Orpheus
Walker Brothers Lyrics

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Well, I'm back to make your face
So it smiles once again
And harpoon you like a whale
With a bent and rusty nail

If your husband knew, he'd say
That you're living in sin
Well, if grinnin' is a sin

That's the reason I'm here
Back with you, Mrs Blear

Sleep on, dear
Deep and easy, our night man is here
I'll steal your dreams for my shiny gold chain
And you'll wake with your eyes full of rain
Finding I've disappeared

I don't think of yesterday
Merely drum out the sound
But forgetting you was hard
That's why I'm back in town

And you had a loveless week
And the world's let you down
But I'll make it up somehow
There are ways, Mrs Brown
That's why I'm back in town

Sleep on, dear
For the night wouldn't dare interfere
And the ghosts of my cigarette play
On the ceiling, and time drifts away
With the burden it bears

Remember me
I've already forgotten you
And make your beds for me
For the things we ought not to do

Drive us all
'Round the bend

Overall Meaning

The song Orpheus is a deep and enigmatic tale of a man who is trying to reconnect with a woman who he had loved and left behind. The first two lines of the song speak about the singer's intent to "make your face so it smiles once again." He is trying to bring happiness back into her life by making her remember the happy times they shared together. However, the irony of the lyrics reveals itself in the next two lines, as the singer talks about "harpooning her like a whale" with a rusty nail. Here, the happy façade is revealed as something sinister and menacing.

The song then goes on to depict a series of uncomfortable and eerie interactions between the two, with the singer trying his hardest to make the woman forget the painful past as he tries to make amends for his previous behaviour. He talks about stealing her dreams, promising to make things up to her, and even suggests making a bed together. All these interactions are built on lies and deceit, and the lyrics suggest that the singer is not a trustworthy character.

The song lyrically plays with the ideas of love and loss, bringing darker nuances to the surface. The title of the song itself alludes to Greek mythology, with Orpheus being a figure known for his tragic love story. The song presents a complicated love story that shows the darker side of human nature, with people sometimes behaving in manipulative and offensive ways. Through the lyrics, the song paints a picture of a world that's not always easy to navigate, where people are haunted by their past and struggle to find a way to move forward.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, I'm back to make your face So it smiles once again And harpoon you like a whale With a bent and rusty nail
I have returned to bring happiness to your face, as I used to before, and am willing to do anything to make it happen, including hurting myself, just like a whaler would catch a whale with a rusty and bent nail.

If your husband knew, he'd say That you're living in sin Well, if grinnin' is a sin That's the reason I'm here Back with you, Mrs Blear
If your husband was aware of the fun we're having together, he would have a problem with it, but I'm here to make you smile, even if it's considered sinful, because it's worth it to me.

Sleep on, dear Deep and easy, our night man is here I'll steal your dreams for my shiny gold chain And you'll wake with your eyes full of rain Finding I've disappeared
Sleep well, my love, knowing that I'm watching over you through the night. I'll take your dreams and keep them for my own pleasure. When you wake up, you'll feel sad and lonely because I'll be gone.

I don't think of yesterday Merely drum out the sound But forgetting you was hard That's why I'm back in town
I don't dwell on the past and just let it be. Nonetheless, I found it tough to forget you, which is why I came back to the same place where we fell in love.

And you had a loveless week And the world's let you down But I'll make it up somehow There are ways, Mrs Brown That's why I'm back in town
Lately, you've been feeling empty and let down by the world. But, I am here to lift you back up and make it more positive again since I know there is a way to do so for happiness. That's why I'm back.

Sleep on, dear For the night wouldn't dare interfere And the ghosts of my cigarette play On the ceiling, and time drifts away With the burden it bears
Don't worry, love, nothing will bother you since I'll take care of it. The smoke from the cigarette I'm smoking hovers around like ghosts, filling the air while the time passes by, feeling heavy with its weight.

Remember me I've already forgotten you And make your beds for me For the things we ought not to do Drive us all 'Round the bend
Please remember me being here tonight, although I have already started to forget you. Prepare your bed for us to come together and do things that are immoral and not supposed to happen, for they might lead us to go insane.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: SCOTT ENGEL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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