The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Last week I had the strangest dream
where everything was exactly how it seemed
where there was never any mystery
of who shot John F Kennedy
It was just a man with something to prove,
slightly bored and severely confused
He steadied his rifle with his target in the center
and became famous on that day in November
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Again last night I had that strange dream
where everything was exactly how it seemed
concerns about the world getting warmer
people thought that they were just being rewarded
for treating others as they'd like to be treated
for obeying stop signs and curing diseases
for mailing letters with the address of the sender
Now we can swim any day in November
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in (Now we can swim any day in November)
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping
where everything was exactly how it seemed
where there was never any mystery
of who shot John F Kennedy
It was just a man with something to prove,
slightly bored and severely confused
He steadied his rifle with his target in the center
and became famous on that day in November
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Again last night I had that strange dream
where everything was exactly how it seemed
concerns about the world getting warmer
people thought that they were just being rewarded
for treating others as they'd like to be treated
for obeying stop signs and curing diseases
for mailing letters with the address of the sender
Now we can swim any day in November
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in (Now we can swim any day in November)
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in
Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
My interpretation of this song is a simple one. Not about political statements or ignoring the issues, but someone dreaming about, and longing for a world where things aren't so complicated. That's why he wants to sleep in.
I don't know, my first impression was that "no concerns about the world getting warmer / people thought that they were just being rewarded" meant that people are not taking the earth-threatening problem of global-warming seriously. The way the singer says "now we can swim any day in november" sounds so sarcastic. For these reasons, I think "sleeping in" refers to ignoring the real problems in the world. Those who "sleep in" believe everything as it seems, without looking deeper. Obviously, the ultimate destruction of the earth (reality) outweighs the ability to swim in November (the way it seems)... hence the sarcasm.
@toasterhead i very much agree
this song means everything to me.
I think he's going to his dreams to escape the complexity of modern life. There's so many weighty consequences and unexplained phenomena everywhere, in history, science, all that. There's so much conspiracy and controversy over how JFK was killed; there's so much debate about global warming, its effects, its causes.
In the dream he's looking at all these things that we get wound up in and his dream world is a little more innocent - he can take everything at face value, and the facade of the warm, pleasant society we live in is totally real instead of totally false. And the fantasy and security of that thought is something he wants to prolong by staying asleep.
This song is so simple, and people keep trying to cram it with political propaganda! He's saying things aren't as complicated as we make them. Global warming isn't real, if anything were just being rewarded. He's telling you to just calm down about everything that we blow up to seem catastrophic. The sky is not going to fall, and there is no mystery behind JFK being shot. It was just a man that felt he had something to prove. Just take things as they are and life will be a lot less stressful. You can just sleep in.
wow u people are all missing the point. this song is about QUESTIONING the STATUS QUO...asking if there's something more to general held beliefs of the world- looking below the surface!
most people are content to believe, and fully accept, that JFK was murdered by a crazed lone gunman. they don't try to LOOK below the surface and see who was really involved. same with global warming. hmmm, maybe summers are getting warmer because we're being rewarded! again, people don't want to search for TRUTH.
this 'dream' is foreign to the songwriter because he's an out-of-the-box thinker and knows there more to the story, more than what it seems on the surface! however, he finds it strangely comforting to live in this world and doesn't want to woken up...kinda like a majority of the population living in their fantasy world.
Totally agree with you!
this is definatly one of my favorite postal service songs. aparently they were on MTV2 or something... that saddens me greatly.
what has this world come to? haha
that woudl suck if they were on MTV, postal serivce is great. DNTEL and death cab are great together
wait...why does it matter if they are on MTV?
this song is great, i like the part about global warming, its as if he has the mind of a young child