“DYWTYLM” by Sleep Token

As issued on 20 April 2023, “DYWTYLM” became the sixth single released in advance of “Take Me Back to Eden”, Sleep Token’s third studio album, as backed by Spinefarm Records. Other singles from “Take Me Back to Eden” include: “The Summoning” and “Vore“, which were also released in 2023.

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Sleep Token's DYWTYLM at Lyrics.org.

The authors of “DYWTYLM” are Vessel1, i.e. the otherwise unknown frontman of the band, alongside Carl Brown, a regular Sleep Token collaborator who also produced the track.

DYWTYLM

The Lyrics of “DYWTYLM”

Obviously, the title of this song is an acronym. And what it stands for, as expressed in the second verse, is the question “do you wish that you loved me?”

And whereas such a query may initially give the impression that this piece revolves around a sentiment of unrequited love, such is not the case per se. Rather, first of all let’s be honest and state that it’s a bit difficult to conclusively understand what the vocalist is putting forth here. But in context, the titular phrase reads like a statement of discontent.

For instance, as implied in the chorus, this may be, at least in part, a soliloquy. That is to say that the one party who is clearly discontent, without question, is the vocalist himself. As further implied, his mind is stuck in such a troubled state due to being under the impression that the addressee has some sort of ill feelings towards him – or something to that effect. 

“My reflection just won’t smile back at me likе I know it should
And I would turn into a stranger in an instant if I could
And there is somеthing eating me alive, I don’t know what it is
Maybe not that you conceal your feelings, they just don’t exist”

Going back to the chorus, it seems as if the singer is not fully convinced that the person these lyrics are directed to actually loves him. Furthermore, it appears as if the reason he is under such a conviction is because their relationship, in some unspecified way, is a troubled one.

It may be that, as also can be theoretically gleaned from the chorus, that the singer somehow offended the addressee a while back. Whereas the latter may or may not have gotten over it already, the narrator himself remains bothered. 

Or more simply put, this may be a case of self-guilt whereas the vocalist feels that whatever it is he has done to addressee in the past may be unforgivable. Therefore, since this is obviously a cherished loved one he is addressing, his own self-esteem is negatively accordingly.

8 Responses

  1. Capt Howdy says:

    I feel this is a song about introspection. The singer is looking inward. The lyrics in parentheses (yourself) (myself) (at me) makes it clear that he is talking to himself.

    • Haizz says:

      Yup, I think the same thing. He’s speaking to himself in a mirror, and working through self-loathing.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, I feel the same. He’s talking to himself.

    • Anonymous says:

      When I first heard this song, I came to the (obvious) conclusion that he is addressing someone else. But after a few listens, I realized… wait a minute… he’s talking to himself. He doesn’t love himself. And when I realized that… I just lost it. It’s certainly sad when someone you love doesn’t return the feeling, but it’s even sadder when you don’t love yourself.

      • Anonymous says:

        Same, it was stuff with the mirror that and not smiling back that makes me think it’s more of this giving love to others but never loving yourself.

      • Anonymous says:

        Same I at first thought he was saying to someone but as you listen to it I feel he’s singing to himself and the disconnect that he has with his own emotions he has such a loving for himself that he wishes that he could be someone else and he can’t understand his feelings so like he says it’s better to just not feel

  2. Anonymous says:

    Same, when I first heard this song I thought he was talking to someone but I realized he was talking to and about himself and trying to understand his lack of emotion and connection to himself and that he feels some sort of hatred for himself and wishes that he could just be someone else.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Y’all sure it’s not about his dad?

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