He incorporated the word "Sony" into the song's lyrics because the company logo was visible at the center of the mixtape as he watched it going around in his cassette player.

In exchange, those fans received a personalized "thank you" token from the band, while the winner was also sent a copy of the video clip.

[6] A review of "Singing in My Sleep" in the August 15, 1998, issue of Billboard said the song's intro is "a shapeship-like whir and a funny, plinking melody", but that ultimately, the track is "pure, mass-consumption pop.

"[7] In a review of the maxi-single, Michael Frey of Allmusic called it "a melodic ode to the art of making mix tapes".

[8] Ian Cohen of Stylus Magazine wrote that the song is "a delicious bit of power-pop" that is far less "mawk-ish" than the band's "Closing Time".