Morphine Child

Savatage's song "Morphine Child" is a haunting exploration of memory, loss, and the passage of time. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a thief on a summer's night, who observes another's life fading away across an ocean. This thief, devoid of emotion, writes about this life and then pushes it from sight, symbolizing the act of forgetting or ignoring the suffering of others. The repeated lines "never makes a stand" and "Lord there's something wrong" emphasize a sense of moral failure and the consequences of inaction.

The song delves deeper into the theme of forgotten lives with the lines about a star's forgotten light and a child's devotion, which are lost in shallow graves. This imagery suggests that the memories and dreams of individuals are often buried and forgotten, much like the ghosts that haunt in their own way. The lyrics question the nature of memory and the ease with which people can let memories fade until they become mere shadows. This fading of memory is portrayed as both a defense mechanism and a moral failing, as it allows individuals to avoid confronting uncomfortable truths.

The chorus, with its repeated invocation of "cantations," adds a mystical and ritualistic element to the song, suggesting that the act of forgetting and the passage of time are almost like spells cast upon the mind. The protagonist, referred to as the "morphine child," embodies the pain and numbness that come with these forgotten memories. The reference to the Wizard of Oz and the metaphor of never looking behind the door further emphasize the theme of illusion and the reluctance to face reality. The song concludes with a sense of inevitability as time fades and night calls, leaving the listener with a lingering sense of melancholy and reflection on the nature of memory and loss.