Who Needs Sleep? Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Now I lay me down not to sleep
I just get tangled in the sheets
I swim in sweat three inches deep
I just lay back and claim defeat
[Verse 2]
Chapter read and lesson learned
I turned the lights off while she burned
So while she's three hundred degrees
I throw the sheets off and I freeze
[Pre-Chorus]
Lids down, I count sheep, I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is that I won't sleep
I count down, I look around
[Chorus]
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
Now I lay me down not to sleep
I just get tangled in the sheets
I swim in sweat three inches deep
I just lay back and claim defeat
[Verse 2]
Chapter read and lesson learned
I turned the lights off while she burned
So while she's three hundred degrees
I throw the sheets off and I freeze
[Pre-Chorus]
Lids down, I count sheep, I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is that I won't sleep
I count down, I look around
[Chorus]
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
[Verse 3]
My hands are locked up tight in fists
My mind is racing, filled with lists
Of things to do and things I've done
Another sleepless night's begun
[Pre-Chorus]
Lids down, I count sheep, I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is that I won't sleep
I count down, I look around
[Chorus]
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
[Bridge]
There's so much joy in life, so many pleasures all around
But the pleasure of insomnia is one I've never found
With all life has to offer, there's so much to be enjoyed
But the pleasures of insomnia are ones I can't avoid
My hands are locked up tight in fists
My mind is racing, filled with lists
Of things to do and things I've done
Another sleepless night's begun
[Pre-Chorus]
Lids down, I count sheep, I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is that I won't sleep
I count down, I look around
[Chorus]
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
[Bridge]
There's so much joy in life, so many pleasures all around
But the pleasure of insomnia is one I've never found
With all life has to offer, there's so much to be enjoyed
But the pleasures of insomnia are ones I can't avoid
[Pre-Chorus]
Lids down, I count sheep, I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is that I won't sleep
I count down, I look around (Holla holla holla)
[Chorus]
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
[Break]
Who needs sleep? (Well, you're never gonna get it)
Who needs sleep? (Tell me, what's that for?)
Who needs sleep? (Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War)
Who needs sleep? (Well, you're never gonna get it)
Who needs sleep? (Tell me, what's that for?)
Who needs sleep? (Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War)
[Chorus]
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
Lids down, I count sheep, I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is that I won't sleep
I count down, I look around (Holla holla holla)
[Chorus]
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
[Break]
Who needs sleep? (Well, you're never gonna get it)
Who needs sleep? (Tell me, what's that for?)
Who needs sleep? (Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War)
Who needs sleep? (Well, you're never gonna get it)
Who needs sleep? (Tell me, what's that for?)
Who needs sleep? (Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War)
[Chorus]
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep? Tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War
About
Genius Annotation
Who Needs Sleep? is the tenth track off of Barenaked Ladies' 1998 album, Stunt.
It’s about the wonderful experience of RECURRING
I N S O M N I A .
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 1.One Week
- 5.Leave
- 6.Alcohol
- 8.In the Car
- 10.Who Needs Sleep?
- 11.Told You So
- 13.When You Dream
- 14.She’s on Time
Credits
Produced By
Written By
Backing Vocals
Drums
Percussion
Vocals
Acoustic Guitar
Flute
Electric Guitar
Clavinet
Double Bass
Release Date
July 7, 1998
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