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The Smithereens — Behind the Wall of Sleep
Album: Especially For You
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1832









Released: 1986
Length: 3:18
Plays (last 30 days): 0
She had hair like Jeannie Shipton back in 1965
She had legs that never ended
I was halfway paralyzed.
She was tall and cool and pretty and she dressed as black as coal
If she asked me to I'd murder, I would gladly lose my soul.

Now I lie in bed and think of her
Sometimes I even weep,
Then I dream of her behind the wall of sleep.

Well she held a bass guitar and she was playing in a band
And she stood just like Bill Wyman
Now I am her biggest fan.
Now I know I'm one of many who would like to be your friend
And I've got to find a way to to let you know I'm not like them.

Now I lie in bed and think of her
Sometimes I even weep,
Then I dream of her behind the wall of sleep.

Got your number form a friend of mine who lives in your home town.
Called you up to have a drink,
Your roommate said you weren't around.
Now I know I'm one of many who would like to be your friend
And I've just got to find a way to to let you know I'm not like them.

Now I lie in bed and think of her
Sometimes I even weep,
Then I dream of her behind the wall of sleep.
Behind the wall of sleep.
Behind the wall of sleep.
Behind the wall of sleep.
Comments (182)add comment
 TC1 wrote:

Umm... you're wrong. The song is about The Bristols bassist Kim Ernst.

Behind the Wall of Sleep (The Smithereens song) - Wikipedia




Thank You for the info!
 toterola wrote:

 Pop-n-roll doesn't get any better, plus the song is about being obsessed with Chrissie Hynde. How cool is that?

Umm... you're wrong. The song is about The Bristols bassist Kim Ernst.

Behind the Wall of Sleep (The Smithereens song) - Wikipedia

Pat was a good friend.  I played bass and sang harmony vocals at one of his Memorial Day concerts at his home in Scotch Plains, NJ and also at one of his birthday house concerts.  Was also his roadie at a concert in Maryland.  Truly brilliant songwriter and great guy.  He had a passion for The Beatles.  The Smithereens released two albums of Beatles covers.  Shame to lose him so early.  Their catalog is well worth exploring.  Essential Rock & Roll.  They continue to tour with notable guest vocalists.  Jim Babjak kills it on lead Telecaster.
 
Thay Thmithereenth again :D
One of the coolest bands to ever pick up a guitar.  Very much like Jason and The Scorchers.
Such a great song. RIP Pat.
perfect antidote for the childlike folk stuff....thank you.
I did live audio production for them at the gymnasium at Muskingum College, right after this album was released. GREAT SHOW!!!
One lyric he did not mumble was "Jeannie Shrimpton", a lovely model in the 1960's.  Help The Smithereens honor her by correcting the spelling of her last name.
I have nothing to add other than I gave this a 10, its a fantastic track. 
 NotShakespeare wrote:
I've come to realize that even though I always bop around and try to sing along every time it plays, I only remember half the words to this song, and have to mumble a lot.
 
My band used to cover Blood and Roses by them.  He would tape the videos on MTV and try to make out the lyrics from there.  Ha.  Those were the days.  Our singer literally sung "Who knows what you're sayin'" for one line in that song when we did it!
I've come to realize that even though I always bop around and try to sing along every time it plays, I only remember half the words to this song, and have to mumble a lot.
And again today.  Every five months, I guess

 
rpdevotee wrote:
From the Four Tops to the Smithereens....Mental gear shift 
 
voice annoys me :/
Phil specter wall of soundesq
 fredriley wrote:
... We’d done a gig with The Bristols, four fabulous women who looked, sounded and dressed like Roger McGuinn’s The Byrds. ...
 
I thought I heard Mr McGuinn's influence in this number...
The Smithereens!  Rocking out!
Blasted this in the car (believe it was a 72 Pontiac LeMans) on WDHA in NJ! 
 rocklandlove wrote:
Pat RIP. Thank you for the great music!
 
Ditto. Bumping from a 9 to a 10 because this was in such heavy rotation on the soundtrack to my teens. 
From the Four Tops to the Smithereens....Mental gear shift 
 titanium667 wrote:
Opened for these guys at Maxwell's in Hoboken around 1985. Great times!
 
