Meaning of "No Sleep Blues" by The Incredible String Band

The lyrics of "No Sleep Blues" delve into the disorienting experience of insomnia, using vivid imagery and nonsensical scenarios to convey the frustration and absurdity of being unable to sleep. The song captures the state of mind where reality blurs with imagination, and the mundane transforms into the bizarre. The references to animals, household objects, and random thoughts create a sense of surrealism, echoing the mind's wandering during sleepless nights. The repeated refrain of "I've got the no sleep blues" reflects the narrator's resigned acceptance of their condition while also hinting at the underlying anxiety and restlessness that come with insomnia. Ultimately, the song captures the feeling of being caught in a liminal space between wakefulness and sleep, where the mind drifts into strange landscapes and nonsensical thoughts, unable to find rest.