I always viewed this song as someone (probably a child) being sick and being nursed back to health.
"The sun is a light bulb
A candle's a treat
The curtains stay closed now
On my little retreat
And I'll only take medicine
If it's followed by sweets
A sickly pink liquid
That puts me to sleep"
Curtains staying closed - Refers to a dark bedroom to allow the child to rest and sleep
Only take medicine/If it's followed by sweets - Medicine often has a nasty taste and most children have to be cajoled into taking it. Perhaps in this case, the child insists on having something sweet to mask the nasty aftertaste of medicine.
A sickly pink liquid/That puts me to sleep - Sickly pink liquid refers to the nasty tasting medicine. Most medicines have the side effect of drowsiness, hence, "puts me to sleep".
"My head beats a better way
Tomorrow a better day"
I interpreted this as the child having a headache or something which he hopes will dissipate after some rest and by the next day.
"And I can watch TV
While I'm wrapped up in bed"
Some people simply watch TV in bed while they're sick and not sleeping.
"And mother makes sure that
I'm watered and fed"
His mother is looking after him while he's sick.
"My best friend from school will
Come over and stare
At me in my bubble
Of germified air"
His best friend comes over and visits him after school while he is sick in bed. Quite self-explanatory.
"When I'm asleep the smoke fills me
I feel the heat
My illness leaves me"
"The sun is a light bulb
A candle's a treat
The curtains stay closed now
On my little retreat
But after a while
The noise from the street
Is making me wish I
Was back on my feet"
The last three lines refer to the child feeling restless and longing to be healthy again so they can go outside and just enjoy themselves.
I always viewed this song as someone (probably a child) being sick and being nursed back to health.
"The sun is a light bulb A candle's a treat The curtains stay closed now On my little retreat And I'll only take medicine If it's followed by sweets A sickly pink liquid That puts me to sleep"
Curtains staying closed - Refers to a dark bedroom to allow the child to rest and sleep Only take medicine/If it's followed by sweets - Medicine often has a nasty taste and most children have to be cajoled into taking it. Perhaps in this case, the child insists on having something sweet to mask the nasty aftertaste of medicine. A sickly pink liquid/That puts me to sleep - Sickly pink liquid refers to the nasty tasting medicine. Most medicines have the side effect of drowsiness, hence, "puts me to sleep".
"My head beats a better way Tomorrow a better day"
I interpreted this as the child having a headache or something which he hopes will dissipate after some rest and by the next day.
"And I can watch TV While I'm wrapped up in bed"
Some people simply watch TV in bed while they're sick and not sleeping.
"And mother makes sure that I'm watered and fed"
His mother is looking after him while he's sick.
"My best friend from school will Come over and stare At me in my bubble Of germified air"
His best friend comes over and visits him after school while he is sick in bed. Quite self-explanatory.
"When I'm asleep the smoke fills me I feel the heat My illness leaves me"
"The sun is a light bulb A candle's a treat The curtains stay closed now On my little retreat But after a while The noise from the street Is making me wish I Was back on my feet"
The last three lines refer to the child feeling restless and longing to be healthy again so they can go outside and just enjoy themselves.