quality, matching the lyrics’ themes of drifting between consciousness and sleep. Paul McCartney’s bassline and Ringo Starr’s subtle drumming contribute to the laid-back, almost lethargic groove of the song. Lennon’s lazy, almost slurred vocals underscore the feeling of relaxation and a longing for sleep, with lines like “When I’m in the middle of a dream / Stay in bed, float upstream” perfectly encapsulating the desire to remain in a state of rest. The track reached No. 1 in several countries, solidifying its place as one of the band’s most iconic songs from the Revolver album, which itself is often regarded as one of the greatest albums in rock history.

“Golden Slumbers”

“Golden Slumbers” is another Beatles song focused on sleep, though its tone is vastly different from “I’m Only Sleeping.” Released on the iconic Abbey Road album in 1969, “Golden Slumbers” was written by Paul McCartney and serves as the first part of the medley that closes the album. It’s based on a poem from Thomas Dekker’s Patient Grissel (1603), which McCartney found in his step-sister’s piano book. Since McCartney couldn’t read the music notation, he composed a new melody and turned the poem into a lullaby. The track was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in July and August 1969, with George Martin once again handling production duties.

While the lyrics are minimal, they are deeply emotional: “Golden slumbers fill your eyes / Smiles await you when you rise.” McCartney’s powerful vocal delivery and the orchestration arranged by George Martin create a sweeping, cinematic effect that adds to the song’s grandeur. The track leads directly into “Carry That Weight” in the famous Abbey Road medley, and its place in Beatles history is significant as it was one of their final recordings together. The song evokes a sense of nostalgia, as it hints at both the end of an era for the band and the closing of their musical journey. The orchestral arrangement, alongside McCartney’s expressive piano playing, offers a contrast to the more psychedelic, dreamy sound of “I’m Only Sleeping.”

Conclusion

Although vastly different in style and mood, “I’m Only Sleeping” and “Golden Slumbers” both demonstrate The Beatles’ ability to convey deep emotional and thematic content within the framework of sleep. While “I’m Only Sleeping” embraces the detachment and blissful laziness associated with escaping into sleep, “Golden Slumbers” serves as a bittersweet lullaby, offering comfort and hope. Both songs also showcase The Beatles’ exceptional production techniques—whether through backward guitar solos or lush orchestral arrangements. Together, these two tracks represent different aspects of sleep: one as a refuge from reality, and the other as a tender, almost parental farewell into slumber.

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