In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Well I wake up in the morning
Look at my clock
Its way past noon time
Now Im late for work.
Tell me, tell me
What have I done wrong?
Aint nothing go right with me
Must be Ive been smoking too long.
Well I go to find me some breakfast
But I aint got no food
Take me a shower
But the water dont feel no good.
Tell me
Ive got opium in my chimney
No other life to choose
Nightmare made of hash dreams.
Got the devil in my shoes
Tell me
Well when Im smoking
Put my worries on a shelf
Dont think about nothin
Try not to see myself.
Tell me
Well in this blues Im singin
Theres a lesson to be learned
Dont go around smokin
Unless you want to get burned.
Tell me
Look at my clock
Its way past noon time
Now Im late for work.
Tell me, tell me
What have I done wrong?
Aint nothing go right with me
Must be Ive been smoking too long.
Well I go to find me some breakfast
But I aint got no food
Take me a shower
But the water dont feel no good.
Tell me
Ive got opium in my chimney
No other life to choose
Nightmare made of hash dreams.
Got the devil in my shoes
Tell me
Well when Im smoking
Put my worries on a shelf
Dont think about nothin
Try not to see myself.
Tell me
Well in this blues Im singin
Theres a lesson to be learned
Dont go around smokin
Unless you want to get burned.
Tell me
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Apparently, Robin Frederick (who originally wrote the song) simply wanted to make a simple anti-drugs song, mentioning different types of drugs and the physical effect is has on you ("But the water don't feel no good"), as well as a typical (but true!) explanation of the sad reason to why many people "smoke" ("Try not to see myself). Nick, however, having tried marijuana, became fascinated with the song, tabbed it out, and also changed a very essential line to make it his own. "No other life to choose" is penned by Nick, replacing the original "Got the marijuana blues". This, I think, is why this should be considered to be a Nick Drake song, seeing as this line, when examined, sets a much more bleak tone to the song, and changes it from being the sad results of a misspent youth into being a full-time addiction and a hairshirt for the life he wants to spend.
According to Wikipedia, Nick Drake quit sports in college and used his new free time to smoke weed and listen to music. He began smoking "insane amounts" every day, and it brought out a psychosis in him. Marijuana can bring out psychosis in people who are genetically pre-disposed to dementia, acting as a catalyst.
Nick must've been singing from his heart. He sounds trapped in a bad dream.
i like this.
He's obviously talking about weed because i know how he feels sometimes. You can't physically become addicted to weed, but the mental addiction can really bad especially when it's just completely ingrained into your life and you don't feel like you can get away from it.
no, its clearly NOT about weed. first off - weed is not addicting. thats just a fact. i've been to rehab, it isnt addicting. you can go to rehab for weed simply because they are willing to help anybody who wants help (they dont limit it to a certain drug) . they will tell you it isnt addicting. and i've smoked for 8 years, and i would hang out with people who would sell lbs and lbs of that stuff, and i would smoke all day every day for free, and i havent smoked in over a year.
"I got opium in my chimney"
hes got opium in his pipe
"Well when I'm smokin' Put my worries on a shelf Don't worry about nothin' Try not to see myself"
thats exactly what heroin does to you, and heroin is derived from opium.
Weed can be both psychologically and physiologically addicting. I know because I was both psychologically addicted (I couldn't imagine who I was/my future without it) and physiologically addicted (I couldn't eat breakfast without smoking first to get an appetite).<br /> <br /> And sometimes people do smoke so they can put off reality.<br /> <br /> That being said, I agree, he clearly talks about opium and hash in the song, not weed. Even though hash is a form of weed (resin), it's not the same kind of high.
It's probably just about smoking in general. specifically, he mentions opium and hash.
opium duuuhhhh opiummMM DUH
For me the artist is talking about any addiction, that you can't recover from, because you've been too long on it.<br /> <br /> "But the water don't feel no good" - Oh man I know what he measn by that<br /> <br /> Great song. Thumbs up. Love it!
Personally I've always found Drakes lyrics a little too self indulgent with the juvenile longing for martydom, but I must say this song sounds to me painfully honest, much like the depths of Black eyed dog. It sounds like he's coming to the realization that he is finally in the hole he's always romanticized about. It's no secret that he drove himself into psychosis and unfulfilled dreams of grandeur with excessive amounts of cannabis. I don't think you need to search fro the opium link when his weed habbit is all the trouble he needed to align himself with these sentiments.
This is a cover of some female song writer Drake liked. It's kind of obvious it's not up to calibur with Drakes stuff though...
or maybe it's about opium? duuuuuuh