Sleep Walk

{{About|the Santo & Johnny instrumental||Sleepwalk (disambiguation){{!}}Sleepwalk}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Sleep Walk

| cover = Sleep Walk.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Santo & Johnny

| B-side = All Night Diner

| album = Santo & Johnny

| released = August 1959

| recorded = 1959

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

Instrumental rock{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Santo & Johnny's "Sleep Walk"|website= Stereogum |date= February 9, 2018 |url= https://www.stereogum.com/1982338/the-number-ones-santo-johnnys-sleep-walk/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= Instead, ["Sleep Walk" is] pretty standard of the slow, ornate R&B ballads that were popular in the era. But the difference, of course, is that it’s an instrumental.|accessdate= June 5, 2023}}
rock and roll{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Santo & Johnny's "Sleep Walk"|website= Stereogum |date= February 9, 2018 |url= https://www.stereogum.com/1982338/the-number-ones-santo-johnnys-sleep-walk/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= Instead, ["Sleep Walk" is] pretty standard of the slow, ornate R&B ballads that were popular in the era. But the difference, of course, is that it’s an instrumental.|accessdate= June 5, 2023}}
surf rock{{cite magazine|last= Rolling Stone Staff|date= June 25, 2022|title=The Best Summer Songs of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-summer-songs-of-all-time-43407/|access-date=September 10, 2023|magazine=Rolling Stone|quote=Part doo-wop dreamweave, part surf-rock chill session, “Sleepwalk” was a Number One hit for Brooklyn brothers Santo and Johnny...}}
R&B{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Santo & Johnny's "Sleep Walk"|website= Stereogum |date= February 9, 2018 |url= https://www.stereogum.com/1982338/the-number-ones-santo-johnnys-sleep-walk/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= Instead, ["Sleep Walk" is] pretty standard of the slow, ornate R&B ballads that were popular in the era. But the difference, of course, is that it’s an instrumental.|accessdate= June 5, 2023}}
doo-wop{{cite magazine|last= Rolling Stone Staff|date= June 25, 2022|title=The Best Summer Songs of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-summer-songs-of-all-time-43407/|access-date=September 10, 2023|magazine=Rolling Stone|quote=Part doo-wop dreamweave, part surf-rock chill session, “Sleepwalk” was a Number One hit for Brooklyn brothers Santo and Johnny...}}

| length = 2:20

| label = Canadian-American Records

| writer = Santo Farina, Johnny Farina, Ann Farina{{cite book | title=Billboard Book of Number One Hits | publisher=Billboard Publications, Inc. | author=Bronson, Fred | year=1992 | location=New York, New York | pages=[https://archive.org/details/billboardbookofn0000bron/page/58 58] | isbn=0-8230-8298-9 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/billboardbookofn0000bron/page/58 }}

| producer = Leonard Zimmer

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = Tear Drop

| next_year = 1959

}}

"Sleep Walk" is an instrumental song written, recorded, and released in 1959 by American instrumental rock and roll duo Santo & Johnny Farina, with their uncle Mike Dee playing the drums.{{dead link|date=December 2015}}{{Cite web

|url = https://www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/asc13/#santo

|title = All Songs Considered Episode 13

|publisher = NPR

|date = February 6, 2002

|work = NPR's Online Music Show

|access-date = September 1, 2007

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070622014924/http://www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/asc13/#santo

|archive-date = June 22, 2007

|url-status = dead

}}

Prominently featuring steel guitar, the song was recorded at Trinity Music in Manhattan, New York City. "Sleep Walk" entered Billboard's Top 40 on August 17, 1959. It rose to the number 1 position for the last two weeks in September{{dead link|date=September 2010}} {{Cite web

|url=http://www.recordresearch.com/numones/numone_pop_1950s.html

|title=Billboard #1 Pop Hits — 1950–1959

|publisher=Record Research Inc.