Hmm,  I may have been there that night.  I'm pretty sure I'd seen them there and/or at The Show Place in Dover as well as some shows in the Village.  Of course, my memories of those years are a little fuzzy.
Sick as a dog today, so I'm taking refuge behind antibiotics and the Wall of Sleep.
Saw the incomparable Smithereens at Vancouver's Fabulous Commodore Ballroom in the early 90's.  We referred to the concert as "the band that wouldn't die".....it was a 3 hour plus show! I was running out of beer money! 
RIP Pat.  You were rock'n'roll.  Thank you for playing your guitar on my head in New Haven all those years ago...  ;-)
 rocklandlove wrote:
Pat RIP. Thank you for the great music!

 
Ditto.
Pat RIP. Thank you for the great music!
"She had legs that never ended"

omg.
With that trifecta of Ball and Chain, Behind the Wall of Sleep and Slave to Love, you brought a time in the early 90s back to me fully formed, living and breathing here in my kitchen.  I'm wondering if you realize what effect some of your combinations have on people.  I stand here slayed by memories. Been listening for 10+ years, been donating, yet never commented until now.  Thank you for creating the playlist of our lives. 
Pat Dinizio is a true Rock and Roll craftsman.
If I had to draw a list of songs most representative of the genre of rock and roll, this track would be on it. Every classic element of r & r is here in spades. Dynamite. 
 sfizixidiot wrote:
Wow.  Again, Social D followed by Smithereens.  Nice job Bill!

 

Yes! Fantastic! Early 90s! 
How many times have I seen them?  {#Bananapiano}
{#Motor} love me some smithereens !
Smoking! 
 fizixidiot wrote:
Wow.  Again, Social D followed by Smithereens.  Nice job Bill!

 
HUGE DITTO
Great album-hadn't heard this in a long time-quintessential bar band
Wow.  Again, Social D followed by Smithereens.  Nice job Bill!
The one has great nostalgia value for me, cause my band used to play it. We broke up in 1991. I still miss it.
I've just seen the following post on the official Smithereens Facebook page:

"The Smithereens’ Pat Dinizio on the real-life character in the hit Behind The Wall Of Sleep:

“There was a girl named Kim who played bass in a Boston group called The Bristols. At the time, our own band had been together for five years without any inkling of success. We had a bunch of EPs – the second one, Beauty And Sadness, got 3.5 stars in Rolling Stone – yet we still couldn’t get a record deal. So I started doing ads for concert promotion at Irving Plaza, wrote press releases for Epic Records, a subsidiary of Columbia Sony , did sound and lights at Folk City in New York, and managed and produced bands. I went up to Boston to mix a record. We’d done a gig with The Bristols, four fabulous women who looked, sounded and dressed like Roger McGuinn’s The Byrds. Kim had black hair, really long: “She looked like Jeannie Shrimpton back in 1965, she had legs that never ended, I was halfway paralyzed. She was tall and cool and pretty, and she dressed as black as coal. If she asked me to I’d murder, I would gladly lose my soul.” Our first two hits were Blood And Roses, about suicide, and this one, “if you’d ask me to I’d murder” – very dark material .”
aaaah..the 80s cruising the Sunset Strip, Smithereens playing loudly with the T-Tops off.
Turn it up, babes!


 porphyrius wrote:
Well, from Social Distortion to the Smithereens, its a "way-back machine" hit to my personal music collection.

 
Both tuned down 1/2 step. Coincidence?
 Thats awesome

jmassoglia wrote:
Thank you for this. Always wondered..... 
PopKombo wrote:
https://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ledbp6GBkR1qbo4dlo1_500.jpg"She had hair like Jeanie Shrimpton back in 1965."

 

 


Social D and now the Smithereens, thanks Bill.  10's for everyone.
most excellent tune man
 whomhow wrote:
7.6? really? Sorry someone should put some justice here so solid 3. {#Undecided}

 
You should form a club or something with the other 12.
 Biscobret wrote:
Liked this tune back in the day - I was happy to hear it, and surprised by how incredibly boring and uninspired it sounds now.  A solid '3'.
 
