Meaning of "Let Me Sleep" by DeVotchKa

The lyrics of "Let Me Sleep" by DeVotchKa touch on themes of love, longing, and the struggle for personal freedom. The singer seems to be caught in a cycle of desire and dissatisfaction, always wanting more but feeling trapped by their own emotions and past experiences. The imagery of turning "dust into diamonds and words into pearls" suggests an alchemical process of transforming the mundane into the precious, mirroring the way love can elevate the ordinary. However, the singer also alludes to a sense of suffocation and entrapment, feeling like a "foot soldier in [their lover's] standing army" with their best years behind them. The repeated plea to be set free and forgotten indicates a desire to escape the confines of the relationship and find peace in sleep. Overall, the lyrics paint a complex portrait of love as both liberating and confining, leaving the singer torn between longing for more and seeking freedom from the cycle of desire.