“DYWTYLM” by Sleep Token

As issued on 20 April 2023, “DYWTYLM” became the sixth single released in advance of “Take Me Back to Eden”, Sleep Token’s third studio album, as backed by Spinefarm Records. Other singles from “Take Me Back to Eden” include: “The Summoning” and “Vore“, which were also released in 2023.

The authors of “DYWTYLM” are Vessel1, i.e. the otherwise unknown frontman of the band, alongside Carl Brown, a regular Sleep Token collaborator who also produced the track.

The Lyrics of “DYWTYLM”

Obviously, the title of this song is an acronym. And what it stands for, as expressed in the second verse, is the question “do you wish that you loved me?”

And whereas such a query may initially give the impression that this piece revolves around a sentiment of unrequited love, such is not the case per se. Rather, first of all let’s be honest and state that it’s a bit difficult to conclusively understand what the vocalist is putting forth here. But in context, the titular phrase reads like a statement of discontent.

For instance, as implied in the chorus, this may be, at least in part, a soliloquy. That is to say that the one party who is clearly discontent, without question, is the vocalist himself. As further implied, his mind is stuck in such a troubled state due to being under the impression that the addressee has some sort of ill feelings towards him – or something to that effect.

“My reflection just won’t smile back at me likе I know it should
And I would turn into a stranger in an instant if I could
And there is somеthing eating me alive, I don’t know what it is
Maybe not that you conceal your feelings, they just don’t exist”

Going back to the chorus, it seems as if the singer is not fully convinced that the person these lyrics are directed to actually loves him. Furthermore, it appears as if the reason he is under such a conviction is because their relationship, in some unspecified way, is a troubled one.

It may be that, as also can be theoretically gleaned from the chorus, that the singer somehow offended the addressee a while back. Whereas the latter may or may not have gotten over it already, the narrator himself remains bothered.

Or more simply put, this may be a case of self-guilt whereas the vocalist feels that whatever it is he has done to addressee in the past may be unforgivable. Therefore, since this is obviously a cherished loved one he is addressing, his own self-esteem is negatively accordingly.