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Sapped and stupid
I lie upon the stones and I swoons
The darling little dandelions have done their thing
And changed from suns into moons
Dragons roam the shopping malls
I hear they're gonna eat our guts
If I had the strength I might pick up my sword
And make some attempt to resist
Get ready to shield yourself
Grab your sap and your heaters
Get ready to shield yourself
On the night of the lotus eaters
Mmmmm, don't you love me baby
Mmmmm, and don't you love my baby anymore
They gilded my scales, they fish-bowled me
And they toured me round the old aquariums
They come in their hordes to tap at the glass
The philistines and the barbarians
I like floating here, it's nice
They've hung seaweed around my hips
And I do the hula for the hungry ones
And the lames all throw me tips
Get ready to shield yourself
Grab your sap and your heaters
Get ready to shield yourself
On the night of the lotus eaters
Mmmmm, don't you love me baby
Mmmmm, and don't you love me my baby anymore
Get ready to shield yourself
From our catastrophic leaders
Get ready to shield yourself
Grab your sap and your heaters
On the night of the lotus eaters
Now hit the streets
Now hit the streets
I lie upon the stones and I swoons
The darling little dandelions have done their thing
And changed from suns into moons
Dragons roam the shopping malls
I hear they're gonna eat our guts
If I had the strength I might pick up my sword
And make some attempt to resist
Get ready to shield yourself
Grab your sap and your heaters
Get ready to shield yourself
On the night of the lotus eaters
Mmmmm, don't you love me baby
Mmmmm, and don't you love my baby anymore
They gilded my scales, they fish-bowled me
And they toured me round the old aquariums
They come in their hordes to tap at the glass
The philistines and the barbarians
I like floating here, it's nice
They've hung seaweed around my hips
And I do the hula for the hungry ones
And the lames all throw me tips
Get ready to shield yourself
Grab your sap and your heaters
Get ready to shield yourself
On the night of the lotus eaters
Mmmmm, don't you love me baby
Mmmmm, and don't you love me my baby anymore
Get ready to shield yourself
From our catastrophic leaders
Get ready to shield yourself
Grab your sap and your heaters
On the night of the lotus eaters
Now hit the streets
Now hit the streets
Lyrics submitted by xdvr
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A sap is a "blackjack or short club".
This song is about resisting and fighting back against all the crap that's taken over the world - the "catastrophic leaders" and the money-obsessed materialistic masses "roaming the shopping malls".
And since Nick uses knighly/chivalrous symbolism for his role and ours against the "philistines and barbarians", the song is also about not letting ourselves/yourself get brain-washed and dumbed down, but fighting back to keep your chivalry and honour and integrity etc.
Excellent, amazing song.
Nick Cave (From The Sun March 7, 2008): "'Night Of The Lotus Eaters' is about apathy in the face of catastrophe. Why aren't we running through the streets in a state of hysteria? I often wonder that. It surprises me that we are able to just sit around while some esteemed scientists say the apocalypse will have arrived in half a century."
"The Lotus-Eaters...did them no hurt, but gave them to eat of the lotus, which was so delicious that those who ate of it left off caring about home, and did not even want to go back and say what had happened to them, but were for staying and munching lotus with the Lotus-eaters without thinking further of their return"
So, basically, the song is about shielding yourself from apathy and idleness, it's urging people to "hit the streets."
Morag: I agree the second verse is pretty opaque. Is he possibly referring to himself, performing (to the philistines and barbarians who don't care much for the message in his lyrics)?