Sleepless is a single by the band King Crimson

King Crimson

King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...

, released in 1984. Its tracks are from the album Three of a Perfect Pair

Three of a Perfect Pair

Three of a Perfect Pair is an album by the band King Crimson, released in 1984. The album is the culmination of the band's 80s period and is a balance between the experimental sounds of the "Red" album, Discipline, and the accessibility of the "Blue" album, Beat. Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew took...

(1984). The song "Sleepless" is best known for its distinctive opening bassline which features Tony Levin actually slapping on the strings to create its pulsating beat. It came from Levin's habit of actually tapping the strings in rehearsal and as well as the soundchecks while on tour. The 2001 re-release features several different versions of the song.

Track listing

Tracks written by Adrian Belew

Adrian Belew

Adrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...

, Bill Bruford

Bill Bruford

William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...

, Robert Fripp

Robert Fripp

Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...

, Tony Levin

Tony Levin

Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....

.

7" version

1. "Sleepless" (Album Mix) – 5:24
2. "Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)" – 4:47

UK 12" version

1. "Sleepless" (Dance Mix: François Kevorkian
   François Kevorkian
   François Kevorkian, alias François K, is a French DJ of Armenian origin, remixer, producer and record label owner. Having started his career in renowned clubs such as the Paradise Garage and Studio 54, the New York City resident is widely considered as one of the forefathers of house...
   
   ) – 6:17
2. "Sleepless" (Instrumental (Tony Levin
   Tony Levin
   Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
   
   ) Mix) – 7:26
3. "Sleepless" (Bob Clearmountain
   Bob Clearmountain
   Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He has worked with many prominent names in music including Bruce Springsteen , The Rolling Stones , Bryan Adams , Robbie Williams Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He...
   
    Mix) – 5:24

U.S. 12" version

1. "Sleepless" (Dance Mix: François Kevorkian) – 6:17
2. "Sleepless" (Instrumental (Tony Levin
   Tony Levin
   Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
   
   ) Mix – 7:26

Personnel

• Robert Fripp
  Robert Fripp
  Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
  
   - guitar
  Guitar
  The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
  
  
• Adrian Belew
  Adrian Belew
  Adrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
  
   - guitar, vocals
  Singing
  Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
  
  
• Tony Levin
  Tony Levin
  Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
  
   - bass guitar
  Bass guitar
  The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
  
  , Chapman stick
  Chapman Stick
  The Chapman Stick is an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s. A member of the guitar family, the Chapman Stick usually has ten or twelve individually tuned strings and has been used on music recordings to play bass lines, melody lines, chords or textures...
  
  , synthesizer
  Synthesizer
  A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
  
  , vocals
• Bill Bruford
  Bill Bruford
  William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
  
   - drums
  Drum kit
  A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....