Cod'ine
Sainte marie buffy Lyrics
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I feel like I'm dyin' an' I wish I were dead
If I lived till tomorrow it's gonna be a long time
For I'll reel and I'll fall and rise on codine
An' it's real, an' it's real, one more time
When I was a young man I learned not to care
Wild whiskey, confronted I often did swear
But the fate of their baby is many times worse
An' it's real, an' it's real, one more time
You'll forget your woman, you'll forget about man
Try it just once, an' you'll try it again
It's sometimes you wonder and it's sometimes you think
That I'm a-living my life with abandon to drink
An' it's real, an' it's real, one more time
Stay away from the cities, stay away from the towns
Stay away from the men pushin' the codine around
Stay away from the stores where the remedy is found
I will live a few days as a slave to codine
An' it's real, an' it's real, one more time
An' my belly is craving, I've got a shakin' in my head
An' I've started heating whether my body said
Steady yourself with the grains of cocaine
An' you'll end dead or you'll end up insane
An' it's real, an' it's real, one more time
An' my belly is craving, I got shaking in my head
I feel like I'm dyin' an' I wish I were dead
If I lived till tomorrow it's gonna be a long time
For I'll reel and I'll fall and rise on codine
An' it's real, an' it's real, one more time
An' it's real, an' it's real, one more time
The song "Cod'ine," written by Buffy Sainte-Marie, is a hauntingly beautiful and melancholic ballad about drug addiction. The song begins with the singer expressing how their "belly is craving" and how they feel like they're dying and wish to be dead. They acknowledge that if they live till the next day, it's going to feel like a long time of them reeling and falling as they rise on codine. The repeated refrain drives home the sense of desperation and hopelessness that comes with addiction.
The second verse discusses the singer's past experiences with alcoholism, highlighting how they learnt not to care and faced many confrontations before realizing that whiskey is a curse. The song then switches back to the present reality of the singer's addiction to codine. They warn others to stay away from cities, stores, or people pushing codine, and they caution against trying it just once, as it can quickly spiral out of control. The song ends with the singer reflecting back on their current state, and how their body is shaking, and they're heating up. They underline the danger of addiction's slippery slope, stating that you'll either end up insane or dead.
Line by Line Meaning
An' my belly is craving, I got shakin' in my head
I have a strong urge for drugs and my body is reacting negatively to withdrawal
I feel like I'm dyin' an' I wish I were dead
The pain of withdrawal is so intense that death seems like a better option
If I lived till tomorrow it's gonna be a long time
The days will feel long and difficult without the relief of drugs
For I'll reel and I'll fall and rise on codine
My life is consumed by the cycle of getting high and crashing back down
An' it's real, an' it's real, one more time
The harsh reality of drug addiction is inescapable and always present
When I was a young man I learned not to care
I started using drugs at a young age and stopped caring about the consequences
Wild whiskey, confronted I often did swear
Despite my parents warning about the dangers of alcohol, I still drank excessively
My mother and father said whiskey is a curse
My parents warned me about the dangers of alcohol abuse
But the fate of their baby is many times worse
My addiction to drugs is worse than what my parents feared from me drinking alcohol
You'll forget your woman, you'll forget about man
Drugs will consume your life and relationships with loved ones will suffer
Try it just once, an' you'll try it again
Drug addiction can start with just one use and quickly spiral out of control
It's sometimes you wonder and it's sometimes you think
I sometimes question my life choices and wonder how I got here
That I'm a-living my life with abandon to drink
I'm living recklessly and alcohol and drugs are controlling my life
Stay away from the cities, stay away from the towns
Drug use is rampant in urban areas and it's best to avoid these places if trying to stay sober
Stay away from the men pushin' the codine around
Drug dealers are everywhere but avoiding them is essential to breaking the cycle of addiction
Stay away from the stores where the remedy is found
Pharmacies and drug stores hold the cure, but can also be the source of the addiction
I will live a few days as a slave to codine
It can feel like living in bondage, where drugs control your life and you're unable to escape
An' my belly is craving, I've got a shakin' in my head
Drug cravings are intense and physical symptoms, like shaking, are common during withdrawal
An' I've started heating whether my body said
I'm ignoring the warning signs that my body is sending and continuing to use drugs
Steady yourself with the grains of cocaine
Instead of seeking help, I'm turning to another addictive substance to ease the pain
An' you'll end dead or you'll end up insane
The consequences of addiction can be fatal or lead to severe mental health issues
An' it's real, an' it's real, one more time
The harsh reality of drug addiction is inescapable and always present
An' it's real, an' it's real, one more time
The harsh reality of drug addiction is inescapable and always present
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BUFFY SAINTE MARIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@slint69
And my belly is craving,
I got a shakin' in my head,
Feel like I'm dyin' and I wish I was dead.
