With this song, Jack uses irony and sarcasm to highlight the faults of American society and how media smooths out all the wrinkles of truth to tell a crooked report of events to the public. Johnson said he was inspired to write a song that reflected the reality of society after seeing a bumper sticker, “I was driving on the streets not too long ago and there was this car in front of me that had two bumper stickers, one said “Support our troops” and the other one said “Jesus loves you.” I just thought that was an oxymoron in a way” (Cotton). This song is careful to criticize America’s decision with regards to the war in Iraq. The way Americans see the war in Iraq is somewhat of a sugar-coated version of the hard truth, something the media has taken careful consideration into protecting.
The line, “The truth is we say not as we do,” refers to how American ideals and values have been overturned. In the same way that the media has done this, Jack presents his song. The same kind of fun laid-back sound of the music that he commonly sings reveals very political, poignant lyrics. A New York Times writer said, “The title track of “Sleep Through the Static” is a protest anthem that revels in pointed wordplay. Still, in some ways the song is vintage Jack Johnson: liltingly jaunty, casually pithy and stocked with a simple refrain”(Chinen). His choice of song title, and also eventual album title, seems to be a reference to ignoring what is happening right in front of America’s eyes. Jack says, “It is similar to falling asleep with the television on, the information is reaching you but your mind is elsewhere” (Lopez).
Full Lyrics
Trouble travels fast
When you're specially designed for crash testing
Or wearing wool sunglasses in the afternoon
Come on and tell us what you're trying to prove
Because it's a battle when you dabble in war
You store it up, unleash it, then you piece it together
Whether the storm drain running rampant just stamp it
And send it to somebody who's pretending to care
Just cash in your blanks for little toy tanks
Learn how to use them, then abuse them and choose them
Over conversations relationships are overrated
'I hated everyone' said the sun
And so I will cook all your books
You're too good looking and mistooken
You could watch it instead
From the comfort of your burning beds
..Or you can sleep through the static
Who needs sleep when we've got love?
Who needs keys when we've got clubs?
Who needs please when we've got guns?
Who needs peace when we've gone above
But beyond where we should have gone?
We went beyond where we should have gone
Stuck between channels my thoughts all quit
I thought about them too much, allowed them to touch
The feelings that rained down on the plains all dried and cracked
Waiting for things that never came
Shock and awful thing to make somebody think
That they have to choose pushing for peace supporting the troops
And either you're weak or you'll use brut force-feed the truth
The truth is we say not as we do
We say anytime, anywhere, just show your teeth and strike the fear
Of god wears camouflage, cries at night and drives a dodge
Pick up the beat and stop hogging the feast
That's no way to treat an enemy
Well mighty mighty appetite
We just eat 'em up and keep on driving
Freedom can be freezing take a picture from the pretty side
Mind your manners wave your banners
What a wonderful world that this angle can see
But who needs to see what we've done?
Who needs please when we've got guns?
Who needs keys when we've got clubs?
Who needs peace when we've gone above
But beyond where we should have gone?
Beyond where we should have gone
We went beyond where we should have gone
Beyond where we should have gone
Nexus 2.
With the lines, “And so I will cook all your books /You’re too good looking and mistooken /You could watch it instead /From the comfort of your burning beds/…Or you can sleep through the static,” Jack is commenting on how American society is allowing itself to be dumbed down, and that people are not educating themselves with books and truth anymore, but rather with television and magazines. This country has allowed itself to concentrate on topics covering the least important of events, entertaining people rather than informing them. Given any random young adult, which is more likely that they will know the details of? American foreign policy or American Idol? This example demonstrates the very ignorance of society people live in today.
Jack sings, “Mind your manners wave your banners what a wonderful world this angle can see.” Everyone will simply “go with the flow” and blindly trust everything the government does, yet they will also cringe upon hearing of the many American soldier fatalities caused by the war in Iraq.
The main theme sings, “Who needs sleep when we’ve got love? /Who needs keys when we’ve got clubs?/ Who needs please when we’ve got guns?/Who needs peace when we’ve gone above/But beyond where we should have gone?/ We went beyond where we should have gone.” This chorus is meant to be sarcastic, playing on how America believes that they are the biggest, strongest nation, and that they can do anything they feel just because they have power. He is asking: why the need for keys for doors when we have already broken them down with clubs? Why should America follow rules when they can do it their own way? Instead of resolving issues with words and conversation, countries decide to fight.
Some political references can be found scattered throughout the song. The line, “Shock and awful thing to make somebody think that they have to choose pushing for peace supporting the troops and either you’re weak or you’ll use brut force-feed the truth,” is a reference to Shock and Awe, America’s plan of attack on Iraq, which means rapid dominance (Cotton). This transitions to how media uses patriotism to guilt Americans into supporting the troops instead of fighting for peace. Another allusion lies in the lyric “I will cook all your books.” “Cooking the books” is an expression in accounting used to mean fraudulently altering financial statements (Cotton). Not only is society reverting to media with this line, but also altering the minds of American citizens.
Interview with Jack about 'Sleep Through the Static
With the lines, “We say anytime, anywhere, just show your teeth and strike the fear /Of god wears camouflage/ cries at night and drives a dodge,” Jack is showing the humanity of the troops and how our power and desire to conquer is using normal people to carry out these tasks. The U.S. presence is everywhere and this country is so liberal with using the army that it seems anyone who opposes the country is bound to face it.
