Standing by the window
Eyes upon the moon
Hoping that the memory
Will leave her spirit soon

She shuts the doors and lights and lays her body on the bed
Where images and words are running deep
She has too much pride to pull the sheets above her head
So quietly she lays and waits for sleep

She stares at the ceiling and tries not to think
And pictures the chain she's been trying to link again
But the feeling is gone
And water can't cover her memory
And ashes can't answer her pain
God give me the power to take breath from a breeze
And call life from a cold metal frame

In with the ashes
Or up with the smoke from the fire
With wings up in heaven
Or here, lying in bed
Palm of her hand to my head
Now and forever curled
In my heart and the heart of the world


Lyrics submitted by Idan

Wait For Sleep Lyrics as written by John Petrucci John Myung

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Wait for Sleep song meanings
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19 Comments

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  • +8
    Song Meaning

    In an interview to a Korean Radio channel (interview here: youtube.com/watch) Kevin Moore mentions that this song is actually about a girl who's lost her sister. He also provides a nice explanation of the album cover in the same interview.

    saatwikon March 03, 2012   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Dream Theater's song: Wait for Sleep. Song was printed out by my husband and left in my piano bench when we separated. We never wanted to divorce but we did not know how to fix our marriage. The song is about a love that should have never died, but it did. The song is about how two people lived in limbo. I moved on. He committed suicide. Nothing is worse when love dies. He was 48.

    girlinsongon August 05, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Poetry...I see pictures in my mind when i listen to this song,beautiful pictues that tracel me away...

    armagezonon March 07, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    ^That has to be the most heartbreaking thing I have ever heard.

    Mikei90on November 11, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The song is about a woman who's thinking about the person who died and was very close to her.

    And call life from a cold metal frame

    She dreams of resurrecting person from a picture in a metal frame

    In with the ashes Or up with the smoke from the fire With wings up in heaven Or here, lying in bed

    Are their spirit here, on earth in the ashes or in the smoke, just by her, or maybe in heaven?

    soulburneron July 27, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    About the female in the song, Kevin Moore has said she was a friend of his who had a spiritual void and a hard time filling it, reaching for something to believe in. It dealt with her fears about belief and her grief over a loved one's death. His explanation is longer, but that about says it.

    Idanon February 23, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is such a beautiful song. It's very deep, I love it.

    RainbowDemonon March 07, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree with RainbowDemon, I love this song, it's beautiful.

    Shadowbitchon July 04, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is actually a great song, very beautiful. I think the keybords give it a kind of melancholy and romantic touch. No more words, just excellent ¡¡

    Metal_Invaderon April 24, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song sends a shiver down my spine when i hear it.

    Karakon August 19, 2007   Link

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