This song is for Wil Fundal, the local CBC Radio journalist with the beautiful singing voice who handled national anthem chores for the Prince George Cougars this season.
As anyone who follows his Twitter feed knows, Wil does a fair bit of travel for union business with the Canadian Media Guild. Perhaps it's because of crossing so many time zones so often and his early work with Daybreak North but Wil often posts about his inability to sleep.
Insomnia by Halifax's Wintersleep is a beautiful and tragic song, with its fabulous drum work anchoring its mournful melody and weary vocals. The lyrics, which are posted below this YouTube link, perfectly capture the suffocating frustration of fatigue without rest, when the nightmare is not being able to wake up but not being able to sleep, perchance to dream.
At this time of year, I can sleep but only for a few short hours each night. I sleep poorly when my room is not cool bordering on cold and even if the windows are blackened, I can't help but stir at first light. Each May, I resign myself to the fact that I likely won't get a decent night's sleep until the cool, rainy nights of September. I love summer but by August, I can't help but long for the shorter, colder days, as well as the deep, peaceful "winter sleep" that comes with them.
In the meantime, for Wil and the insomniacs out there, here is Wintersleep's Insomnia: https://youtu.be/fZVGqZRePt8.
