Sleeping Sickness

“Sleeping Sickness” by City And Colour, featuring Gordon Downie, delves into the profound and often overwhelming experience of insomnia and the mental turmoil that accompanies it. The song opens with the narrator waking up to find his lungs empty, symbolizing a sense of suffocation and the inability to breathe freely, both literally and metaphorically. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, where the narrator grapples with the fear of sleep due to the haunting thoughts and uncertainties that plague his mind. The dreams that were once a source of solace have now turned into nightmares, reflecting a deep sense of disillusionment and despair.

The chorus is a desperate plea for help, as the narrator calls out for someone to save his life. The line “Maybe I'll sleep when I am dead” underscores the severity of his insomnia, suggesting that rest seems unattainable in his current state. The night, which should be a time of peace, has become an adversary, filled with worries and anxieties that refuse to be silenced. The question “Could it be this misery will suffice?” hints at a resignation to his suffering, as if he’s contemplating whether this state of misery is his new normal.

Gordon Downie’s verse adds another layer to the song, portraying the narrator as a “simple souvenir of someone's kill,” indicating a loss of identity and a feeling of being a mere remnant of his former self. The comparison to the sea, constantly changing from calm to ill, captures the unpredictable nature of his mental state. The imagery of madness filling his heart and soul, and the great divide threatening to swallow him whole, emphasizes the depth of his emotional and psychological struggle. The repeated plea for someone to save his life in the chorus reinforces the sense of desperation and the urgent need for relief from his torment.