A Song Recommendation: Sleepwalker by the Killers

The light on the horizon at 6:00 AM on this late February morning brought a song back to mind. The summer before last (2021), the Killers put out the album Pressure Machine. At some point maybe I will write an analysis of it, which will be titled “Eleven Songs about Nephi, the town in Juab County.” The album is well worth an uninterrupted hour set aside to hear it continuously in order from end to end. My favorite of those eleven songs is the fifth, “Sleepwalker.”

Back from dropping off a son at seminary, I went into the backyard to take care of a small task suited to the time available before the sun would rise. And I pulled up a 1996 BYU speech from Elder Neal Maxwell, and in the way that sometimes happens when a thought has already entered the mind, I found in Maxwell’s words reminders of what I like in “Sleepwalker.”

I am so grateful for these intertwinings of our lives. I could say the same with regard to Elder Eyring. The manner in which our lives have intersected has been such a great blessing to me, and it is likewise so with Bruce Hafen and with so many more. It is a marvelous thing when the Lord gives us these experiences, and, of course, you have them as well.

It should not surprise us, brothers and sisters, that Heavenly Father brings about these intersectings and intertwinings of our lives. So often (after something is over) we will say, “little did I realize” or “I had no way of knowing” in referring to these intersectings. But why should we be surprised? Each of us has circles of friendships, and within those lie the portion of the human family whom God has given us to love, to serve, and to learn from. Hence I feel so blessed to have learned from the Eyrings, the Batemans, the Hafens, and so many others who are here today—both on the stand and in the audience.

Within each of our circles of friendship there lie so many unused opportunities to love, to serve, and to be taught. Indeed, one could apply the scriptural phrase about there being “enough and to spare.” None of us ever fully utilizes the people-opportunities allocated to us within our circles of friendship.

[ . . . ]

In fact, we cannot expect to have a fullness of joy in this life until, as the scriptures inform us, the body and spirit are “inseparably connected.” But we can still have much joy and much happiness in life. In fact, God is delighted when His children keep His commandments because then His children are truly happy! And He wants us to be happy. After all, His plan is called “the plan of happiness.” Conversely, on occasion, God weeps over the needless suffering of His children.

The joys that might have been given to ancient Israel, for instance, evoked Jesus’ wrenching lamentation “O Jerusalem.” He offered to ancient Israel more than they were prepared to claim; they were content to live far below their privileges.

As we speak of joy, it is important for us to realize what I recall reading somewhere: “God is serious about joy.” Joy is the essence of what He would have us experience.

“Sleepwaker” is an achingly beautiful song starting with the resonant, sparkling acoustic guitar strings. I should ask a musician what the elements are that feed the sense of yearning so united with the words.

Hey, sleepwalker, don’t you miss the way
Wildflowers paint the western hills?
Or the first autumn whisper mid-September brings
In the glowy excitement that it builds?

Everyone is afraid of something
Even the strongest man alive
Hey, sleepwalker, we went walking in the western hills
And we picked you wildflowers
You gotta open your eyes

The strongest man loves strongly. One measure of his great strength is the multitudes he loves, all weaker than himself.

The hills are barren, but we look for what’s to come
Sweeter skies and longer days of sun
When you wake up, I’ll be standing in the line
To kiss your eyes and wipe the tears from mine

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “Brim with Joy,” January 23, 1996
“Sleepwalker” by the Killers on Spotify
“Sleepwalker” by the Killers on Youtube