Sleeping Powder is a song by Gorillaz released on the Humanz-era Gorillaz App and official Gorillaz YouTube channel on June 8, 2017, with a live debut occurring on the same date. It was released for streaming on Spotify and iTunes on 16 June 2017 as a single for the band.[1] The song and video were finished only 3 days before release.
Background
| “ | 2-D felt maybe he was underrepresented on Humanz a bit. It wasn't a problem, but maybe he was a bit too generous. So he thought he'd do a song just by himself and make a video just with him. Not tell anyone else; not tell Murdoc... Secret. | „ |
| ~ Damon Albarn |
It was written and recorded by 2-D alone only a few days before its concert debut at Brixton in 2017.[2] Damon Albarn confirmed that 2-D, rather than Damon, wrote the song because 2-D felt "underrepresented" on Humanz.[3] This is speculated to be an excuse for the fans not liking the lack of Damon's own vocals on the album.
Music Video
- Main Article: Sleeping Powder (Music Video)
The video pictures 2-D appearing in front of surreal, somewhat psychedelic scenes while dancing. The video both starts and ends with 2-D sat at a harpsichord, playing the same melody each time.[4]
Lyrics
[Music Video Intro]
Okay, Last time
This is drugs
This is your brain on drugs
Any questions?
[Chorus]
I was gone with the self of the day, gone
With the self of the day, gone
With the self of the day, gone
Gone, gone, gone
I was gone
[Verse 1]
I'm back, where are we going?
Seem to get tired of the morning dawn
With a basin on my head
I'm missin' all that I used to know, then
I get the kids to go
And I get up on with certain dread
And when I see the kissing down below
Easy life, I get right
[Chorus]
I was gone with the self of the day, gone
(It's true)
With the self of the day, gone
(Yeah, I get myself upright)
With the self of the day, gone
Gone, gone, gone
(broken, broken, broken)
I was gone
[Verse 2]
I get dropped from where I belong
I take my pills and I get in the mode
(I was gone)
And I take five to get it to load in
Even in the place
And I get my jeans on right
(I was gone)
And sit in the rows and
Inside, I live in a cage and I
(I was gone)
Peek out and summon the code
(I was gone)
And I enter the lake to face what I'm cagin'
[Chorus]
Gone with the self of the day, gone
With the self of the day, gone
(Yeah, I get myself upright)
With the self of the day, gone
Gone, gone, gone
(broken, broken, broken)
I was gone
[Bridge]
She gave me sleeping powder
I was gone
Gone, gone, gone
[Chorus]
(I was gone!)
I was gone with the self of the day, gone
With the self of the day, gone
(Yeah, I get myself upright)
(I was gone!)
With the self of the day, gone
Gone, gone, gone, gone
(I was gone)
(broken)
I was gone, gone, gone
I was gone
Videos
Trivia
- The cover for the digital single release of the track is the picture of 2-D from the cover of Humanz (shared with Andromeda), despite not being part of the album itself. The only time the song was included on Humanz was on a digital download of it on the Gorillaz website.
- Despite having multiple allusions to drugs, 2-D claims that the main inspiration for Sleeping Powder was simply "sleep".[5]
- While both Russel and Noodle's reaction to the song was positive, Murdoc didn't know about Sleeping Powder's release due to being in a heat-induced coma at the time.[5]
References
- ↑ Leight, Elias (8 June 2017). "Hear Gorillaz’s New Psychedelic Disco Song, 'Sleeping Powder'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 14 August 2025.
- ↑ "Watch Gorillaz' Demon Dayz Headline Set In Full". Music Festival News (12 July 2017). Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved on 14 August 2025.
- ↑ "Gorillaz - Sleeping Powder (LIVE Debut) 02 Brixton London June 2017". @peterdavies5694 (9 June 2017). Retrieved on 14 June 2017.
- ↑ Strauss, Matthew (8 June 2017). "Gorillaz Share Video for New Song “Sleeping Powder”: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved on 14 August 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 u/gorillaz (16 June 2017). "Hello world. 2D here. ask me anything!". Reddit. Retrieved on 14 June 2017.