Are You Just Sleeping?

Album: A Northern Soul (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This sad song about death and loss was written by Ed Sheeran collaborator Amy Wadge after watching a Sheridan Smith concert at the Edinburgh Playhouse. She explained to the BBC that inspired by "the level of honesty" that Smith performs she immediately felt the desire to pen something. As soon as the interval started, Wadge sped into the ladies toilet and started singing into her phone.

    Wadge later played what she'd come up with to James Bay producer Jimmy Hogarth, who was co-helming A Northern Soul. He loved it and Sheridan recorded the tune as the centerpiece of her album.
  • Are you just sleeping?
    Will you wake up?
    We've still got plenty of things to talk about


    Smith told the BBC that as she sings the sad lyrics she is remembering the tragic death of her much-loved father, Colin, who passed away from cancer in 2016.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot

Jon Foreman of SwitchfootSongwriter Interviews

Switchfoot's frontman and main songwriter on what inspires the songs and how he got the freedom to say exactly what he means.

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets

Curt Kirkwood of Meat PuppetsSongwriter Interviews

The (Meat)puppetmaster takes us through songs like "Lake Of Fire" and "Backwater," and talks about performing with Kurt Cobain on MTV Unplugged.

Steve Morse of Deep Purple

Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."

Real or Spinal Tap

Real or Spinal TapMusic Quiz

They sang about pink torpedoes and rocking you tonight tonight, but some real lyrics are just as ridiculous. See if you can tell which lyrics are real and which are Spinal Tap in this lyrics quiz.

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.