Herbie Murray
Sleeping Bag is a song by the band ZZ Top from their 1985 album Afterburner. It was released as a single in 1985 and became their most successful single, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. The song was also featured in the 2017 film I, Tonya during an ice skating routine. The song's lyrics were written by Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard, and it was directed by Steve Barron.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Song Name | Sleeping Bag |
| Performers | ZZ Top |
| Album | Afterburner |
| Year of Release | 1985 |
| Genre | Rock |
| Peak Position in Billboard Hot 100 | #8 |
| Position in U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart | #1 |
| Director of Music Video | Steve Barron |
| Actors in Music Video | Heather Langenkamp and John Dye |
| Film Feature | I, Tonya |
| Lyricists | Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard |
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What You'll Learn
'Sleeping Bag' is a song by ZZ Top
"Sleeping Bag" is a song by ZZ Top, from their 1985 album "Afterburner". It was released as a single in 1985 and became the band's most successful single, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. The song also reached #1 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, a first for the band.
The song's lyrics invite a person who is afraid of the dark to slip inside my sleeping bag. It also references sleeping beside pharaohs in the shifting sands of Egypt and checking out some pyramids. In a 1985 interview with Spin magazine, ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons shared that the inspiration for the song came from the evolution of sleeping bags, from heavy old-timey bags to the lightweight and compact bags that became popular in the late '60s or '70s.
The music video for "Sleeping Bag" was directed by Steve Barron and featured a narrative about two thieves who break into a house, only to be foiled by a young woman who runs off with the stolen money and meets a young man. The video included animation to showcase the magical powers of ZZ Top, a departure from their previous videos.
"Sleeping Bag" has appeared in popular culture, including in the 2017 film "I, Tonya", where the real-life Tonya Harding had previously used the song in some of her ice skating routines. The song's appearance in the film was noted as "true-to-life and period-correct" by Billy Gibbons.
Overall, "Sleeping Bag" is a well-known song by ZZ Top that has left an impact on both music and popular culture.
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It was released in 1985
"Sleeping Bag" is a song by ZZ Top that was released in 1985. It was the first single from their album "Afterburner", which also came out in 1985. The song was a commercial success, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and becoming the band's most successful single at the time. It also topped the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, a first for ZZ Top.
The music video for "Sleeping Bag" was directed by Steve Barron and featured a story narrative about two thieves who break into a house, only to be foiled by a young woman who runs off with the stolen money and meets a young man. This narrative was a departure from their previous music videos, which often featured the band appearing at opportune moments to observe the action. The video for "Sleeping Bag" included animation and was not directed by Tim Newman, as he and the band's label, Warner Brothers, could not agree on money.
The song's lyrics were inspired by singer Billy Gibbons' experiences with sleeping bags, including a line about sleeping "in the shifting sands" that came from his time in the Boy Scouts. In a 1985 interview with Spin magazine, Gibbons noted that the evolution of sleeping bags had "changed the whole idea of a sleeping bag," and this inspired the song's theme of finding comfort and warmth in a cold world.
"Sleeping Bag" has had a lasting impact on popular culture. It was featured in the 2017 biopic film "I, Tonya," which depicted the real-life figure skater Tonya Harding, who had used the song in some of her actual routines. The song's appearance in the film accurately reflected the period in which the story took place and showcased its cultural relevance at the time.
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It was the band's most successful single
"Sleeping Bag" is a song by ZZ Top from their 1985 album Afterburner. The song was released as a single in 1985 and became their most successful one, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, equaling the peak of their previous single "Legs". However, unlike "Legs", "Sleeping Bag" also reached No. 1 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, a first for the band.
The song's lyrics include lines such as "Slip inside my sleeping bag, Slip inside my sleeping bag. You're afraid of the dark, baby, no need to be shy. We'll talk about some lovin' while we look at the sky." ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons shared that the inspiration for the song came from the evolution of sleeping bags, recalling how they used to be a "real drag" when he was in the Boy Scouts but became much more convenient and portable in the late '60s or '70s.
The music video for "Sleeping Bag" was directed by Steve Barron and featured a story narrative about two thieves who break into a house, only to be outsmarted by a young woman who runs off with the stolen money and meets a young man. The song was later featured in the 2017 film I, Tonya during an ice skating routine, mirroring real-life figure skater Tonya Harding's use of the song in some of her actual routines, including the 1992 US Figure Skating Championships.
"Sleeping Bag" remains a standout track in ZZ Top's catalogue, showcasing their unique blend of music and lyrics, and its appearance in popular culture has further solidified its place as one of their most memorable and successful singles.
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It features in the 2017 film 'I, Tonya'
The ZZ Top song "Sleeping Bag" features in the 2017 film *I, Tonya*, starring Margot Robbie as the disgraced former athlete and figure skater Tonya Harding. The film, directed by Craig Gillespie, depicts Harding's life and her connection to the 1994 assault on her skating rival, Nancy Kerrigan.
In the film, Margot Robbie's character can be seen skating to "Sleeping Bag" during a competition routine. This is a true-to-life detail, as the real-life Tonya Harding included the song in the third section of her 1991-1992 program, albeit without lyrics, as they were not allowed in competitions at the time. ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons commented on the song's inclusion in the film, noting its accuracy and period-correctness.
The *I, Tonya* soundtrack features more than 25 songs, including hits from Fleetwood Mac, Chicago, Heart, and Dire Straits. Music supervisor Susan Jacobs described the soundtrack as a mix of "classic rock songs" from the 1970s, such as Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" and Supertramp's "Goodbye Stranger," which "filled the picture without getting in the way of the story." Other notable songs in the film include Dire Straits' "Romeo and Juliet," which plays over a montage of Tonya and Jeff's tumultuous relationship, and Doris Day's "Dream a Little Dream," which appears twice in the film.
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The music video was directed by Steve Barron
The music video for "Sleeping Bag" was directed by Steve Barron. The video was created to promote the song of the same name by ZZ Top, from their 1985 album Afterburner.
The video revolves around a couple, played by actors Heather Langenkamp and John Dye, who are chased by two wheel loaders and the Bear Foot monster truck. The "Eliminator" vehicle from previous ZZ Top videos is destroyed, and the space shuttle from the Afterburner album cover is introduced. Unlike their previous videos, this one used animation to depict the magical powers of ZZ Top.
Steve Barron was not the band's first choice for director. ZZ Top had previously worked with Tim Newman on several music videos, but he and the band's label, Warner Brothers, could not agree on money for this video. The band was surprised when Barron was chosen as the new director.
Barron's video for "Sleeping Bag" was well-received, with Heather Langenkamp, the female star, later saying that meeting ZZ Top was "one of the highlights of my young life."
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Frequently asked questions
"Sleeping Bag" is a song performed by the band ZZ Top.
"Sleeping Bag" was released in 1985 as a single from ZZ Top's album "Afterburner".
"Sleeping Bag" is about two people who go to Egypt and sleep in sleeping bags next to the pharaohs in the shifting sands. The song also mentions looking at pyramids and checking out some heads.
