Sleep Through The Static

Album: Sleep Through The Static (2008)
Play Video
  • Trouble travels fast
    When you're specially designed for crash testing
    Or wearing wool sunglasses in the afternoon
    Come on and tell us what you're trying to prove

    'Cause it's a battle when you dabble in war
    You store it up, unleash it, then you piece it together
    Whether the storm drain running rampant just stamp it
    And send it to somebody who's pretending to care

    Just cash in your blanks for little toy tanks
    Learn how to use them, then abuse them and choose them
    Over conversations relationships are overrated
    I hated everyone said the sun

    And so I will cook all your books
    You're too good looking and mistooken
    You could watch it instead
    From the comfort of your burning beds
    Or you can sleep through the static

    Who needs sleep when we've got love?
    Who needs keys when we've got clubs?
    Who needs please when we've got guns?
    Who needs peace when we've gone above
    But beyond where we should have gone?
    We went beyond where we should have gone

    Stuck between channels my thoughts all quit
    I thought about them too much, allowed them to touch
    The feelings that rained down on the plains all dried and cracked
    Waiting for things that never came

    Shock and awful thing to make somebody think
    That they have to choose pushing for peace supporting the troops
    And either you're weak or you'll use brut force-feed the truth
    The truth is we say not as we do

    We say anytime, anywhere, just show your teeth and strike the fear
    Of god wears camouflage, cries at night and drives a dodge
    Pick up the beat and stop hogging the feast
    That's no way to treat an enemy

    Well mighty mighty appetite
    We just eat 'em up and keep on driving
    Freedom can be freezing take a picture from the pretty side
    Mind your manners wave your banners
    What a wonderful world that this angle can see

    But who needs to see what we've done?
    Who needs please when we've got guns?
    Who needs keys when we've got clubs?
    Who needs peace when we've gone above
    But beyond where we should have gone?
    Beyond where we should have gone
    We went beyond where we should have gone
    Beyond where we should have gone Writer/s: Jack Hody Johnson
    Publisher: Bubble Toes Publishing, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 5

  • Emmett from Canadian, Txi love listening to jack johnson... his simple lyrics and beautiful acoustic leads make me feel at peace with myself...
  • Chelle from Hilo, Cathe beautiful thing about jack is his simple eloquence, how much meaning you can find in almost every line of his lyrics... his lyrical ability blows me away... so proud he's made it so far, he deserves it, he's so talented...
  • Mason from Raleigh, Nc"'I hated everyone' said the sun" is a first-person referrence to global warming.

    "So I will cook all your books..." The sun is telling us that we spent too much time destroying the earth. With that said, he will destroy us, starting with one of our most precious man-made resources, books, a la Farenheight 451 style.

    "...mistook that you could watch it instead from the comfort of your burning beds..." Again, a referrence to the notion that the sun is angry with our apathy, and Jack is making an allusion to sleeping through the static in burning beds, which is another poetic angle, because how easy is it to sleep when your bed is on fire?

    Mr. Johnson got clever with this one.
  • Sean from Nyc, Nywhenever i hear this song i wonder what "'I hated everyone' said the sun" means.
  • Andrea from Sønderborg, DenmarkWhy has noone made a comment? It's a freaking great song.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And Scandals

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And ScandalsSong Writing

Surprise exits, a catfight and some very memorable performances make our list of the most memorable Idol moments.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys

Mike Scott of The WaterboysSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Whole Of The Moon" and "Red Army Blues," and why rock music has "outlived its era of innovation."

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Lip-Synch Rebels

Lip-Synch RebelsSong Writing

What happens when Kurt Cobain, Iron Maiden and Johnny Lydon are told to lip-synch? Some hilarious "performances."

Michael Bolton

Michael BoltonSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for this talk with Bolton from the '80s when he was a focused on writing songs for other artists.

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete BlondeSongwriter Interviews

The singer/bassist for Concrete Blonde talks about how her songs come from clairvoyance, and takes us through the making of their hit "Joey."