|accessdate=September 1, 2007 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20050610080106/http://www.recordresearch.com/numones/numone_pop_1950s.html |archivedate = June 10, 2005}}

and remained in the Top 40 until November 9. "Sleep Walk" also reached number 4 on the R&B chart.{{Cite book|title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=512}} It was the last instrumental to hit number 1 in the 1950s and earned a gold record for Santo and Johnny.{{Cite web

| url=http://santoandjohnny.com/Bio.php

| title=Santo & Johnny Bio}}{{cite news |last=Hewitt |first=Bob |date=December 2, 2021 |url=https://guitar.com/features/interviews/larry-carlton-johnny-farina-santo-johnny-instrumental-guitar-music/ |title=Larry Carlton and Johnny Farina on how Santo & Johnny changed instrumental guitar music forever |work=Guitar.com |access-date=October 1, 2023}} In Canada, the song reached number 3 in the CHUM Charts.{{cite web|url=http://hitsofalldecades.com/chart_hits/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=849&Itemid=52|title=CHUM Top 20 Singles – August 31, 1959}} In the UK it peaked at number 22 on the charts.{{Cite web|url = http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/sleep%20walk/|title = Official Charts|date = |accessdate = December 18, 2015|website = Official Charts|publisher = |last = |first = }}

Background and recording

As children, both Santo and Johnny Farina were encouraged by their father, Tony,{{Cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/interview-johnny-farina-on-60-years-of-the-iconic-instrumental-sleep-walk|title=Interview: Johnny Farina on 60 Years of the Iconic Instrumental, "Sleep Walk"|last=Bienstock|first=Richard|date=April 8, 2019|website=Guitar World|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=January 16, 2020}} to learn the steel guitar and write their own music.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/santo-and-johnny-sleep-walk-60th-anniversary-1.36456322|title=Santo & Johnny's 'Sleep Walk' turns 60|last=Criblez|first=David J.|date=September 19, 2019|website=Newsday|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=January 16, 2020}} This music would be recorded on a Webcor tape recorder their father had bought for them. Unable to fall asleep one night after a gig, the Farina brothers decided to write some music, using the tape recorder to first record the harmonies to what would become "Sleep Walk". After adding and finalizing the steel guitar melody, Johnny Farina believed they had a hit song, so he spent a year and a half talking with various music publishers about the possibility of professionally recording "Sleep Walk".{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jan/18/santo-johnny-sleep-walk|title=Old music: Santo & Johnny – Sleep Walk|last=Dennis|first=Jon|date=January 18, 2012|work=The Guardian|access-date=January 16, 2020|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}

The "Sleep Walk" demo made a positive impression on Ed Burton of Trinity Music. After ultimately signing with Canadian-American Records, the brothers recorded "Sleep Walk" at Trinity Music, using a triple-neck Fender Stringmaster on the recording.

Release

"Sleep Walk" entered the Billboard Hot 100 on July 27, 1959.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PgGqNrqfrsoC&pg=PP68|title=The Billboard Book of Number One Hits|author=Fred Bronson|publisher=Billboard Books|year=2003|isbn=978-0-8230-7677-2|pages=68–}} Announced on the radio by DJ Alan Freed, the instrumental rose in popularity until it became the number 1 single for the last two weeks of September of that year.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1959-09-21|title=The Hot 100|last=|first=|date=|magazine=Billboard|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218215115/https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1959-09-21|archive-date=February 18, 2019|access-date=January 16, 2020}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1959-09-28|title=The Hot 100|last=|first=|date=|magazine=Billboard|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717144048/https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1959-09-28|archive-date=July 17, 2018|access-date=January 16, 2020}} After losing the position to Bobby Darin's recording of "Mack the Knife",{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100|title=Top 100 Songs {{!}} Billboard Hot 100 Chart|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 17, 2020}} it remained on Billboard's Top 40 until November 1959.

