Later, singer and guitarist Laurie Sargent, a member of Orchestra Morphine and former vocalist for the band Face to Face, would join Colley and Conway in their first post-Morphine musical endeavour, Twinemen. Conway and Colley also officially formed the Hi-n-Dry independent record label and studio, converting Sandman's workspace into a commercial enterprise. The label's roster includes a number of their friends, colleagues and other Boston-area musicians. Orchestra Morphine still reunites on occasion but no longer tours.
Jerome Deupree continues to record with various jazz musicians and later became a member of the group Bourbon Princess.
In 2006, Dana Colley formed the band A.K.A.C.O.D. with Monique Ortiz (former leader of Bourbon Princess). Their debut album Happiness was released in 2007, and the band will tour in 2008.
July 3rd of 1999, Morphine's Mark Sandman, 46, died of a massive heart he suffered on-stage while playing in Italy, leaving surviving members Dana Coley (sax) and Billy Conway (drums) with an unreleased album back home in Sandman's home-studio, Hard Luck Music. Returning home to Boston, Conway and Coley laid low only breifly before deciding to play a series of fundraisers for the purpose of founding the Mark Sandman Music Education Fund. Sandman's sister taught music and once a year, the avant garde bassist/vocalist would teach a class on the importance of breaking the rules.
'It would end with five strings broken off the guitar. The kids loved it,' said Coley.
In 2000, Coley and Conway put an ensemble together called Moveable Bubble with strings and a female vocalist, performing re-tooled versions songs from the still unreleased album 'The Night'.
When the album came out this February, Coley and Conway took the name Orchestra Morphine and played a limited American tour, basically to say goodbye to Sandman and Morphine's devoted fans outside of Boston. Along with Sandman, Coley and Conway had played on the B'Town's underground rock scene since the 1980's. Dana Coley started off with Mark Sandman in Treat Her Right, and Conway played bass for the Collars before joining Morphine in 1995.
The Night
Orchestra Morphine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A little girl lost in the woods.
You're a folk tale, the unexplainable
You're a bedtime story.
The one that keeps the curtains closed.
I hope you're waiting for me cause I can make it on my own.
I can make it on my own.
It's too dark to see the landmarks.
I don't want your good luck charms.
I hope you're waiting for me across your carpet of stars.
You're the night, Lilah.
You're everything that we can't see.
Lilah, you're the possibility.
You're the bedtime story.
The one that keeps the curtains closed.
And I hope you're waiting for me cause I can make it on my own.
I can make it on my own.
Unknown the unlit world of old.
You're the sounds I never heard before.
Off the map where the wild things grow.
Another world outside my door.
Here I stand I'm all alone.
Drive me down the pitch black road.
Lilah you're my only home and I can't make it on my own.
You're a bedtime story.
The one that keeps the curtains closed.
And I hope you're waiting for me cause I can make it on my own.
I can make it on my own.
The Orchestra Morphine's song "The Night" is an enchanting piece that is rich in metaphors and imagery. The song seems to be addressing a character named Lilah who is the embodiment of the night. The opening lines read "You're the night, Lilah. A little girl lost in the woods. You're a folk tale, the unexplainable." The line "You're a folk tale, the unexplainable," gives the impression that Lilah is a mythical entity, something that is beyond logic and explanation. Lilah seems to be a source of mystery and possibilities, something that is hard to comprehend, but has the potential to reveal many secrets.
The next set of lines introduce Lilah as a bedtime story that keeps the curtains closed. The phrase "I hope you're waiting for me because I can make it on my own," implies that the singer finds comfort and support in Lilah's presence. The singer feels that he or she can handle anything with Lilah's assistance. However, despite this comforting feeling, the singer also acknowledges that the night and Lilah have their risks; "It's too dark to see the landmarks. I don't want your good luck charms."
The following verses engage the listener's imagination by creating a vivid image of the unlit world of the night that is full of unfamiliar sounds and movements. The line, "Another world outside my door," hints at possibilities and hidden treasures that the singer needs to explore with Lilah's guidance. The song's buildup creates an impression that Lilah is the only constant that the singer has in this unfamiliar world.
Line by Line Meaning
You're the night, Lilah.
You represent the darkness and mystery of the night, Lilah.
A little girl lost in the woods.
You are like a lost child wandering through the unknown and unfamiliar territory of life.
You're a folk tale, the unexplainable
You are like a story passed down through generations that defies explanation or understanding.
You're a bedtime story.
You are like a comforting tale that helps us fall asleep at night.
The one that keeps the curtains closed.
You are like a story that creates a sense of safety and security within us, allowing us to close off the outside world.
I hope you're waiting for me cause I can make it on my own.
I feel empowered by the thought of you waiting for me, but I also know that I am capable of overcoming challenges and obstacles without you.
It's too dark to see the landmarks.
The darkness of the night makes it difficult to find our way and see recognizable landmarks.
I don't want your good luck charms.
I do not believe in the power of superstitions or lucky objects to guide me in the dark.
I hope you're waiting for me across your carpet of stars.
I envision you waiting for me among the vast expanse of stars in the night sky.
You're everything that we can't see.
You represent the unknown and mysterious aspects of life that we cannot fully comprehend or perceive.
Lilah, you're the possibility.
You represent the infinite potential and endless opportunities that life holds.
Unknown the unlit world of old.
You are like an unexplored and forgotten world from the past, shrouded in darkness and mystery.
You're the sounds I never heard before.
You introduce me to new and unfamiliar experiences that I have never encountered before.
Off the map where the wild things grow.
You are like a place that is unmapped and uncharted, where untamed and unpredictable things can thrive.
Another world outside my door.
You represent a whole new world and way of life that lies just beyond my reach.
Here I stand I'm all alone.
I find myself standing in the darkness and uncertainty of the unknown, feeling vulnerable and exposed.
Drive me down the pitch black road.
Take me on a journey through the darkness and fear, where the outcome is unknown.
Lilah you're my only home and I can't make it on my own.
You are my source of comfort and safety in the midst of the unknown, and I cannot face it alone.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID JAMES JR. MINEHAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind