Some Lysergic Africa
Steve Kilbey Lyrics

The lyrics to Steve Kilbey's song Some Lysergic Africa are open to interpretation, but one possible reading is that the singer is referring to a past life or an altered state of consciousness where they lived in Abyssinia, now known as Ethiopia. They see themselves as a warrior, perhaps hinting at a violent history, and observe a bleak present where the elephants have been killed and the world is out of balance, symbolized by the diptheria outbreak. The mention of ivory hints at the exploitation and destruction of nature and indigenous cultures that often accompanies colonialism and capitalism.

The phrase "lysergic Africa" suggests that the singer's perspective is altered by psychedelics or a mystical experience that allows them to see through time and space, uncovering hidden histories and realities. The song captures a sense of disorientation and fragmentation, as if the singer is trying to make sense of a world that is slipping away from them. Some of the other lines in the song, such as "I can taste the colours" and "I'm turning into ice," add to the surreal and dreamlike atmosphere.