Sleeping Bag

Hey there, Zoo Freaks, it’s your hippie DJs at THE ZOO spinning the sweet sounds of ZZ Top’s “Sleeping Bag” from their 1985 album Afterburner! Let’s dive into some far-out trivia about this tune. In a 1985 interview with Spin magazine, guitarist Billy Gibbons shared a groovy reflection on the evolution of sleeping bags, inspiring the song’s lyrics. He recalled the heavy, old-school Army sleeping bags from his Boy Scout days, contrasting them with the lightweight, down-filled ones from the late ‘60s or ‘70s that rolled up small, like a cantaloupe. Gibbons even mentioned his mummy-style sleeping bag, sparking the lyric, “Sleep beside the pharaohs in the shifting sands,” evoking a trippy desert adventure. Bassist Dusty Hill chimed in, saying he no longer owned a physical sleeping bag but kept one in his mind, adding a psychedelic twist to the song’s vibe. This track hit #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, matching their hit “Legs,” but it was their first to top the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, making it their most successful single ever.

The music video for “Sleeping Bag” is a wild ride, marking the final appearance of the iconic “Eliminator Girls” and the 1933 Ford Hot Rod from ZZ Top’s earlier videos. Directed by Steve Barron, it tells a story of a couple, played by Heather Langenkamp of A Nightmare on Elm Street fame and John Dye from Touched by an Angel, chased by thieves and monster trucks. The band and the Eliminator Girls swoop in to save the day, with the video introducing the Afterburner space shuttle, replacing the destroyed Eliminator car. Unlike their previous videos, this one used animation to show the band’s magical powers, adding a surreal flair. Langenkamp later called meeting ZZ Top one of the highlights of her young life. The song even popped up in the 2017 film I, Tonya, used in an ice-skating routine, as Tonya Harding herself had skated to it in real life.

Now, let’s rewind to how ZZ Top, that little ol’ band from Texas, got their start. Formed in Houston in 1969, the trio—Billy Gibbons on guitar and vocals, Dusty Hill on bass and vocals, and Frank Beard on drums—came together after Gibbons’ psychedelic rock band, Moving Sidewalks, disbanded. Gibbons, inspired by blues legends, teamed up with Hill and Beard, who brought a tight rhythm section to the mix. They signed with London Records and dropped their debut, ZZ Top’s First Album, in 1971, rooted in raw blues-rock. By the mid-’70s, albums like Tres Hombres (1973) and Fandango! (1975), with hits like “La Grange” and “Tush,” earned them radio play and a rep for killer live shows, like the epic Worldwide Texas Tour. In the ‘80s, they embraced synthesizers and MTV with Eliminator (1983) and Afterburner, blending their bluesy core with new wave and dance-rock, skyrocketing to global fame. Known for their long beards (except, ironically, Beard), sly humor, and Texas swagger, they’ve sold over 50 million records and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

Stay connected with ZZ Top on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest on tours, releases, and that Texas whiskey they’ve got brewing. Fans can join the vibe at communities like the ZZ Top Fans Facebook group, where Zoo Freaks can swap stories and celebrate the band’s legacy. For more deep cuts, check out fan sites like Dave Gott’s ZZ Top page. Keep it funky, Freaks, and slip inside that “Sleeping Bag” groove!