Sleep When I'm Dead

{{short description|2008 single by The Cure}} {{Other uses|I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (disambiguation){{!}}I'll Sleep When I'm Dead}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Use British English|date=July 2012}} {{more citations needed|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox song | name = Sleep When I'm Dead | cover = sleepwhenimdead.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = [[The Cure]] | album = [[4:13 Dream]] | A-side = "Sleep When I'm Dead" (Mix 13) | B-side = Down Under | released = 13 July 2008 | recorded = 2008 | studio = | genre = | length = 3:51 | label = [[Geffen Records|Geffen]] | composer = [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]], [[Simon Gallup]], [[Jason Cooper (musician)|Jason Cooper]], [[Porl Thompson]] | lyricist = Robert Smith | producer = Robert Smith, Keith Uddin | prev_title = [[Freakshow (The Cure song)|Freakshow]] | prev_year = 2008 | next_title = [[The Perfect Boy]] | next_year = 2008 }}

"'''Sleep When I'm Dead'''" is a [[single (music)|single]] by the British band [[The Cure]] released on 13 July 2008 on [[Geffen Records]] in the United Kingdom. It was pushed back to 15 July in the United States to comply with the tradition of releasing songs on a Tuesday. It has the distinction of including a keyboard part despite the fact that the band has not had a keyboardist in their lineup since 2005, although "The Only One" and "NY Trip" feature piano parts.

[[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]] told ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' the song was originally written during sessions for the band's 1985 album ''[[The Head on the Door]]''<ref name="RS1-oct08">{{cite magazine |title = Fall Music Preview |magazine = [[Rolling Stone]]|date=October 2008 |pages = 34}}</ref> and had the working title of "Kat 8."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-cure-album-by-album-20040618|title=The Cure's Discography: Robert Smith Looks Back - Rolling Stone|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |quote=''It's from the Head on the Door period ... At the moment the working title is Kat 8.''}}</ref>

== Reception == Anthony Strutt of ''Penny Black Music'' "It has a weird [[The Top (album)|‘The Top’]]-like essence to it, and an almost prayer style vocal from Robert Smith. The guitar is quite soft, but is wah-wah flavoured, giving it that mid 80’s Cure feel, which is a good thing." and said that the B-side "Down Under" "is more laid back and reflective in tone, but also has that classic Cure sound."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strutt |first=Anthony |title=Cure - Sleep, When I'm Dead |url=https://pennyblackmusic.co.uk/Home/Details?id=15961 |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>

''[[God Is in the TV]]'' dismissed the song saying it "isn’t fit to lick the [[Dr. Martens|Doctor Marten boots]] of even the most dreadful songs from 1987’s ''[[Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me|Kiss me Kiss me Kiss me]]'' album, despite being written around that time and bearing all the generic low grind guitar menace, agitated vocals, and middle eastern jangle."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collier·Reviews· |first=Fliss |date=2023-02-10 |title=Freakshow: The Cure - 4:13 Dream - God Is In The TV |url=https://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/2023/02/10/freakshow-the-cure-413-dream/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |language=en-US}}</ref> ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]'' said the song had a "sky-scraping, obsolescence-defying chorus", feeling it was "excellent enough to join the classic Cure canon."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Uncut |date=2008-11-12 |title=The Cure - 4:13 Dream |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/the-cure-413-dream-6983/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=UNCUT |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Track listing== #"Sleep When I'm Dead (Mix 13)" – 3:51 #"Down Under" – 3:05

''<small>Written by Cooper/Gallup/Smith/Thompson</small>''

==Charts== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+Weekly chart performance for "Sleep When I'm Dead" !Chart (2008–2009) !Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Australiapandora|84|url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080728030831/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20080720-0000/issue960.pdf|rowheader=true|access-date=8 January 2023}} |- {{single chart|France|36|artist=The Cure|song=Sleep When I'm Dead|rowheader=true|access-date=17 January 2018}} |- {{single chart|Germany|80|songid=489185|artist=The Cure|song=Sleep When I'm Dead|rowheader=true|access-date=17 January 2018}} |- {{single chart|Scotland|18|date=20080726|rowheader=true|access-date=8 March 2019}} |- {{single chart|Spain|1|artist=The Cure|song=Sleep When I'm Dead|rowheader=true|access-date=17 January 2018}} |- {{single chart|UK|68|date=20080726|rowheader=true|access-date=17 January 2018}} |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:The Cure songs]] [[Category:2008 singles]] [[Category:Songs written by Robert Smith (musician)]] [[Category:Songs written by Simon Gallup]] [[Category:Songs written by Jason Cooper]] [[Category:Songs written by Porl Thompson]] [[Category:2008 songs]] [[Category:Geffen Records singles]] [[Category:Number-one singles in Spain]]