Crying In My Sleep
Written by Jimmy Webb ©1977
Found on Highway 70 by MFQ (Modern Folk Quartet)

I took a walk around the yard
Dug the flowers til it got too hard
I smoked my first pack of cigarettes today
And I watched the children play

And then I went down, down to Lucy's old Cafe
Put a half a case away
I took a sleeping pill and tried to watch TV
But you know baby the leading lady looked too much like you for the likes of me

And I woke up crying in my sleep
I was talking to your pillow
And I reached out to touch your hand
And knocked the phone off the nightstand
And the operator said, "May I help you please?"
No thanks baby there's nothing you can really do for me
I just had a bad dream, that's all that's wrong with me
I just had a bad dream

Went out to loosen up the car
Some how I wound up at the rainbow bar
I had a scotch and soda on the run
But I didn't get too far

And then I ran down, down some friends I used to know
Dragged them out to see the show
I drew myself a bath and I tried to read your book
But you know baby this time it just didn't seem quite worth the time it took

And I woke up crying in my sleep
I was talking to your pillow
And I reached out to touch your hand
And knocked the phone off the nightstand
And the operator said, "May I help you please?"
No thanks baby there's nothing you can really do for me
I just had a bad dream, that's all that's wrong with me
I just had a bad dream, that's all that's wrong with me

Crying in my sleep
Crying in my sleep (I woke up crying)
Crying in my sleep (Crying trying to find her)
Crying in my sleep (I woke up crying)
Crying in my sleep (Crying trying to find her)
Crying in my sleep

Matt Beckley mentioned that one of the songs that his dad likes best is this Jimmy Webb tune and the verse about loosening up the car is his favorite verse. The song was originally written in 1977 and was recorded by Art Garfunkel on his Watermark album. Henry Diltz and his band MFQ released the song on their Highway 70 album around 1995 featuring Gerry Beckley as lead singer. The album also includes a cover of America's "Don't Cross The River". I have digitized "Crying In My Sleep" and encoded it into Real Audio () format.

In order to listen to the Real Audio sound clip above, you will need to have the Real Audio player which is available free from the Real Audio web site. Real Audio sound clips are identified by the blue notes () in parentheses. Simply click on the notes to play the song.