Asleep

The song 'Asleep' by The Smiths is a hauntingly beautiful and melancholic ballad that delves into themes of loneliness, desire for escape, and the yearning for a release from the pain of existence. The repetitive request to be sung to sleep serves as a metaphor for a longing for peace and the end of suffering. The singer expresses a profound tiredness, not just physical but emotional and existential, and wishes to go to bed—a possible euphemism for wishing for death, as sleep is often used as a metaphor for death in literature and music.

The lyrics convey a sense of finality and resignation. The protagonist insists on being left alone and not to be woken up, suggesting a desire to retreat from the world permanently. The mention of being glad 'to go' and the repeated affirmations that there 'must be' another, better world, hint at a hope for something more beyond the current state of existence, perhaps an afterlife or a place free from the current suffering. This other world is envisioned as a solace and a sanctuary, a stark contrast to the pain felt in the present.

The song ends with a series of 'Bye's, reinforcing the idea of departure and the end of the journey. The simplicity of this conclusion, devoid of elaborate goodbyes, underscores the theme of isolation and the personal, introspective nature of the song. 'Asleep' is not just a lullaby but a poignant reflection on the desire to find peace and the sometimes overwhelming nature of life's struggles.