My Gen X Playlist: The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight – REM

I couldn’t remember what grade in school I was at five years old. A quick google search tells me kindergarten. To be honest, all I remember from my kindergarten days is being able to take a nap during the day. We stored a blanket in a cubby hole and pulled them out for a daily nap on the floor. What a life.

Naps are incredibly underrated. I’m surprised I don’t take them, especially during this hiatus from career. Typically, once I’m up and have my cup of coffee, I’m up. Still, naps do sound incredible.

So at five, no aspirations to be anything in the future. I was too busy enjoying my naps. Why doesn’t corporate America implement the daily nap? It’s a great entry for the suggestion box. Who’s with me?

REM released The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight in 1992. Like most of Michael Stipe’s lyrics, they can be a little cryptic, even to his band mates.

Making an effort to interpret Michael Stipe’s lyrics in this song, R.E.M. bass player Mike Mills said, “Half of the song is about somebody trying to get in touch with someone who can sleep on his floor. The other half – you’re on your own.”

– Songfacts

Sounds like my kindergarten days. Half the time I was enjoying a nap. The other half? No clue in the world. I was too young to drive, so I’m pretty sure I wasn’t sticking up convenience stores.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

This here is the place where I will be staying
There isn't a number, you can call the pay phone
Let it ring a long, long, long, long time
If I don't pick up, hang up, call back, let it ring some more, oh
If I don't pick up, pick up
The sidewinder sleeps, sleeps, sleeps in a coil

Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her
Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her
Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her, oh

There are scratches all around the coin slot
Like a heartbeat, baby trying to wake up
But this machine can only swallow money
You can't lay a patch by computer design
It's just a lot of stupid, stupid signs

Tell her
Tell her she can kiss my ass
Then laugh and say that you were only kidding
That way she'll know that it's really, really, really, really me

Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her
Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her
Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her, oh

Baby, instant soup doesn't really grab me
Today I need something more sub-sub-sub-substantial
A can of beans or black-eyed peas, some Nescafe and ice
A candy bar, a falling star, or a reading from Doctor Seuss

Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her
Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her
Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her, oh

The cat in the hat came back, wrecked a lot of havoc on the way
Always had a smile and a reason to pretend
But their world has flat backgrounds and little need to sleep but to dream
The sidewinder sleeps on his back

Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her
Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her
I can always sleep standing up. Call me when you try to wake her, oh

Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her
Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her
I can always sleep standing up. Call me when you try to wake her, oh

Call me when you try to wake her up, call me when you try to wake her
I can always sleep standing up, call me when you try to wake her
I can always sleep standing up. Call me when you try to wake her, oh

We've got to moogie, moogie, move on this one