Sleep Walk

{{About|the Santo & Johnny instrumental||Sleepwalk (disambiguation){{!}}Sleepwalk}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}} {{Infobox song | name = Sleep Walk | cover = Sleep Walk.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Santo & Johnny | B-side = All Night Diner | album = Santo & Johnny | released = June 1959<ref name="Billboard1959-06-29">{{cite magazine |magazine=Billboard |title= Reviews of This Week's Singles |date=29 June 1959 |page=47}}</ref> | recorded = 1959 | studio = | venue = | genre = * Instrumental rock<ref name= "Breihan 2018">{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Santo & Johnny's "Sleep Walk"|website= Stereogum |date= February 9, 2018 |url= https://www.stereogum.com/1982338/the-number-ones-santo-johnnys-sleep-walk/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= Instead, ["Sleep Walk" is] pretty standard of the slow, ornate R&B ballads that were popular in the era. But the difference, of course, is that it’s an instrumental.|accessdate= June 5, 2023}}</ref> * rock and roll<ref name= "Breihan 2018">{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Santo & Johnny's "Sleep Walk"|website= Stereogum |date= February 9, 2018 |url= https://www.stereogum.com/1982338/the-number-ones-santo-johnnys-sleep-walk/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= Instead, ["Sleep Walk" is] pretty standard of the slow, ornate R&B ballads that were popular in the era. But the difference, of course, is that it’s an instrumental.|accessdate= June 5, 2023}}</ref> * surf rock<ref name="RS summer">{{cite magazine|last= Rolling Stone Staff|date= June 25, 2022|title=The Best Summer Songs of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-summer-songs-of-all-time-43407/|access-date=September 10, 2023|magazine=Rolling Stone|quote=Part doo-wop dreamweave, part surf-rock chill session, “Sleepwalk” was a Number One hit for Brooklyn brothers Santo and Johnny...}}</ref> * R&B<ref name= "Breihan 2018">{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Santo & Johnny's "Sleep Walk"|website= Stereogum |date= February 9, 2018 |url= https://www.stereogum.com/1982338/the-number-ones-santo-johnnys-sleep-walk/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= Instead, ["Sleep Walk" is] pretty standard of the slow, ornate R&B ballads that were popular in the era. But the difference, of course, is that it’s an instrumental.|accessdate= June 5, 2023}}</ref> * doo-wop<ref name="RS summer">{{cite magazine|last= Rolling Stone Staff|date= June 25, 2022|title=The Best Summer Songs of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-summer-songs-of-all-time-43407/|access-date=September 10, 2023|magazine=Rolling Stone|quote=Part doo-wop dreamweave, part surf-rock chill session, “Sleepwalk” was a Number One hit for Brooklyn brothers Santo and Johnny...}}</ref> | length = 2:20 | label = Canadian-American Records | writer = Santo Farina, Johnny Farina, Ann Farina<ref>{{cite book | title=Billboard Book of Number One Hits | publisher=Billboard Publications, Inc. | author=Bronson, Fred | year=1992 | location=New York, New York | pages=[https://archive.org/details/billboardbookofn0000bron/page/58 58] | isbn=0-8230-8298-9 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/billboardbookofn0000bron/page/58 }}</ref>, Don Wolf | producer = Leonard Zimmer | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = Tear Drop | next_year = 1959 }}

"'''Sleep Walk'''" is an instrumental composition written, recorded, and released in 1959 by American instrumental rock and roll duo Santo & Johnny Farina, with their uncle Mike Dee playing the drums.<ref name="NPR">{{dead link|date=December 2015}}{{Cite web |url = https://www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/asc13/#santo |title = ''All Songs Considered'' Episode 13 |publisher = NPR |date = February 6, 2002 |work = NPR's Online Music Show |access-date = September 1, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070622014924/http://www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/asc13/#santo |archive-date = June 22, 2007 |url-status = dead }}</ref> Prominently featuring steel guitar, the song was recorded at Trinity Music in Manhattan, New York City. "Sleep Walk" entered ''Billboard'''s Top 40 on August 17, 1959. It rose to the number 1 position for the last two weeks in September<ref>{{dead link|date=September 2010}} {{Cite web |url=http://www.recordresearch.com/numones/numone_pop_1950s.html |title=Billboard #1 Pop Hits — 1950–1959 |publisher=Record Research Inc. |accessdate=September 1, 2007 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20050610080106/http://www.recordresearch.com/numones/numone_pop_1950s.html  |archivedate = June 10, 2005}}</ref> and remained in the Top 40 until November 9. "Sleep Walk" also reached number 4 on the R&B chart.<ref>{{Cite book|title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=512}}</ref> It was the last instrumental to hit number 1 in the 1950s and earned a gold record for Santo and Johnny.<ref name="SJB">{{Cite web | url=http://santoandjohnny.com/Bio.php | title=''Santo & Johnny Bio''}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hewitt |first=Bob |date=December 2, 2021 |url=https://guitar.com/features/interviews/larry-carlton-johnny-farina-santo-johnny-instrumental-guitar-music/ |title=Larry Carlton and Johnny Farina on how Santo & Johnny changed instrumental guitar music forever |work=Guitar.com |access-date=October 1, 2023}}</ref> In Canada, the song reached number 3 in the CHUM Charts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hitsofalldecades.com/chart_hits/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=849&Itemid=52|title=CHUM Top 20 Singles – August 31, 1959}}</ref> In the UK it peaked at number 22 on the charts.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/sleep%20walk/|title = Official Charts|date = |accessdate = December 18, 2015|website = Official Charts|publisher = |last = |first = }}</ref>

