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
Radar
Morphine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got to the driver of my car, an' past the dogs, past the guards
And all of my alarms supposed to be so state of the art
You penetrate my radar, you penetrate my radar
You drop a bomb in my backyard, you penetrate my radar
You played me like a chess game and now you say checkmate
And me I got to hide and I don't dare to show my face
If I am guilty so are you, it was March 4th, 1982
Riding around forever on an empty tank of gas
And an empty pocketbook I better get it to the bank
High up in a glider high up here without a care
I got all the time in the world
I got all the time in the world to spare
The lyrics to Morphine's song "Radar" have a melancholic tone to them, with a touch of anger and frustration as well. The singer of the song is haunted by a past event, which occurred on March 4th, 1982. Someone had penetrated his radar and dropped a bomb in his backyard, causing unknown damage. The culprit seems to have played him like a chess game, leaving him to hide and not daring to show his face. The singer feels betrayed by this person, who now walks around freely, spending money as if nothing has happened. The lyrics reference the fact that if the singer is guilty of whatever crime had been committed, so is the perpetrator.
The song takes a turn towards a more reflective tone, with the singer acknowledging that they have been riding around forever on an empty tank of gas and an empty pocketbook. However, they are high up in a glider, where they can experience a sense of freedom and lack of cares. The lyrics take on a sense of resignation at this point, with the singer saying they have all the time in the world to spare. The song seems to be a meditation on past events and the impact they can have on one's present and future.
Line by Line Meaning
Got to the driver of my car, an' past the dogs, past the guards
I was determined to see you and overcame the obstacles of security to get to you, even my high-end alarms were no match for my desire to be with you.
And all of my alarms supposed to be so state of the art
Despite having the latest in alarm technology, they were useless when it came to keeping you away.
You penetrate my radar, you penetrate my radar
You managed to break through all of my defenses and get past my guard.
You drop a bomb in my backyard, you penetrate my radar
Your sudden appearance had a profound effect on me, it was like a bomb going off in my life.
You played me like a chess game and now you say checkmate
You manipulated me like a chess piece to get what you wanted, and now you've succeeded.
While you go running freely spending money every place
You're out there living your life, carefree and spending money without a worry in the world.
And me I got to hide and I don't dare to show my face
I'm hiding and avoiding you because I'm ashamed of what I've done.
If I am guilty so are you, it was March 4th, 1982
We're both responsible for what happened on March 4th, 1982.
Riding around forever on an empty tank of gas
I feel like I'm going nowhere in my life, like driving around aimlessly with an empty gas tank.
And an empty pocketbook I better get it to the bank
I'm broke and need to deposit some money in the bank.
High up in a glider high up here without a care
I'm in a glider soaring high in the air, without a care in the world.
I got all the time in the world
I have a lot of time on my hands.
I got all the time in the world to spare
I have so much time that I don't know what to do with it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Mark Sandman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind