For a long time this was my favorite song on the album. It reminded me of staying at a friend's house in the middle of nowhere because it has this sort of lonely community feel to it, which is where I was at the time. The lyrics are fairly whimsical, loosely based on The Lion Sleeps Tonight, and as I've said I won't get into too much interpretation with Stipe's lyrics, this is definitely one of the tunes I'll shy away from. To me, it's a bit depressing and is simply about someone who doesn't want to be reached. The band rarely plays the song live ... in fact, perhaps they never played it ... the band doesn't seem to think that the song fits anywhere. I personally think it could've been pretty cool live, but by the time they were playing live again, they had a monster to deal with. According to Buck, the track is "a little too lightweight."
Some notes on the chorus. The official lyric sheets throw the word "me" in the line. However, because of Stipe's accent, the word "When" sometimes sounds with a long 'e.' Particularly because of the short 'a' in "Call." Also, when you sing the second part, try dropping the hard 'C' sound at the beginning of "Call" ... it all falls into place. In the bridge, I spelled out the word 'Wreaked' to be pronounced like 'wrecked' as it can have either pronunciation.
THE SIDEWINDER SLEEPS TONITE
Dee, dee, dee, dee
Dee, dee, dee, dee
This here is the place where I will be stayin’
There isn't a number, you can call the pay phone
Let it ring a long, long, long, long time
If I don't pick up, hang up, call back let it ring some more
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa
If I don't pick up, pick up, the sidewinder sleep, sleep, sleeps in a coil
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Oh
There’s scratches all around the coin slot
Like a heartbeat baby, tryin’ to wake up
But this machine can only swallow money
You can't lay a patch by computer design
With just a lot of stupid, stupid signs
Tell her, oh, oh, whoa
Tell her she can kiss my ass and laugh and say that you were only kidding
That way she'll know that it's really, really, really, really me, me
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Oh
Baby, instant soup doesn't really grab me
Today I need something more sub-stub-sub-sub-substantial
My can of beans or black-eyed peas, some Nescafe and ice,
A candy bar, a falling star, or a reading from Dr. Seuss
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Oh
The cat in the hat came back
Wreaked a lot of havoc on the way
Always had a smile and a reason to pretend
But their world has flat backgrounds and little need to sleep but to dream
The sidewinder sleeps on his back
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
I can always sleep standing up
Call when you try to wake her
Oh
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
I can always sleep standing up
Call when you try to wake her
Oh
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
I can always sleep standing up
Call when you try to wake her
I can always sleep standing up
Call when you try to wake her
We've gotta moogie, moogie, move on this one
This is a fairly easy one ... just some barred chords and a little riff ... overall it sounds better if you play the chords the entire time. During the chorus, remember to strum the chords up and staccato ...
THE SIDEWINDER SLEEPS TONITE
Tune up 1/2 step for album
Chorus: Chords
e|-2---3---0---0------0---0---|
B|-3---3---1---1------1---0---|
G|-2---0---0---2------0---0---|
D|-0---0---2---2------2---2---|
A|-----2---3---0------3---2---|
E|-----3---0---0-x3---0---0---|
Chorus: Fill
e|--2-2-3------------0---0----|
B|-3-3---5-3-5-----1--1---0---|
G|------------x3----0---0-----|
D|---------------------2------|
A|----------------------------|
E|----------------------------|
Verse:
e|--8----8----8----8----8----5---8---|
B|-10----8---10----8---10----5---8---|
G|-10----9---10----9---10----5---9---|
D|-10---10---10---10---10----7--10---|
A|--8---10----8---10----8----7--10---|
E|--8----8----8----8----8----5---8---|
Bridge:
e|---2---2---0---0--------2---2---0---0--0------|
B|----3---3---1---1--------3---3---1---1-0------|
G|--4---4---2---2--------4---4---2---0---0------|
D|-4---4---2---2---x2---4---4---2---2----2------|
A|---------------------------------------2------|
E|---------------------------------------0------|
End after Chorus with D