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"The Big Sleep" is the eleventh and final track on Bat For Lashes' second album, Two Suns.
Background[]
One of the first songs written for the album,[1] "The Big Sleep" is "Pearl's dying song",[2] a "drag queen's last ever performance" and the death of all the drama and illusion in Natasha's relationship.[3] Scott Walker was approached to sing the low part and he agreed to do it. He asked for notes about the song and the character he'd be. The collaboration was done by e-mail, and the two never met.[4]
“That song was meant to be drag queen’s dying song and I wanted it to be very theatrical. I was trying to sing the low part like a man but when I did, I just heard Scott Walker’s voice in my head,” she says. “It was all done by e-mail and we didn’t even meet. I sent him the song with some notes and he sent it back saying he really tried to get into character and that he hoped he had done it justice — which he definitely has! He also said it was the quietest he’d sung in years.”[4]
"I really wanted a male voice on it... obviously, we thought he would never do it. But he emailed straight back and wanted to know more about the character. We talked about Last Exit to Brooklyn, and were initially going to meet up, but then he just recorded it in his studio and sent it over. He was really sweet, but I think he's just really shy. And I was really flattered because he hasn't sung like that for a long time."[5]
Natasha said the song put Pearl to rest:
“The curtain's coming down, she’s going to take her millions of sleeping pills and finally enter nothingness. She had to subside. The aware side of me woke up, and the more I woke up, the more Pearl fell asleep.”[6]
When the song was performed during the Two Suns tour, a TV screened Pearl singing Scott's part, thus making a duet with Natasha. Watch it here.
Lyrics[]
How can it be the last show? (how can it be?)
How can it be the last show? (how can it be?)
No more spotlights coming down from heaven
It's a goodbye, it's curtain's down time
Not even out of my dress
And already my voice is fading
Goodbye, my dears (goodbye)
And into the big sleep...
References[]
- ↑ "Bat for Lashes: Bat Power". 25 March 2009. Spin.
- ↑ "Two + Two documentary"
- ↑ "The Big Sleep by Bat for Lashes (featuring Scott Walker)". Songfacts.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Bat for Lashes Return With Scott Walker, Multiple Personalities on April’s “Two Suns”". 22 January 2009 Rolling Stone.
- ↑ "Into Orbit with Bat for Lashes" 28 February 2009. Dazed & Confused.
- ↑ "FEATURE: Bat For Lashes". 5 March 2009. Fader.