If I lived till tomorrow that'll be a long time,
But I'll reel and I'll fall and rise on cod'ine
And it's real, and it's real, one more time.
Well, when I was a young girl I learned not to care
About whiskey and from it I often did swear.
My mother and father said whiskey is a curse,
But the fate of their baby is a many times worse,
And it's real, and it's real, one more time.
Stay away from the cities, stay away from the towns,
Stay away from the men pushin' the cod'ine around.
Stay away from the stores where the remedy is fine,
For better your pain than be caught on cod'ine,
And it's real, and it's real, one more time.
You'll forget you're a woman, you'll forget about men,
Try it just once, and you'll try it again.
You'll forget about life, you'll forget about time,
And you'll live off your days as a slave to cod'ine.
And it's real, and it's real, one more time.
But if I die tomorrow, still one thing I've done,
I'd heeded the warning that I got when I was young.
My one satisfaction it comes when I think
That I'm living my life without bendin' to drink
And it's real, and it's real, one more time.
And my belly is craving, I got a shaking in my head
I feel like I'm dyin' and I wish I was dead.
If I live till tomorrow that'll be a long time,
For I'll reel and I'll fall and I'll die on cod'ine,
And it's real, and it's real, one more time.
@andrewfiddes446
iv been an addict for 40 yrs tried every which way to get of it , its a lonely road , they song is beautiful and so real im glad i found it makes me realize im not alone , bless anyone who has to go through it , my names joe and im a life long addict ,
@jamiejohnson6227
Five years in just can't break it I fell its part of me now
@Mike-Wolfe
Just came off of 4 days of grooling sobriety, and came straight to this song. From black tar in the 90's, to O.G. yellow norcos in the 2000's, on to oxy 2010's, and now poppy pod tea for a total of over 30 years. My heart go's out to all the long term survivor's who can hold it together, work hard, and raise a strong family, survivor's of chronic physical, and or mental pain. God bless be safe, and always remember to hook a brother up.
@andrewfiddes446
I weened myself down of itnow straight for 1 weak though I'm not outta the woods yet but I'm happy for sobriety . Its the longest iv been sober for 40yrs I'm getting it tight but have cocooned myself away . And am trying very hard but boy is it tough . Can't eat nor sleep and I'm having out of body experiences . Which seem quite freaky. . . .
@ig-8887
One of the orgin points of psychedelic rock. Remember, psychedelic rock isn't just about Acid and Weed, it's about capturing the experience of perception-altering drugs, and in this case, it's Codine. The fluctuating tempo and droning, and lyrics, they are meant to evoke that experience. While this is definitely folk, its very intense and was a massive influence on rock.
@groovyguru5314
So many artists have covered this amazing song,nothing better than the original,love ya Buffy,!!!!
@randymiller7432
Janis Joplin did an AMAZING take on this song!!!
@yc4911
You need to hear the Sean and the Brandywines version, and later we talk
@danielbaker9764
This song is so awesome I just love hearing her singing this
@telequacker-9529
True words... but at the same time, it speaks to me, I've taken parts from 3 different versions mixed with my own to cover it. (A true folk tune, it seems....) This version has a musical complexity I could never match. Not to mention the singing. That voice... But I will carry the words to the emo/drank/oxycontin generation and as far beyond, as I can bring it through my days. The song is timeless. They will be singing it in 3000 years like Turn Turn Turn.