== Background and recording == As children, both Santo and Johnny Farina were encouraged by their father, Tony,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/interview-johnny-farina-on-60-years-of-the-iconic-instrumental-sleep-walk|title=Interview: Johnny Farina on 60 Years of the Iconic Instrumental, "Sleep Walk"|last=Bienstock|first=Richard|date=April 8, 2019|website=Guitar World|language=en|access-date=January 16, 2020}}</ref> to learn the steel guitar and write their own music.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/santo-and-johnny-sleep-walk-60th-anniversary-1.36456322|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925201058/https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/santo-and-johnny-sleep-walk-60th-anniversary-1.36456322|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 25, 2019|title=Santo & Johnny's 'Sleep Walk' turns 60|last=Criblez|first=David J.|date=September 19, 2019|website=Newsday|language=en|access-date=January 16, 2020}}</ref> This music would be recorded on a Webcor tape recorder their father had bought for them.<ref name=":0" /> Unable to fall asleep one night after a gig, the Farina brothers decided to write some music, using the tape recorder to first record the harmonies to what would become "Sleep Walk".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> After adding and finalizing the steel guitar melody, Johnny Farina believed they had a hit song, so he spent a year and a half talking with various music publishers about the possibility of professionally recording "Sleep Walk".<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jan/18/santo-johnny-sleep-walk|title=Old music: Santo & Johnny – Sleep Walk|last=Dennis|first=Jon|date=January 18, 2012|work=The Guardian|access-date=January 16, 2020|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

The "Sleep Walk" demo made a positive impression on Ed Burton of Trinity Music.<ref name=":1" /> After ultimately signing with Canadian-American Records,<ref name=":1" /> the brothers recorded "Sleep Walk" at Trinity Music, using a triple-neck Fender Stringmaster on the recording.<ref name=":0" />

== Release == "Sleep Walk" entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on July 27, 1959.<ref name="Bronson2003">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PgGqNrqfrsoC&pg=PP68|title=The Billboard Book of Number One Hits|author=Fred Bronson|publisher=Billboard Books|year=2003|isbn=978-0-8230-7677-2|pages=68–}}</ref> Announced on the radio by DJ Alan Freed,<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> the instrumental rose in popularity until it became the number 1 single for the last two weeks of September of that year.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1959-09-21|title=The Hot 100|last=|first=|date=|magazine=Billboard|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218215115/https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1959-09-21|archive-date=February 18, 2019|access-date=January 16, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1959-09-28|title=The Hot 100|last=|first=|date=|magazine=Billboard|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717144048/https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1959-09-28|archive-date=July 17, 2018|access-date=January 16, 2020}}</ref> After losing the position to Bobby Darin's recording of "Mack the Knife",<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100|title=Top 100 Songs {{!}} Billboard Hot 100 Chart|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 17, 2020}}</ref> it remained on ''Billboard''<nowiki/>'s Top 40 until November 1959.<ref name=":1" />

== Chart performance == === Weekly charts === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1959) !Peak<br />position |- {{singlechart|UKsinglesbyname|22|artist=Santo and Johnny|artistid=7717|access-date=October 1, 2023}} |- |Canada CHUM Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chumtribute.com/59-08-31-chart.jpg| title=CHUM Hit Parade - August 31, 1959}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|3 |- | US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite magazine |date=September 28, 1959 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1959/Billboard%201959-09-28-OCR-Page-0040.pdf |title=The Billboard Hot 100 |magazine=Billboard |page=40 |access-date=October 1, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://billboard.elpee.jp/single/Sleep%20Walk/Santo%20%26%20Johnny/ |title=Sleep Walk - Santo & Johnny |website=billboard.elpee.jp |access-date=October 1, 2023}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|1 |}

