Bottle By My Bed

Album: Trophy (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Sunny Sweeney penned this song after miscarrying her first child. The tragic event followed many years of attempts by her and husband Jeff Hellmer to become parents. After trying fertility treatments without success, Sweeney had an unexpected conception, without doctors' aid. However, during a regular checkup, the doctor couldn't find the baby's heartbeat.

    "The heartbeat was gone. Gone. No explanation. Nothing," Sweeney recalled to People. "I waited two weeks to make sure the heartbeat wasn't just hiding behind something else. Then we had to schedule the dreaded [dilation and curettage procedure]. It took me a couple months to finally digest that I had miscarried."
  • Sweeney admitted that it was a tough decision to go public with this song about her personal tragedy, but she's glad that she did.

    "The first night I sang it, a woman came up to me afterwards. She was very pregnant and sobbing. She said, 'I know you hate me right now because I'm pregnant. I have spent my last couple of years mad at everyone that was pregnant … I want you to know that we have tried for years and he's finally going to be here next week. Please do not give up on this if it's what you want,'" Sweeney recalled. "It was almost like a sign that on the first night I sang it live, someone that had been 'me' in my situation was telling me to push forward with this."

    "People want to talk about the subject. People need to talk about this. We need to commiserate and lift each other up, both men and women," she added. "If my song can aid in that process, I feel we have done our job as songwriters."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")Song Writing

Nick made some of the biggest videos on MTV, including "The Final Countdown," "Heaven" and "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)."

Grateful Dead Characters

Grateful Dead CharactersMusic Quiz

Many unusual folks appear in Grateful Dead songs. Can you identify them?

The Real Nick Drake

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.