Endless Sleep

Jody Reynolds

About Endless Sleep

"Endless Sleep" is a "teenage tragedy" pop song written and originally recorded by rockabilly singer Jody Reynolds in 1958. Reynolds wrote the song in 1956, after listening to Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel", and first performed it soon afterwards at a performance in Yuma, Arizona. The song told the story of a teenager whose girlfriend had gone missing after a row: The night was black, rain fallin' downLooked for my baby, she's nowhere aroundTraced her footsteps down to the shoreAfraid she's gone for ever more Although record companies initially rejected the song as too depressing, Reynolds eventually had a demo accepted by Demon Records in Los Angeles, who agreed that Reynolds record it provided that he changed the song's ending so that the protagonist saved the girl from drowning. :I looked at the sea and it seemed to say“You took your baby from me away"My heart cried out “She's mine to keep"I saved my baby from an endless sleep. The song was recorded with echo-drenched vocals, and with Al Casey and Howard Roberts on guitars. The record label credited the songwriting to Reynolds and the fictitious "Dolores Nance", in order to make it appear to have been written by a 'professional' songwriting team. Reynolds' recording reached the number 5 position on the U. S. Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 7, 1958, sold over one million copies, and inspired a trend of "teen tragedy" songs. The song was reissued in 1979 reaching number 66 on the UK singles chart. A re-recorded version by Reynolds appears the 1984 Rhino compilation LP Teenage Tragedies. 


Year:
2011
75 

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The night was black, rain fallin' down
Looked for my baby, she's nowhere around
Traced her footsteps down to the shore
'Fraid she's gone forever more

I looked at the sea and it seemed to say
"I took your baby from you away"
I heard a voice cryin' in the deep
"Come join me, baby, in my endless sleep"

Why did we quarrel, why did we fight?
Why did I leave her alone tonight?
That's why her footsteps ran into the sea 
That's why my baby has gone from me

I looked at the sea and it seemed to say
"I took your baby from you away"
I heard a voice cryin' in the deep
"Come join me, baby, in my endless sleep"

Ran in the water, heart full of fear
There in the breakers I saw her near
Reached for my darlin', held her to me
Stole her away from the angry sea

I looked at the sea and it seemed to say
"You took your baby from me away"
My heart cried out "she's mine to keep"
I saved my baby from an endless sleep

Endless sleep, endless sleep
Endless sleep, endless sleep

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Jody Reynolds

Jody Reynolds (born Ralph Joseph Reynolds on December 3, 1932, Denver, Colorado, died November 7, 2008 in Palm Desert, California, aged 75) was an American singer and guitarist. His biggest hit single was "Endless Sleep", which reached #5 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 7, 1958. He wrote it in a single afternoon in 1956 in Yuma, Arizona. The song was later one of Hank Williams Jr.'s first singles, hitting #46 on the country charts in 1964. more »

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Written by: DOLORES NANCE, JODY REYNOLDS

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


13 facts about this song

Genre Category
"Endless Sleep" is an early example of the "Teen Tragedy" genre, which was very popular during the late 50s to the middle 60s.
Billboard Ranking
"Endless Sleep" reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958.
Album Information
This single was released by Reynolds and Al Casey, and it was placed on the singer's posthumously released 2016 album, "Endless Sleep".
Trivia
"Endless Sleep" was intended originally to end in the death of the girl, but it was changed to a happy ending at the suggestion of a publisher.
Cultural Impact
The song has been covered by numerous artists like Hank Williams Jr., Billy Idol, The Stray Cats, and others, indicating its enduring cultural impact.
Song Composition
The song combines elements of rockabilly and folk balladry, a unique mix at the time it was produced.
Famous Collaborator
Al Casey, who co-wrote and played guitar on "Endless Sleep," would later become a renowned musician in his own right and contributed to several significant 60s recordings.
B-Side Track
The B-side of "Endless Sleep" was another track by Reynolds called "Tight Capris".
Song Duration
"Endless Sleep" runs for a total time of approximately 2 minutes and 24 seconds.
Chart Performance
"Endless Sleep" was not only popular in the United States but also reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart.
Label Category
The song "Endless Sleep" was released under the original record label Demon Records.
Longevity Details
Despite its age, "Endless Sleep" remains a popular song and continues to be played on oldies radio stations around the world.
Viral Popularity
Following the release of "Endless Sleep," Jody Reynolds became a one-hit wonder, as none of his subsequent releases achieved the same level of success.

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    Endless Sleep

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1958

    Billboard #17


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