Stay Awake by Julia Nunes

Album: Settle Down (2011)

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Songfacts®:

Fairport, New York native Julia Nunes started writing songs at the age of 13 when she was in a Ska band. The Portuguese-American troubadour became well known for her videos of both original songs and covers on YouTube in which she sings harmony with herself and plays acoustic instruments. Nunes opened four times for one of her idols, Ben Folds, in May 2008 at the piano player's request after she posted one of her covers of his songs on the net. She made her television debut on January 24, 2012 performing this song on Conan.
Nunes told American Songwriter why she is especially proud of this song. She explained that it is, "my anthem for all the people who stay up late for absolutely no reason, but during the hours of 1:00am and 5:00am everything they're doing seems really important. If California Girls and American Idiots get anthems, voluntary insomniacs should too. So I'm especially proud to have written one."

Comments: 2

Jim from Morgantown, WvI'm just so excited to see Julia Nunes on Songfacts!!! Her voice is so pure and her songs and videos are wonderful. I hope this doesn't sound sexist but her eyes just pierce their way into my soul.
George from Salt Lake City, UtStay Awake speaks to me about the human experience of isolation much more deeply than just voluntary insomnia. We get so turned around in our priorities. Weather it is caught in the trance of being a work-a-holic, or other addiction or whatever it is that separates us from connecting with the people that we love. And there is Julia, making the Buddhist plea to wake up or stay awake to what really matters in life. Go now; sleep well, dream deeply and awake anew. "We are such stuff as dreams are made on; and our little life is rounded with a sleep."
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