...it must be played LOUD to properly appreciate; if you can't feel those hits in your chest, you're not doing it right...
7.6? really? Sorry someone should put some justice here so solid 3. {#Undecided}
These guys were great {#Bananajam}
Anyone heard about an Australian group from the 90's named "The Chevelles"? Because they sound quite similar to this (obviously, this came first)
 Biscobret wrote:
Liked this tune back in the day - I was happy to hear it, and surprised by how incredibly boring and uninspired it sounds now.  A solid '3'.

 
My sympathies on your loss of the ability to appreciate great music.
Thank you for this. Always wondered..... 
PopKombo wrote:
https://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ledbp6GBkR1qbo4dlo1_500.jpg"She had hair like Jeanie Shrimpton back in 1965."

 


 leafmold wrote:
Did not know it was about Chrissie Hynde.

Thanks Bill!
 
?? - EXPLAIN, PLEASE!

Who else COULD it be?
Though I thought Hynde played lead guitar...

Well she held a bass guitar and she was playing in a band
And she stood just like Bill Wyman
Now I am her biggest fan.

 
Chrissie Hynde played rhythm guitar, but I always suspected those lyrics were referring to Tina Weymouth.
Did not know it was about Chrissie Hynde.

Thanks Bill!
 
?? - EXPLAIN, PLEASE!

Who else COULD it be?
Though I thought Hynde played lead guitar...

Well she held a bass guitar and she was playing in a band
And she stood just like Bill Wyman
Now I am her biggest fan.
https://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ledbp6GBkR1qbo4dlo1_500.jpg"She had hair like Jeanie Shrimpton back in 1965."
I saw these guys a couple years ago... fun concert... but he was HUGE!.. needs to have a dietary intervention... 
{#Dancingbanana}I never get tired of this! Jeannie Shrimpton!!
sound very much like Hüsker Dü - and that´s always a good thing!
 Cynaera wrote:
{#Dancingbanana}Bumped from 8 to 9 - I haven't heard this one in awhile, so it's sounding pretty good now.  Thanks, Bill and Rebecca!

 

miss you so much, Cynaera...

love this song...
 
A soundtrack tune to my life in the late 1980s. Lots of money, booze, cocaine, and women. Yeehaah!
Great, fun band!  Saw 'em in NYC years ago, really a blast!
 LPCity wrote:
Did not know it was about Chrissie Hynde.

Thanks Bill!
 
?? - EXPLAIN, PLEASE!

LOVE THIS BAND.

Live they are breathtaking!

GREAT FRIDAY-EVE-AT-THE-CLUB ROCK


 Biscobret wrote:
Liked this tune back in the day - I was happy to hear it, and surprised by how incredibly boring and uninspired it sounds now.  A solid '3'.
 
wrong
Liked this tune back in the day - I was happy to hear it, and surprised by how incredibly boring and uninspired it sounds now.  A solid '3'.
Did not know it was about Chrissie Hynde.

Thanks Bill!
The Smithereens - hell it must be 20 years.  It sure won't be 20 more.
Play more SMITHEREENS!  {#Daisy}
 voytek wrote:
Yeah! I will dare to date myself - 1986 my senior year in HS; this tune brings back memories along with The Smiths, The Cure, Psychedelic Furs & so on....
 

philbertr wrote:

I'll see you and up you one.  1986 I get married for the second time, my first-born is 10 years old...  and this song is still in the soundtrack of my life.  (I know, gag-me corny, but still descriptive.)
 
I'll squeeze in between you guys.  Graduated Sac State 1986.  Saw these guys at the Crest Theater.  Loved their music.  Good to hear on RP.

Melody-band!

Like them!


Vastly underrated. Straight-forward toe-tappin R&R.
 voytek wrote:
Yeah! I will dare to date myself - 1986 my senior year in HS; this tune brings back memories along with The Smiths, The Cure, Psychedelic Furs & so on....
 
I'll see you and up you one.  1986 I get married for the second time, my first-born is 10 years old...  and this song is still in the soundtrack of my life.  (I know, gag-me corny, but still descriptive.)
I enjoy Smithereens once in a while. They don't have much variation, but I do like them loud here and there. Will the wall of sleep protect me from the doldrums of awakeness? Just curious.
She had hair like Jeannie Shrimpton back in 1965
Love this song! Classic '80s!
 voytek wrote:
Yeah! I will dare to date myself - 1986 my senior year in HS; this tune brings back memories along with The Smiths, The Cure, Psychedelic Furs & so on....
 
mine too!!

still loving it today, too.
Yeah! I will dare to date myself - 1986 my senior year in HS; this tune brings back memories along with The Smiths, The Cure, Psychedelic Furs & so on....
 RedGuitar wrote:

Pat DiNizio, I believe.

 
Saw Pat doing his one man show in Vegas recently - it was a great night of music and story telling.
I thought this was; do they all sound the same?

bronorb wrote:
Smithereens! Yeah!
Play Blood n' Roses!



NICE!
Soaring set...up-down-swoop, circle and dive then catch a rising thermal and lift in a spiral... Yeah. I like the selection this afternoon...
No machine shilling "This is what you -SHOULD- like crapola... Just good music, good mix and a nice flow... Thanks
7 -> 8

diggin' it. What a choon! (my word of the day :)
it's amazing that this is so burned in to my subconsious...
I don't screw up even ONE WORD of the lyrics... {#Lol}
{#Dancingbanana}Bumped from 8 to 9 - I haven't heard this one in awhile, so it's sounding pretty good now.  Thanks, Bill and Rebecca!

 titanium667 wrote:
Opened for these guys at Maxwell's in Hoboken around 1985. Great times!
 
I think I saw them at Maxwell's around that time, or The (Show)Place in Dover.  Saw them at The Bitter End too.

one of my FAVORITE songs...ALL-TIME...{#Bananajam}
Love this song.  I always imagine him singing about Molly Nova of the "Blue Band" here in Iowa, especially the line "well she stood just like Bill Wyman".....   Miss those days, Molly.
 sandpebble wrote:
The Catalyst   1984  {#Bananapiano}
 
Funky Santa Cruz! Indeed! {#Sunny}
 Baby_M wrote:

Ewe said a baaaaad thing.

 
              {#Eek}....{#High-five}....{#Roflol}
Smithereens! Yeah!
Play Blood n' Roses!
 DaveInVA wrote:
I thought this is what he's singing:

Now I lie in bed and think of her
sometimes I even BLEAT
then I dream of her
behind the wall of SHEEP....


 
Ewe said a baaaaad thing.

{#Bananajam}
Just a really good, straight forward rock and roll band who in my estimation is one of the most underrated bands of the 80's, no question!{#Yes}
I was the first person to play them on the radio back in 1980 at WRSU FM (Rutgers Radio). 

Great live band, and a great bunch of guys.

Bill:  CHeck out Dennis Diken's solo record (the drummer) with Bell Sound.

Jeff
Great song. They even played a gig in my hometown some 20 yrs ago{#Drummer}

 titanium667 wrote:
Opened for these guys at Maxwell's in Hoboken around 1985. Great times!
 
Cool!

Opened for these guys at Maxwell's in Hoboken around 1985. Great times!
OOooooo.... YEA!  These guys are great! 

My hometown boys!   YEA!


 toterola wrote:

I agree with you 100%. But I gave it a 10. Pop-n-roll doesn't get any better, plus the song is about being obsessed with Chrissie Hynde. How cool is that?{#Dancingbanana_2}{#Bananajam}{#Dancingbanana}
 

I always thought he was talking about Tina Weymouth.
 andrewimft wrote:
Behind the wall of sleep is just one of their hits; it's ok, but what's really the good stuff is Blow Up and 11.

Try those two CD's in your car. They drive absolutely great. Two of my favorites for driving.

In my opinion, those two CD's are perfect from start to finish while the others are uneven. Those 2 CD's simply rock, nothing too fancy, but clever enough songwriting and lyrics and played just right to rock, no flaws. If you like those two, the third one I'd get is God Save the Smithereens, not as good in the car or in general, but still overall a decent CD.
 

