Here I sleep the morning through
'Til the wail of the call to prayer awakes me
And there is nothing at all to do
But rise and follow the day wherever it takes me

I stand at the window and I look at the sea
And I am what I am and what will be will be
I stand at the window and I look at the sea
And I make me a pot of opium tea

Down at the port I watch the boats come in
Oh, watching the boats come in can do something to you
And the kids gather around with an outstretched hand
And I toss them a dirham or two

Well, I wonder if my children are thinking of me
'Cause I am what I am and what will be will be
I wonder if my kids are thinking of me
And I smile and I sip my opium tea

At night the sea lashes the rust-red ramparts
In the shapes of hooded men who pass me
And the mad moaning wind laughs and laughs and laughs and laughs
At the strange lot that fate has cast me

The cats on the rampart sing merrily
That he is what he is and what will be will be
The cats on the rampart sing merrily
And I sit and I drink my opium tea

I'm a prisoner here, I can never go home
There is nothing here to win or lose
There are no choices need to be made at all
Not even the choice of having to choose

I'm a prisoner yes, but I'm also free
'Cause am what I am and what will be will be
I'm a prisoner here but I'm also free
And I smile and I sip my opium tea


Lyrics submitted by CHAKA

Opium Tea song meanings
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  • +4
    My Interpretation

    A truly great song, so relaxing and serene but at the same time so poignant. I don't think he is saying he is a prisoner in the physical sense, this song seems to be quite clearly about drug addiction so the prison is the use of the drug. To me this song is about the absolutism that drug taking provides, when ones life choices can suddenly be confined to 'where is the next hit coming from' and there are no other choices to be made. The need for an absolute truth in life is something all humans seek and drug taking can be an easy way to find a form of serenity without any effort. The same is true for religion (or any doctrine/belief) where many people rather than seek true knowledge would rather surrender to a series of absolutes that they don't need to question in order to make them comfortable with their existence. Drug taking just happens to be one of the easiest ways of eliminating uncertainty in life, which is what the person in this song seems to have achieved when he can acknowledge the prisoner he is but at the same time quite happily maintain the status quo.

    Rimbaudesqueon February 28, 2011   Link

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