I Can't Sleep

Nina Chuba's song 'I Can't Sleep' delves into the profound and often unsettling experience of insomnia, intertwined with existential dread and the desire to protect a loved one from the harsh realities of life. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a sleepless night, where the mind is haunted by thoughts of entropy, the inevitable end of all things, and the passage of time. This tiny thing called entropy symbolizes the uncontrollable forces that govern our existence, making it difficult to find peace and rest.

The song's narrator expresses a deep sense of responsibility and care, wishing to shield the listener from the darkness and maintain their innocence. The repeated lines 'If I could lock up light in your little heart, keep your innocence of the deep down dark, I would' highlight this protective instinct. However, the narrator acknowledges the futility of such efforts, as the inevitability of time and the absence of divine intervention ('There’s no God but it’s better you know') loom large.

Throughout the song, there is a juxtaposition of comfort and fear. The narrator promises to stay by the listener's side in the dead of night, offering solace and reassurance ('Ghosts don’t sing, so you know that I’m alive'). Yet, they also admit to their own struggles with dreams and feelings of doom, revealing a shared vulnerability. The mention of pills lying to you suggests a critique of superficial solutions to deep-seated issues, emphasizing the complexity of dealing with fear and anxiety. Ultimately, 'I Can't Sleep' is a poignant exploration of the human condition, capturing the delicate balance between offering comfort and confronting the inevitable truths of life.