The song is about the confusion of finding oneself in a world of strictures that seek to control people.
Avicii, even as the performer, did not write “Wake Me Up.” Aloe Blacc did. Avicii offered input to the song, and so did Incubus’s Mike Einzinger. The song tells the story of a man who is looking for answers about life but is “lost” without even realizing it. The concept of “finding oneself” is warped. People generally know who they are and what they’re about. The problem comes in when society tries to pigeonhole people into little boxes where they most likely don’t fit. “Finding oneself” is, therefore, actually rediscovering oneself. The protagonist in the song asks to be woken up when “it’s all over,” and things are easily understood. Blacc says that it’s supposed to be a “wake-up call” for people to be more harmonious and to exist together in peace instead of at each other’s throats. Blacc also laments the lack of compassion and the glut of exploitation that is so prevalent in modern society. He also says that he wanted to draw attention to the plight of immigrants all over the world. Originally, the song wasn’t supposed to be a dance hit. it was going to be an introspective acoustic “singer-songwriter” song, but the collaboration between the involved artists turned into the dance hit.
Chart Performance
The song reached No. 4 on the United States Billboard Hot 100, but it was even more popular around the world. The populations of Australia, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Israel, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Brazil, Belgium, New Zealand, Scotland, Slovakia, Spain, Poland, Lebanon, Russia, Luxembourg, Romania, and the United Kingdom all propelled the song to No. 1. On YouTube, the song has racked up half a billion views since its release in 2013. The song is also many times platinum is assorted countries in North America, Oceania, Scandinavia, Europe, and Asia. Blacc released his own version of the song. It was acoustic and wasn’t nearly as popular as the dance version, only rising to No. 32.
Other Media
Despite the song’s worldwide popularity, it hasn’t featured in as many soundtracks as one might expect. The song appears almost exclusively in either reality programs, such as “So, You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing With the Stars,” and “Love Island,” or documentary programs like “Hard Knocks.” The one exception is the Korean game show called “I Can See Your Voice.” It hasn’t appeared in many movie soundtracks, either, but “Dumplin'” and “Pitch Perfect 3” are two notable examples.
Lyrics
Feeling my way through the darkness
Guided by a beating heart
I can’t tell where the journey will end
But I know where to start
They tell me I’m too young to understand
They say I’m caught up in a dream
Well life will pass me by if I don’t open up my eyes
Well that’s fine by me
So wake me up when it’s all over
When I’m wiser and I’m older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
Didn’t know I was lost
So wake me up when it’s all over
When I’m wiser and I’m older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
Didn’t know I was lost
I tried carrying the weight of the world
But I only have two hands
Hope I get the chance to travel the world
But I don’t have any plans
Wish that I could stay forever this young
Not afraid to close my eyes
Life’s a game made for everyone
And love is a prize
So wake me up when it’s all over
When I’m wiser and I’m older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
Didn’t know I was lost
So wake me up when it’s all over
When I’m wiser and I’m older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
I didn’t know I was lost
I didn’t know I was lost
I didn’t know I was lost
I didn’t know I was lost
I didn’t know
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins / Michael Aaron Einziger / Tim Bergling
Wake Me Up lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Listeners of music from the 2010’s, might also appreciate the song Meant to Be by Bebe Rexha
