| Wait for Sleep | |
| Images and Words | |
| Length | 2:31 |
| Working title | |
| Release date | July 7, 1992 |
| Lyrics | Kevin Moore |
| Music | Kevin Moore |
| First live performance | The Limelight, New York, NY (September 27, 1992) |
| Total live plays | 356 |
| Recorded | |
| Other appearances | |
| Previous song | Under a Glass Moon |
| Next song | Learning to Live |
Wait for Sleep is a song by Dream Theater. It is the seventh song off their second album, Images and Words. The song is notable for being one of only two songs penned completely by Kevin Moore, the other being Space-Dye Vest.
Personnel
- Kevin Moore - Keyboard, lyrics, music
- James LaBrie - Vocals
Lyrics
Standing by the window Eyes upon the moon Hoping that the memory will leave her spirit soon She shuts the doors and lights And lays her body on the bed Where images and words are running deep She has too much pride to pull the sheets above her head So quietly she lays and waits for sleep She stares at the ceiling And tries not to think And pictures the chains She's been trying to link again But the feeling is gone And water can't cover her memory And ashes can't answer her pain God give me the power to take breath from a breeze And call life from a cold metal frame In with the ashes Or up with the smoke from the fire With wings up in heaven Or here, lying in bed Palm of her hand to my head Now and forever curled In my heart and the heart of the world
Analysis
The song is said to be about a friend of Moore's who he claimed had "a spiritual void" who struggled with her beliefs regarding the death of a friend.
Tone
Wait for Sleep is a ballad, containing only piano and vocals. The song is very short and many see it as an introduction to Learning to Live which reprises the piano theme on other instruments. The song's quiet somber sound is unusual for Dream Theater, though not unheard of.
Notes
Along with Space-Dye Vest, Wait for Sleep is one of only two songs penned completely by Kevin Moore. The song features no drums, guitar or bass, though live performances occasionally use a full-band arrangement.
The song, much like Only a Matter of Time before it, lent a lyric to the title, the line "Where images and words are running deep" is the source of the album's title.
Live Performances
Performances of Wait for Sleep are somewhat rare, especially since Moore's departure from Dream Theater. The band rarely plays the song as it is on the album, usually instead opting for a full band arrangement that fans usually refer to as the acoustic version, due to Petrucci's use of acoustic guitar. Some versions, particularly early ones have been known to have been extended in length, usually due to an elaborate intro from Moore.
Appearances
- Images and Words - Original recorded version
- Taste the Memories - Live version
- Images and Words 15th Anniversary Performance - Live version
- Images and Words Demos - Pre-production demo
- Tokyo, Japan 10/28/95 - Live version
- New York City 3/4/93 - Live version