While "Good" earned the band critical notoriety and substantial underground cred, they did not -- with this release or any subsequent -- break into the mainstream. After the release of Good, the band replaced Dupree with Billy Conway, a former bandmate of Sandman. Morphine's 1992 release of Cure for Pain, promoted by heavy touring, received some mainstream positive attention, selling over 300,000 copies worldwide and spawning a chart hit in many countries with the single Buena
Subsequent releases include Yes and Like Swimming.
On July 3, 1999, Mark Sandman collapsed on stage in Palestrina, Italy, a suburb of Rome. He was pronounced dead of a heart attack at the scene. He was 46. Morphine released The Night -- arguably their best effort -- posthumously in 2000.
After Sandman's death, the remaining band members reformed and continued to record as Twinemen and later as The Ever Expanding Elastic Waste Band
In 2004, the Mark Sandman box set Sandbox was released by Hi-n-Dry, Mark Sandman's own label. It contains two CDs and a DVD of previously unreleased material spanning Sandman’s musical career. The DVD features clips from early Sandman shows, interviews from the Morphine tours, and various videos from other Sandman solo and group projects, such as Treat Her Right.
"Some day there'll be a cure for pain,
And that's the day I throw my drugs away" - Mark Sandman
Links:
The Other Side - A Morphine Fanzine
Morphine at Myspace
I'm Free Now
Morphine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sing a song or write a book about yours truly
How I'm so interesting I'm so great I'm really just a fuck-up
And It's such a waste to burn down these wall around me
Flexing like a heartbeat we don't like to speak
Don't talk to me for about a week I'm sorry it just hurts to explain
There's something going on that makes my guts ache
I got guilt I got fear I got regret
I was honest I swear the last thing I want to do
Honest I swear the last thing I want to do
Is ever cause you pain
Oh
I'm free now
Free to look out the window
Free to live my story
Free to sing along
Oh
Oh
Oh
Oh
I'm free now to direct a movie
Sing a song or write a book about yours truly
How I'm so interesting I'm so great but I'm really just a fuck-up
It's such a waste to burn down these wall around me
Flexing like a heartbeat we don't like to speak
Don't talk to me for about a week I'm sorry it just hurts to explain
There's something going on that makes my guts ache inside
I got guilt I got fear I got regret
I'm just a panic stricken waste I'm such a jerk
I was honest I swear the last thing I want to do
Honest I swear the last thing I want to do
Is ever cause you pain
Oh
Oh
The lyrics of Morphine's song "I'm Free Now" depict the liberation of the singer who is empowered to do anything after being released from a relationship that he felt imprisoned in. He is now free to direct a movie, write a book, sing a song. Despite being an underachiever and a mess, he portrays himself as someone who is full of self-importance but doesn't let that get in his way. He proclaims that burning down walls around him will just be a waste, thus acknowledging the fact that he needs to work on himself before he tackles any other task. He is plagued by guilt, fear, and regret that seem to gut him from the inside. And despite his anxiety and tendency to panic, he wants to assure the listener that the last thing he wants to do is ever cause them pain.
The lyrics of the song reflect the feeling of newfound freedom and the weight that comes with it. The singer is trying to come to terms with himself and his flaws, while also projecting a false sense of overconfidence. The guilt, fear, and regret he is haunted with could be from his past or the relationship he is trying to leave behind, although it's never explicitly stated. The listeners can relate to the feeling of wanting to break free from something or someone, and the pressure that comes with taking charge of their own lives. Overall, the song is a reflection of the messiness that comes with self-discovery, and the desire to be free but also acknowledging that we are not perfect.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm free now to direct a movie
I have the freedom to create, express and direct my life's story
Sing a song or write a book about yours truly
I can sing a song or write a book about myself and share my unique story with the world
How I'm so interesting I'm so great but I'm really just a fuck-up
I may come across as someone who is interesting and great, but in reality, I am just a person who is flawed and has made mistakes
It's such a waste to burn down these wall around me
It would be a waste to tear down the walls that I have built around myself to protect me from the world
Flexing like a heartbeat we don't like to speak
Our hearts beat constantly but we prefer not to speak, to avoid revealing our vulnerabilities
Don't talk to me for about a week I'm sorry it just hurts to explain
I need some space and time to deal with my internal pain and turmoil, explaining it can be difficult and painful for me
There's something going on that makes my guts ache inside
I am experiencing internal pain and discomfort that is affecting me deeply
I got guilt I got fear I got regret
I am burdened by feelings of guilt, fear and regret about my past actions and choices
I'm just a panic stricken waste I'm such a jerk
I feel like a worthless and incompetent person, and my anxiety and panic make me behave badly
I was honest I swear the last thing I want to do
I swear I was honest in my intentions and actions, and the last thing I want to do is cause any pain or harm
Is ever cause you pain
I vow to never intentionally hurt or cause any pain to you or anyone else
I'm free now
I have gained my freedom to live my life as I choose, to explore my creativity and passions, and express myself fully
Free to look out the window
I am free to look out into the world, to take in the beauty and the pain, and to learn from both
Free to live my story
I am free to live my own unique story, to make my own choices, to learn from my mistakes, and to grow into the person I want to be
Free to sing along
I am free to sing along with the music of life, to celebrate its joys, to embrace its struggles, and to find my own rhythm
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Mark Sandman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind