Lyric discussion by SamLowry 

Cover art for Night of the Lotus Eaters lyrics by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Interesting song and excellent explanations. The Lotus Eaters (or The Lotos-Eaters) is also a poem by Tennyson, apparently based of the passage referred to above in the Odyssey, so maybe Nick got the reference from here. I think I remember reading he quite likes Tennyson.

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)?