“Insomnia” by Faithless
As the title boldly suggests, the song illustrates the effects of the sleep disorder and how difficult it is to live with or overcome insomnia.
Faithless’ Maxi Jazz sheds light on his experience while living with insomnia. He expresses that he finds it difficult to sleep at night, or keeps waking up in the middle of the night. Both are symptoms of the sleep disorder.
He seems to have tried several means to get a goodnight’s sleep, but all his efforts have proved futile. This includes his attempts to get rest by smoking weed and Cess (raw form of marijuana). The singer recalls that after taking these drugs, the only feeling he derives is hunger, which he’s unable to satisfy, thus causing his restlessness to worsen.
In the end, the singer registers his utmost frustration and directly asks “Insomnia” to release him from its bondage, so he can dream of having pleasurable moments.
Who wrote “Insomnia”?
This Faithless hit was released by all three members of Faithless: Sister Bliss, Rollo Armstrong and Maxi Jazz.
When did “Insomnia” come out?
Faithless first released this song (which is considered their biggest hit) on 27th November, 1995. This Faithless classic was released as a single from their 1996 album Reverence. FYI, Faithless released Reverence as the maiden album of their career.
Notable Live Performances of “Insomnia”
Faithless performing “Insomnia” live at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace in July 2005.
Five years later after the above performance, Faithless blessed fans with another super iconic performance of this song at 2002’s Glastonbury. You can watch that amazing performance below. Many regard it as one of the band’s greatest live performances.
Chart Success and Accolades
“Insomnia” reached number 1 in several countries, including Finland, Switzerland and Norway. It also topped the UK Dance Chart. On the official British Singles Chart, it peaked at the 2nd position. In America, it reached the number 62 spot on the Hot 100. Just like in Britain, in Germany, it made it also made it all the way to number 2.
Aside the song’s chart glory, it has also been the recipient of numerous awards throughout the years. For example, readers of the British electronic dance magazine Mixmag voted it as one of the greatest dance songs in the history of music. It actually was placed at number 5 on that list.
Notable Remixes of “Insomnia”
Since Faithless dropped “Insomnia” in 1995, it has been remixed a number of times by major names in the electronic music world. One such notable remix was done by the late Swedish DJ Avicii. Avicii’s remix of this track titled “Insomnia 2.0” came out in July 2015.
Another successful remix of this Faithless classic was released in 2009 by dance DJs Jack Holiday and Mike Candys.