=== All-time charts === {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! Chart (1958–2018) ! Position |- |US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100-60th-anniversary|title=Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=December 10, 2018}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|563 |}

== Later versions == *The Ventures - for their album ''Walk, Don't Run'' (1960)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0001226175|website=www.allmusic.com|accessdate=August 22, 2024}}</ref> *British group The Shadows - for their 1961 album ''The Shadows''.<ref>{{Cite web | url = {{AllMusic|album|the-shadows-1961-mw0000850229|pure_url=yes}} | title= The Shadows | work = AllMusic | publisher = All Media Network | accessdate= January 18, 2020 | first= Dave | last= Thompson}}</ref> *American guitarist Larry Carlton - for his 1981 album ''Sleepwalk''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sleepwalk-mw0000652918?1689883091865|title=Larry Carlton - Sleepwalk - Allmusic|website=AllMusic }}</ref> *American guitarist Carlos Santana and composer Miles Goodman recorded a version of the song for the 1987 film La Bamba. The song was not released on the soundtrack album, but is included within the complete film score which is unreleased.<ref>{{cite AV media|people=Miles Goodman, Elliott Miles Goodman, Carlos Santana|publisher=Unreleased|date=1987|title=Miles Goodman & Carlos Santana "La Bamba" 1987 [Full Soundtrack]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6b_XxMBTkk#:~:text=Tracklist%3A%201)%20Santo%20%26%20Johnny,Dream%20%23%202%22%20(9%3A}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chimesfreedom.com/tag/la-bamba/|title=Chimesfreedom - Pophistory: music, movies, history, and life.|accessdate=May 12, 2025}}</ref> *The Brian Setzer Orchestra rendering of "Sleep Walk" received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance of 1998.<ref name="grammy.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx?title=&winner=brian%20setzer&year=0&genreID=0&hp=1 |title=Grammy Award winners (Brian Setzer) |access-date=August 30, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930180448/http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx?title=&winner=brian%20setzer&year=0&genreID=0&hp=1 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 }}</ref> *The virtuoso American guitarist Joe Satriani included "Sleep Walk" on his 2002 album ''Strange Beautiful Music''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/joe-satriani-hank-williams-bob-dylan-the-philosophy-of-song|title=Joe Satriani says he and Hank Williams could have made some "great music together"}}</ref> *Deftones - for their album ''Covers'' (2011)

== Influence == *"Sleep Walk" was a principal influence on Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green for his 1968 instrumental "Albatross", which became a worldwide hit. "Albatross" in turn inspired the Beatles song "Sun King" from ''Abbey Road''.<ref name="Fleetwood Mac: The Complete Guide to Their Music">{{cite book | last = Rooksby | first = Rikky | year = 2004 | title = Fleetwood Mac: The Complete Guide to Their Music | publisher = Omnibus Press | page = 17 | isbn = 1-84449-427-6 }}</ref> *The song "Sleepwalking (Couples Only Dance Prom Night)" by the band Modest Mouse, from their 1996 EP ''Interstate 8'', drew inspiration from "Sleep Walk" in its melody, with the main addition to the original being added vocals/lyrics.<ref name="Chicago Tribune">{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/redeye/redeye-modest-mouse-sleepwalking-20151001-htmlstory.html | title=Chicago Tribune: "With 'Sleepwalking,' Modest Mouse drew inspiration from existing material"| website=Chicago Tribune| date=October 2, 2015}}</ref> *The song was featured in the 1987 film La Bamba, and a minimum of twenty-eight other films.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.santoandjohnny.com/|title=Johnny Farina of Santo & Johnny|publisher=Aniraf Inc.|location=Great River, New York|accessdate=May 12, 2025}}</ref>

== ''Sleepwalkers'' == The song spurred Stephen King to write his first screenplay, for the 1992 horror film ''Sleepwalkers''. The film features the song as well.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.comicon.com/2018/11/20/cat-horror-purrr-fection-stephen-kings-sleepwalkers-comes-out-on-blu-ray/|title=Cat Horror Purrr-fection: Stephen King's Sleepwalkers Comes Out On Blu-Ray|first=Rachel|last=Bellwoar|date=November 21, 2018}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:1959 songs Category:1959 singles Category:Santo & Johnny songs Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Category:Canadian-American Records singles Category:Rock instrumentals Category:1950s instrumentals