Released: December 6, 1973
Songwriter: Ronald Miller Terri Etlinger
Producer: Ronald Miller
Johnny's been runnin' hard all his life
'Cause life never treated him right
Well he ain't running now
You see his eyes are closed
They can't hurt him tonight
Sleepin', he's sleepin'
Just let him be for a while
Don't wake him, don't take him
To where the people don't smile
Sleepin', my man is sleepin' nice now
Please let him stay here with me
I promise, I'll keep him
At home, where he's supposed to be
He's been out there
In the streets you know
And strugglin', scufflin'
Trying to survive
Out there in a richman's world
And now you say my Johnny is not alive
But you're wrong, can't you see
Sleepin', he's just sleepin' mister
He doesn't rest very much
He lives hard and he gives hard
And I'll just die for his touch
Sleepin', he's sleepin'
Without a care to his name
He's peaceful
He's quiet
He's tired of runnin' his game
He's been out there
In the streets you know
With all the pain and all the suffering
Out there
Where you fight like hell
He never learned a fix don't fix a thing
Don't touch him
Johnny put too much in his vanes
And now you're trying to tell me he's gone
I don't believe you
I'm just gonna sit here
And rock him in my arms
Sleepin', he's sleepin'
He doesn't rest very much
You see he lives hard and gives hard
'Cause life never treated him right
Well he ain't running now
You see his eyes are closed
They can't hurt him tonight
Sleepin', he's sleepin'
Just let him be for a while
Don't wake him, don't take him
To where the people don't smile
Sleepin', my man is sleepin' nice now
Please let him stay here with me
I promise, I'll keep him
At home, where he's supposed to be
He's been out there
In the streets you know
And strugglin', scufflin'
Trying to survive
Out there in a richman's world
And now you say my Johnny is not alive
But you're wrong, can't you see
Sleepin', he's just sleepin' mister
He doesn't rest very much
He lives hard and he gives hard
And I'll just die for his touch
Sleepin', he's sleepin'
Without a care to his name
He's peaceful
He's quiet
He's tired of runnin' his game
He's been out there
In the streets you know
With all the pain and all the suffering
Out there
Where you fight like hell
He never learned a fix don't fix a thing
Don't touch him
Johnny put too much in his vanes
And now you're trying to tell me he's gone
I don't believe you
I'm just gonna sit here
And rock him in my arms
Sleepin', he's sleepin'
He doesn't rest very much
You see he lives hard and gives hard
more tracks from the album
Diana Ross Anthology (1986 Edition)
- The Boss
- Gettin’ Ready for Love
- Sorry Doesn’t Always Make It Right
- Last Time I Saw Him
- My Mistake (Was to Love You)
- Imagine
- My Old Piano
- I Thought It Took a Little Time (But Today I Fell in Love)
- Your Love Is So Good for Me
- Top of the World
- You Got It
- What You Gave Me
- Lovin’, Livin’ & Givin’
- It’s My Turn
- One More Chance
- Cryin’ My Heart Out for You
- Medley: Brown Baby/Save the Children
- Endless Love
- Young Mothers
- One Love in My Lifetime
- I’m Coming Out
- Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)
- Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
- I’m Still Waiting
- Remember Me
- Reach Out I’ll Be There
- Surrender
- Good Morning Heartache
- My Man
- Touch Me in the Morning
- Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)
- Love Hangover
- Too Shy to Say
- You’re a Special Part of Me
- Upside Down
- Sleepin’
- It’s My House
- Baby, I Love Your Way
From the albums
- Last Time I Saw Him (1973)
- Diana Ross Anthology (1986 Edition) (1986)
Diana Ross popular songs
- I’m Coming Out
- Upside Down
- Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
- Ease on Down the Road #1
- It’s Your Move
- If We Hold On Together
- The Boss
- Missing You
- Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)
- When You Tell Me That You Love Me
- Chain Reaction
- He Lives in You
- Love Hangover
- Touch Me in the Morning
- Do You Know Where Youre Going To
- It’s My House
- I’m Still Waiting
- A Brand New Day
- Always and Forever
- If You’re Not Gonna Love Me Right (Crenshaw Records version)
- Once in the Morning
- That’s How You Start Over
- Love Me (Japanese quadraphonic edition)
- Ain’t Nothin’ But a Maybe