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"'The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite'" is a song by R.E.M.. It was influenced by the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", both in the title of the song and through the song's opening refrain. The band used "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" as the B-side to this song.
The song was released on the band's 1992 album ''Automatic for the People'' and was later released as a single in 1993, reaching 17 in the UK singles chart.
The phrase "Call me when you try to wake her up" is employed 32 times in the song.
The song was included on R.E.M.'s Warner Brothers "best of" album ''In Time - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003'' in 2003, although Buck's personal sleevenotes on the song were not complimentary. It was one of four songs from ''Automatic for the People'' to make the compilation, more than from any other album.
The song's complete title is not featured in the lyrics, but there is a line that goes "the sidewinder sleeps in a coil".

Contents

Single covers

Track listing

US CD Single

UK "Collector's Edition" CD Single 1

UK "Collector's Edition" CD Single 2

DE CD Maxi-Single

UK and DE 7" and Cassette Single

Notes

Single covers

Track listing

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated.

US CD Single

# "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" – 4:06
# "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (Solomon Linda, Luigi Creatore, Hugo Peretti, George Weiss) – 2:41

UK "Collector's Edition" CD Single 1

# "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" – 4:06
# "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (Linda, Creatore, Peretti, Weiss) – 2:41
# "Fretless"¹ – 4:51

UK "Collector's Edition" CD Single 2

# "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" – 4:06
# "Organ Song" – 3:25
# "Star Me Kitten" (demo) – 3:05

DE CD Maxi-Single

# "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" – 4:06
# "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (Linda, Creatore, Peretti, Weiss) – 2:41
# "Fretless"¹ – 4:51
# "Organ Song" – 3:25

UK and DE 7" and Cassette Single

# "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" – 4:06
# "Get Up" – -:--

Notes

¹ Originally released on the ''Until the End of the World'' soundtrack in 1991''