Sam Smith, How Do You Sleep? | Track Review 🎵

Grammy-winning British pop artist Sam Smith continues to tackle ‘matters of the heart’ on the sleek, modern-pop single “How Do You Sleep?”

 “I’m done hatin’ myself for feelin’ / I’m done cryin’ myself awake.” Hmm, that sounds typical of the heartbroken sentiment that accompanies much of the music of Sam Smith.  The lyrics, excerpted from the first verse, appear on his single, “How Do You Sleep?”, continuing as follows: “I gotta leave and start the healin’ / But when you move like that, I just wanna stay.” While lyrically, thematically, and vocally Smith is true to self, “How Do You Sleep?” does find the British urban-pop musician singing over a sleeker, more modern-pop, EDM-infused backdrop, a contrast to his work on either In the Lonely Hour (2014) or The Thrill of it All (2017).

Even with more of an electronic sound behind him (produced by Ilya Salmanzadeh), Sam Smith still does a fine job of singing about matters of the heart.  While the verses are well executed, it is the pre-chorus and chorus where Smith’s bread is buttered.  On the catchy pre-chorus, Smith asks himself, “What have I become now / Lookin’ through your phone / Oh now, love to you is just a game…” After continuing to build up the case against his lover (or whatever he is), he drops the crowning achievement, the chorus:

“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
Baby, how do you sleep when you lie to me?
All that fear and all that pressure
I’m hopin’ that my love will keep you up tonight.”

Adding to the modern vibes, there’s a post chorus that exemplifies electronic pop and EDM.

Final Thoughts 

Hmm, seems you can rarely go wrong with co-writers Ilya, Max Martin, and Savan Kotecha on your side.  While “How Do You Sleep?” does mark a change of pace for Sam Smith, he still sounds very much like the incredibly talented, Grammy-winning musician that he always has.  Sure, “How Do You Sleep?” isn’t quite as soulful as “Stay with Me” or “Too Good at Goodbyes,” but it’s still a bop.

Sam Smith • How Do You Sleep [Single] • Capitol • Release: 7.19.19

Photo Credit: Capitol