How Do You Sleep?

Album: Love Goes (2019)
Charted: 7 24
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • An emotive song about resentment, "How Do You Sleep?" finds Sam Smith addressing a deceiving lover.

    Baby, how do you sleep when you lie to me?
    All that shame and all that danger
    I'm hopin' that my love will keep you up tonight


    The heartbroken Smith wonders how his cheating partner can live with himself.
  • Smith wrote the song alongside:

    Swedish producer Max Martin, whose tally of over 20 Hot 100 #1 hits include ones by Britney Spears ("Baby One More Time"), Katy Perry ("I Kissed a Girl") and The Weeknd ("Can't Feel My Face").

    Texan songwriter Savan Kotecha, whose resumé also includes One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful" and Maroon 5's "One More Night."

    Swedish-Persian songwriter IIya Salmanzadeh, who linked up with Beyoncé for her Lion King single "Spirit" around the same time as this song's release. Ilya also produced "How Do You Sleep?"

    As a trio, Max Martin, Savan Kotecha and IIya have co-penned several of Ariana Grande's hits, including "No Tears Left to Cry," "God Is A Woman" and "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored ."
  • The video was directed by Grant Singer (The Weeknd, Lorde) with choreography by Parris Goebel. The clip finds Smith showing some sharp moves as he performs a dance routine with a troupe of supporting shirtless male dancers.
  • With an introduction by host Elton John, Smith sang an a cappella version of this song on the "Living Room Concert For America," held during the coronavirus outbreak on March 29, 2020. The concert, which was entirely virtual with everyone appearing from their homes, raised money for Feeding America and the First Responders Children's Foundation. It was also part of an effort to encourage Americans to stay at home to help contain the outbreak.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

Richie Wise (Kiss producer, Dust)

Richie Wise (Kiss producer, Dust)Songwriter Interviews

Richie talks about producing the first two Kiss albums, recording "Brother Louie," and the newfound appreciation of his rock band, Dust.

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New York

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New YorkSong Writing

Our chat with Barney Hoskyns, who covers the wild years of Woodstock - the town, not the festival - in his book Small Town Talk.

Strange Magnetics

Strange MagneticsSong Writing

How Bing Crosby, Les Paul, a US Army Signal Corps Officer, and the Nazis helped shape rock and Roll.

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.