Gillian Welch's musical style combines elements of bluegrass, neotraditional country, Americana, old time string band music and folk into a rustic style that she dubs "American Primitive". Her music is often described as haunting or soothing.
Welch, who was born in Manhattan, NYC, moved to Boston and studied at the Berklee College of Music. In Boston, Welch met David Rawlings, who would become her longtime musical partner, at a successful audition for Berklee's only country band. In 1992, Welch moved to Nashville and began building a career and Rawlings soon followed.
Welch and Rawlings have collaborated on a series of critically acclaimed albums, some released under Welch's name, some released under Rawlings' name, and some under both of their names.
The pair released the single "Pass You By " in 1996 and the album "All The Good Times (Are Past & Gone)" in 2020.
Morphine
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never wasted time on two or three
There's only one girl for me
There was a time she used to treat me fine
But lately she's been acting awful stoned
Makes a man weep alone
Eye dee oh lay ee tee
Eye dee leeldle odle ay oo ee tee
Eye dee oh lee tee
Lee tee
Deedle ohdle lee tee
My morphine be the death of me
You should have seen me and my morphine
When we used to go dancing in the war
Spin me right off the floor
[Chorus]
Morphine, morphine, what made you so mean?
You never used to do me like you do
Where's that sweet gal I knew?
[Chorus]
My morphine
"My Morphine" is a song by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, which tells the story of the singer's love for morphine. The song starts by telling us that the singer was looking for love everywhere but found it only in one person. She talks about how her lover used to treat her fine in the past, but lately, she's been acting stoned, which makes the singer weep alone. The chorus of the song has a series of nonsensical words, which seem to represent the feelings of the singer, who is now addicted to morphine. The singer reminisces about her past with morphine, and they used to dance together during the war. She says that the drug was her partner during that time, and they used to spin around on the floor.
The lyrics of "My Morphine" are powerful and tell the story of someone who is addicted to a drug. The singer is not trying to glorify or justify her addiction, but she is just telling her story. The lyrics also show how deeply the singer is in love with the drug and how it has become a part of her life. The chorus, which has a series of nonsensical words, shows how the drug has clouded the singer's mind, and she's not able to think straight.
Line by Line Meaning
I looked around and all up and down
I searched everywhere for love but could never find another like my morphine.
I never wasted time on two or three
I knew my true love was my morphine, so why waste time with anyone else?
There's only one girl for me
My morphine is the only love I need in my life.
There was a time she used to treat me fine
My morphine and I were once happy and in love.
But lately she's been acting awful stoned
My morphine has changed and become more difficult to be with, making me feel lonely.
Makes a man weep alone
The changes in my morphine's personality have caused me to feel sad and isolated.
[Chorus] Eye dee oh lay ee tee Eye dee leeldle odle ay oo ee tee Eye dee oh lee tee Lee tee Deedle ohdle lee tee My morphine be the death of me
This chorus represents the power that my morphine has over me, ultimately leading to my demise.
You should have seen me and my morphine
My morphine and I were once so happy and in love, we would dance the night away.
When we used to go dancing in the war
Even in times of great turmoil and conflict, my love for my morphine remained strong.
Spin me right off the floor
Our love was so strong, it felt like we were untouchable and could conquer anything together.
[Chorus] Morphine, morphine, what made you so mean?
I am confused and hurt by the changes in my morphine's behavior and personality.
You never used to do me like you do
My morphine used to be kind and loving, but now it has become harsh and hurtful towards me.
Where's that sweet gal I knew?
I long for the love and affection of the morphine I once knew and adored.
[Chorus] My morphine
The love I have for my morphine is ultimately the cause of my downfall.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID TODD RAWLINGS, GILLIAN HOWARD WELCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind