I Go to Sleep: Songs of Slumber

Last night I asked my ever-ready Facebook friends to throw me some songs about sleep, and they came through as always (boy, did they ever). First though, a few they missed:

1) "I Go to Sleep", Pretenders

Chrissie and co. released two versions of this Kinks song, on a studio LP and on the wonderful live Isle of View (get it?) concert release. Both versions blow away the original.



2) "Sleep", Azure Ray

Maria Taylor's somber, aching vocals and the tempo of the song capture perfectly the restless eternity that is a sleepless night.



3) "Can't Do A Thing to Stop Me", Chris Isaak

Scary stalker Chris is gonna dream about you, and ain't nothing you can do about it.



4) "Sleep Won't Ever Come", Best Coast

Sometimes it feels that way.



5) "Walking in My Sleep", Roger Daltrey

There are probably a million reasons I shouldn't like this song, but I always have.



And now our Facebook gang's contributions:

David Anderson

"Talking in Your Sleep", Romantics

"In My Dreams", Dokken

Michele Ferlisi

"Wall of Sleep," Black Sabbath

"Sleeping Village", Black Sabbath

Sally Fenn-Tucker

"Sweet Dreams Are Made of This", Eurythmics

"Through the Long Night", Billy Joel

Brenda Balin

"Wake Up Little Susie", Everly Brothers

"Dream A Little Dream", Cass Elliot

A&H Blogger Curt Alliaume

"I'm So Tired", the Beatles

"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", Warren Zevon

"I Need A Nap", Weird Al and Kate Winslet

Twla Meding

"Virginia Calling", Sons of Bill

Anne Campisano-Detlet

"Dream Weaver", Gary Wright

Rich Bilitz

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight", the Tokens

Karen Aagesen Cerini

"Dream On", Aerosmith

"Let's Go to Bed", the Cure

Eddie Johns

"In Dreams", Roy Orbison

Billie McIntyre Dunn

"It's Raining Again", Supertramp

Rich Kurlantzick

"Rose Darling", Steely Dan

"Daysleeper", R.E.M.

Mike Haines

"MLK", U2, 

"Sleepless", King Crimson

Donna Mellusi

"Peaceful Relaxing Scene", Ann-Margret

Mark Traeger

"Sleep", Dopesmoker

Rosie Perez

"All I Need", Air

Anna Russomano Broskie

"Where Hides Sleep", Alison Moyet

But That's All in the Movies, It Won't Happen to You: Films Based on Songs

Lots of movies and songs share the same name, mostly because the latter was written purposely for the former. Movies that are based on songs are a rarer breed, and run the gamut from exploitive to silly to art-house serious. Herewith are some of the best (and worst).

1. The Indian Runner/"Highway Patrolman", Bruce Springsteen

Springsteen's work has always had a cinematic feel, and a lot of his best songs would make great movies. Certified Bruce Pal Sean Penn wrote and directed this 1991 drama that features Viggo Mortensen and David Morse as Frank and Joe Roberts, the ill-fated brothers in Springsteen's song. 

2. Ode to Billy Joe, Bobby Gentry

This weird, moody song gave me shivers as a kid. The TV movie tried to make sense of the lyrics, but failed to undo the song's mystery.

3. The Legend of Tom Dooley/"Tom Dooley", The Kingston Trio

Folk songs have nothing on horror films when it comes to violence and murder, and "Tom Dooley" is no exception.

4. Bad Romance, Lady Gaga

This 2011 film is in fact based on Mother Monster's hit.

5. Born in East L.A., Cheech Marin

Technically based on two songs: Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" and Cheech's own parody. The video for the song was hilarious, but stretching the joke out to movie-length was pushing it.

6. Harper Valley PTA, Jeannie C. Riley

This goofy tune not only inspired a TV film but also a failed TV series, both starring I Dream of Jeannie star Barbara Eden.

7. The Gambler, Kenny Rogers

The first song on this list to feature the singer in the lead role of the film adaptation, of which there were several.

Laura Schetelich adds:

Alice's Restaurant, Arlo Guthrie