Morphine Child

This is a song about giving up on life. Its a song about falling back into the haze of unfeeling, living as if though on morphine. The once high expectations the singer had for his life have been shattered, and he will accept what comes to him without struggling cause he cant be hurt anymore than he already is.

I had a light that shined, across my mind, Rarely see it anymore

Now its mostly dark, except for sparks, Cant remember what they're for.

These lyrics represent the hopes and dreams the singer once held for himself and the world around him. Pain and disappointment have dulled them, faded them to mere sparks, their meaning forgotten.

Here nothing enters, nothing departs. Nothing is ended, if nothing starts.

These lyrics are what call to me most of all. Past experiences have burned so much, that its easier to sit back and let life go by than to participate. You cant suffer the pain of disappointment or heartbreak if you dont make an effort or allow love into your life.

No regrets If you just forget If a memory is lenient You can find it most convenient So you let it fade Till it's very vague Just a silhouette of shadows But the shadows are still lingering

And this is the verse that made it all clear to me. Dont carry the painful memories. Take the metaphorical (or literal) morphine and let the pain be dulled, let it go and fade into memories. But no matter how much you try to ignore it, while it may not be on the forefront of your mind, its there. It will always be there.

Sounds awesome for such a depressing song though :P

Been hearing this song for 20 years, appreciated the music, couldn't figure out the meaning of the lyrics. So one day, I started looking on line. I came across information that the whole "Poets and Madmen" disc was inspired by photographer Kevin Carter, who shot the famous Pulitzer award winning photograph widely known as "The vulture and the girl". Look at that photo and look at the lyrics of the song:

There's a thief on a summer's night, across an ocean, who sees another's life fading away (Photo was taken in Sudan, Savatage are in the USA, so there is an ocean between them, the photographer but also anybody who sees the photo could be the thief who see's another's life fading away). And of this life he writes, without emotion, then pushes it from sight, somewhere faraway, to a distant land, every tear betrayed and never makes a stand ( Savatage criticising all of those who spoke about this heartbraking picture, but never made a stand, as it seems not their problem as this is a distant land - Sudan). Could a star's forgotten light, a child's devotion, embrace eternal night in shallow graves (Description of the anticipated ending of the story behind the photograph, the child will die because of the famine and be burried swiftly - in a shallow grave) As we watch from distant heights, no breath or motion, still every ghost must haunt in its own way, sleep beneath my dreams, safe within my hands where I never understand (we watch this photo from our comfort zones and societies of plenty and although it remains in our memory, we don't actually understand the meaning of it). Lord there's something wrong, no one remembers, no one denies, no one asks questions, no one replies, here nothing enters, nothing departs, here nothing is ended if nothing starts ( so although this photo was powerfull, it didn't mobilise people enough to act and solve the situation.) In your life could you carry on, could you really never think about it, till in time you start to doubt it, then you close your eyes, is it really gone, how in truth can you defend HER, if you really not remembering, no regrets if you just forget, if a memory is lenient, you can find it most convenient, so you let it fade, till it's very vague, just a sillouette of shadows, but the shadows are still lingering (same critisism, but by using HER, Savtage tells us that the child is a girl, as it is in the photo). Still I hold you there, with your endless stare, I'm too old to be living this, lived too long to be given this, can our god be forgiving this (Savatage are holding us accountable with their song, also mixing our religious beliefs) I had a light that shined, Across my mind, Rarely see it any more, Now it is mostly dark, except for sparks, can't remember what they're for (now the song is turned in first person, as if the child is speaking and describing symptoms of famine). I am the morphine child, The dream defiled, The never ending metaphor, I am the wizard oz, Result and cause, Never look behind that door, Never listen to the crowd before me, Never listen to the self ordained, Never really wanted to believe it any way ( ok morphine child, because morphine is given to ease the pain, the dream defiled, because every child is supposed to be a dream for their parents, but this child in the photo seems defiled, the rest i can't explain. Why the wizard Oz? What self ordained? I don't get this part).

Time is fading, night is calling, I am on my way (time runs out for the child with its life being endangered).

I don't know if this is accurate, but surely makes some sense.

that song is do fuckin great the guiter is amazing but can any one plz tell me what does the lyrics mean???????????????????????????????

I don't really know what this song is about but you gotta love it. epic.