Chart performance

= Weekly charts =

class="wikitable sortable"

!Chart (1959)

!Peak
position

{{singlechart|UKsinglesbyname|22|artist=Santo and Johnny|artistid=7717|access-date=October 1, 2023}}

Canada CHUM Chart{{cite web|url=http://chumtribute.com/59-08-31-chart.jpg| title=CHUM Hit Parade - August 31, 1959}}

| style="text-align:center;"|3

US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine |date=September 28, 1959 |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1959/Billboard%201959-09-28-OCR-Page-0040.pdf |title=The Billboard Hot 100 |magazine=Billboard |page=40 |access-date=October 1, 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://billboard.elpee.jp/single/Sleep%20Walk/Santo%20%26%20Johnny/ |title=Sleep Walk - Santo & Johnny |website=billboard.elpee.jp |access-date=October 1, 2023}}

| style="text-align:center;"|1

= All-time charts =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
Chart (1958–2018) ! Position
US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100-60th-anniversary\|title=Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart\|magazine=Billboard\|accessdate=December 10, 2018}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|563

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

Chart (1958–2018)

! Position

US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100-60th-anniversary|title=Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=December 10, 2018}}

| style="text-align:center;"|563

Later versions

The Ventures - for their album Walk, Don't Run (1960){{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0001226175|website=www.allmusic.com|accessdate=August 22, 2024}}
British group The Shadows - for their 1961 album The Shadows.{{Cite web | url = {{AllMusic|album|the-shadows-1961-mw0000850229|pure_url=yes}} | title= The Shadows | work = AllMusic | publisher = All Media Network | accessdate= January 18, 2020 | first= Dave | last= Thompson}}
American guitarist Larry Carlton - for his 1981 album Sleepwalk.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sleepwalk-mw0000652918?1689883091865|title=Larry Carlton - Sleepwalk - Allmusic|website=AllMusic }}
The Brian Setzer Orchestra rendering of "Sleep Walk" received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance of 1998.{{Cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx?title=&winner=brian%20setzer&year=0&genreID=0&hp=1 |title=Grammy Award winners (Brian Setzer) |access-date=August 30, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930180448/http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx?title=&winner=brian%20setzer&year=0&genreID=0&hp=1 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 }}
The virtuoso American guitarist Joe Satriani included "Sleep Walk" on his 2002 album Strange Beautiful Music.{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/joe-satriani-hank-williams-bob-dylan-the-philosophy-of-song|title=Joe Satriani says he and Hank Williams could have made some "great music together"}}
The Deftones - for their album Covers (2011)

Influence

"Sleep Walk" was a principal influence on Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green for his 1968 instrumental "Albatross", which became a worldwide hit. "Albatross" in turn inspired the Beatles song "Sun King" from Abbey Road.{{cite book

| last = Rooksby

| first = Rikky

| year = 2004

| title = Fleetwood Mac: The Complete Guide to Their Music

| publisher = Omnibus Press

| page = 17

| isbn = 1-84449-427-6 }}

The song "Sleepwalking (Couples Only Dance Prom Night)" by the band Modest Mouse, from their 1996 EP Interstate 8, drew inspiration from "Sleep Walk" in its melody, with the main addition to the original being added vocals/lyrics.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/redeye/redeye-modest-mouse-sleepwalking-20151001-htmlstory.html | title=Chicago Tribune: "With 'Sleepwalking,' Modest Mouse drew inspiration from existing material"| website=Chicago Tribune| date=October 2, 2015}}

''Sleepwalkers''

The song spurred Stephen King to write his first screenplay, for the 1992 horror film Sleepwalkers. The film features the song as well.{{Cite web|url=http://www.comicon.com/2018/11/20/cat-horror-purrr-fection-stephen-kings-sleepwalkers-comes-out-on-blu-ray/|title=Cat Horror Purrr-fection: Stephen King's Sleepwalkers Comes Out On Blu-Ray|first=Rachel|last=Bellwoar|date=November 21, 2018}}