I agree about "Blow Up" and "11", but another really good Smithereens album is "A Date With the Smithereens". A little harder-edged than the other 2.
Been listening to this song for 20 years and never heard this until today:


Well she held a bass guitar and
she was playing in a band and
she stood just like Bill Wyman
now I am her biggest fan


Some kind of Stones fan I am!

 

The Catalyst   1984  {#Bananapiano}
A playlist favorite from my days as a DJ at an underground radio station in a seedy part of downtown Los Angeles. ^..^~
classic rp-sad,sweet,spooky/low rent urban desperate
The Smithereens and Morphine captured an urban, gritty sound, more than any other bands of their time. They really have held up well over the decades.
 alagarts wrote:
Have seen them live a few times, great!    One time though saw them at small bar in Northern Virginia called The State, was right up front to the stage.   I had a rough week and a few drinks that night and just got in a zone.    I really wasnt bored but just everything added up I was exhausted.   Anyways, I guess I had actually closed my eyes for a bit and when I opened them the lead singer was on top of me just staring down at me.   I was so damn embarrased and felt bad since I love these guys.   Anyways, got a caffeine boost and made it through the show but I will always remember opening my eyes to a very pissed off looking lead singer, man forget his name.
 
Pat DiNizio, I believe.

 Shaken_Bake wrote:

"She had hair like Jeanie Shrimpton..."
If the song is about Chrissie Hynde, I never thought her hair was like this!

 
Chrissie used to wear her hair in a lot of different styles, and a lot longer. She was a part of the punk scene in London, during the late 70s. Great song.

 alagarts wrote:
Have seen them live a few times, great!    One time though saw them at small bar in Northern Virginia called The State, was right up front to the stage.   I had a rough week and a few drinks that night and just got in a zone.    I really wasnt bored but just everything added up I was exhausted.   Anyways, I guess I had actually closed my eyes for a bit and when I opened them the lead singer was on top of me just staring down at me.   I was so damn embarrased and felt bad since I love these guys.   Anyways, got a caffeine boost and made it through the show but I will always remember opening my eyes to a very pissed off looking lead singer, man forget his name.
 


BOO!
Ha ha ha!

Have seen them live a few times, great!    One time though saw them at small bar in Northern Virginia called The State, was right up front to the stage.   I had a rough week and a few drinks that night and just got in a zone.    I really wasnt bored but just everything added up I was exhausted.   Anyways, I guess I had actually closed my eyes for a bit and when I opened them the lead singer was on top of me just staring down at me.   I was so damn embarrased and felt bad since I love these guys.   Anyways, got a caffeine boost and made it through the show but I will always remember opening my eyes to a very pissed off looking lead singer, man forget his name.
DaveInVA wrote:
I thought this is what he's singing:

Now I lie in bed and think of her
sometimes I even BLEAT
then I dream of her
behind the wall of SHEEP....


 

{#Roflol} 
Crank up the old Victrola!
I thought this is what he's singing:

Now I lie in bed and think of her
sometimes I even BLEAT
then I dream of her
behind the wall of SHEEP....



"She had hair like Jeanie Shrimpton..."
If the song is about Chrissie Hynde, I never thought her hair was like this!

Never hear enough Smithereens!!! damn they  took being a bar band to the next level! {#Drummer}
Thanks goodness "The Wall" is not next...
Awsome stuff for us old guys!
toterola wrote:

I agree with you 100%. But I gave it a 10. Pop-n-roll doesn't get any better, plus the song is about being obsessed with Chrissie Hynde. How cool is that?{#Dancingbanana_2}{#Bananajam}{#Dancingbanana}

Ooh, I've listened to this song about 478 million times and I didn't know it was about Chrissie! She's the coolest.

love this song!
 RadioDoc wrote:
Straight-up, right down the middle, no fluff.  Just about the perfect rock and roll pop tune.  A solid 8.
 
I agree with you 100%. But I gave it a 10. Pop-n-roll doesn't get any better, plus the song is about being obsessed with Chrissie Hynde. How cool is that?{#Dancingbanana_2}{#Bananajam}{#Dancingbanana}
Straight-up, right down the middle, no fluff.  Just about the perfect rock and roll pop tune.  A solid 8.