There are songs about love. There are songs about loss. And there are songs about loss of sleep. Could some of these songs about sleeplessness have been written about fatigue caused by sleep apnea? Considering that the first CPAP machine was invented in 1980, some of the older tunes just might have been. We will never know truly.
1. Mr. Sandman – Chet Atkins (1954)
“Mister Sandman, bring me a dream…”
2. Black Coffee – Ella Fitzgerald (1948)
“I’m feeling mighty lonesome
Haven’t slept a wink
I walk the floor and watch the door
And in between I drink
Black coffee…”
3. Three O’Clock Blues – B.B. King (1951)
“Now here it is three o’ clock in the mornin’
Can’t even close my eyes
Oh, three o’ clock in the mornin’, baby
Can’t even close my eyes”
4. Sleepless Nights – The Everly Brothers (1960)
“Somehow through the days I don’t give in
I hide the tears that wait within
Oh but then through sleepless nights I cry again”
5. I’m So Tired – The Beatles (1968)
“I’m so tired, I haven’t slept a wink
I’m so tired, my mind is on the blink”
6. Just Can’t Go To Sleep – The Kinks (1964)
“Every night I just can’t go sleep
Every night I have to count sheep
Every night I just can’t go sleep,
Without you, without you”
7. 25 or 6 to 4 – Chicago (1970)
“Staring blindly into space
Getting up to splash my face
Wanting just to stay awake
Wondering how much I can take
Should have tried to do some more”
