The Sleep Of Reason was inspired by the folk-punk's visit to the Prado gallery in Madrid, where he saw Goya’s The Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters, and the events of 2016. It is the first of a number of tracks Bragg plans to release in the coming months.
Speaking about the song, he said:
“Life comes at you real fast these days. What’s a singer-songwriter to do when events keep challenging the way that we see the world? Before we’ve had a chance to digest one startling development, along comes another to throw us off balance again. I’ve been grubbing up songs for the past 12 months, but without the time to get an album together due to other projects, so I’ve decided to start dropping tracks as they become ready. As always, they’re my way of trying to make some sense of what’s going on.
The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters is the name of an etching created in 1799 by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. The title struck a chord with me when trying to understand the events of last year. The lies and hubris of the Leave campaign in our EU referendum were echoed and amplified by Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Only by restoring empathy and reason can we hope to defeat the monstrous forces of nationalism and untruth.”
Bragg will head out on his Bridges Not Walls solo tour later this year. Tickets are on sale now.
Billy Bragg Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Sun November 05 2017 - BEXHILL ON SEA De La Warr Pavilion
Mon November 06 2017 - LONDON Islington Assembly Hall
Tue November 07 2017 - LONDON Islington Assembly Hall
Wed November 08 2017 - CAMBRIDGE Junction 1
Fri November 10 2017 - OXFORD O2 Academy Oxford
Sat November 11 2017 - BIRMINGHAM Town Hall
Sun November 12 2017 - SHEFFIELD Sheffield Leadmill
Tue November 14 2017 - LIVERPOOL Philharmonic Hall
Wed November 15 2017 - EDINBURGH Queens Hall
Thu November 16 2017 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Wylam Brewery
Sat November 18 2017 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Sun November 19 2017 - CARDIFF Tramshed
Tue November 21 2017 - SOUTHAMPTON Brook
Wed November 22 2017 - LONDON Clapham Grand
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