Morphine – Underrated Rock Band
If you are a fan of rock, blues and jazz, well there are some good news for you! Morphine has it all, they found a way to fuse all three genres and produce the most divine sound you have ever heard. Unquestionably one of the most underrated rock bands from the ’90s.
So…who were Morphine?
Morphine was an American rock band originally formed by Mark Sandman, Dana Colley and Jerome Deupree in 1989. They produced 5 successful studio albums during their active years. However, not all of the albums were produced by the same squad. While working on their first album, Jerome had health issues and had to be replaced by Billy Conway to play the drums. Jerome eventually returned for the debut album and went on a tour with the band through California.
Even though the project was successful Mark and Jerome had some personal differences which led to Jerome’s abandonment and short return to the band for the second album in 1993. After the second album he left the group again and eventually came back in 1998, in the bands final years. Meanwhile, from 1993 to 1998 Morphine had a solid success with their albums released between these years. Even got signed by a major record label like Dreamworks.
Sadly they didn’t succeed receiving bigger commercial support and weren’t able to go a step forward in the rock industry. This led to their limited exposure to the public in USA. Surprisingly, they still managed to achieve big following outside the USA, especially in Australia and Europe without the commercial support. Good music cannot go unheard, I guess.
Morphine was disbanded in 1999 after the shocking death of Mark Sandman who died while performing on stage in Italy.
Studio Albums:
1. Good (1992)
Good is the debut studio album by the Boston-based trio recorded in 1992. Originally they released the album via Accurate Label, but had to re-release it in 1993 via Rykodisc records. The album received splendid reviews and reactions from the public, which paved the way for their second album – Cure for Pain.
All of the songs on the album were written by Morphine’s front-man Mark Sandman. With the exception of ‘Lisa’ which was written by Dana Colley.
1. Good
2. The Saddest Song
3. Claire
4. Have a Lucky Day
5. You Speak My Language
6. You Look Like Rain
7. Do Not Go Quietly Unto Your Grave
8. Lisa
9. The Only One
10. Test-Tube Baby/Shoot’m Down
11. The Other Side
12. I Know You (Part I)
13. I Know You (Part II)
2. Cure for Pain (1993)
Released through the Rykodisc label in 1993, Cure for Pain is the band’s second studio album. As stated above, Jerome Deupree had to leave Morphine due to his health problems. This happened during the recording of the album. But that’s when Billy Conway stepped in and replaced the ill Jerome.
Cure for Pain is one of their most successful albums. Some of their tracks like ‘Buena’, ‘In Spite of Me’ & ‘Sheila’ were featured in movies and TV-shows like; The Sopranos, Daria and Beavis and Butt-head.
Also, Morphine sold over 300,000 copies worldwide for Cure for Pain.
Same as in their first album, Mark Sandman was responsible for all the lyrics with the exception of ‘Dawna’ which, again, was written by Dana Colley.
1. Dawna
2. Buena
3. I’m Free Now
4. All Wrong
5. Candy
6. A Head with Wings
7. In Spite of Me
8. Thursday
9. Cure for Pain
10. Mary Won’t You Call My Name
11. Let’s Take a Trip Together
12. Sheila
13. Miles Davis Funeral
3. Yes (1995)
Yes is the third studio album by the alternative rock group Morphine. Released in 1995, it was their first album to make the Billboard Top 200. However, it did not have the same success as its predecessor selling only half the copies Cure for Pain sold.
In similar fashion as the previous two, all of the songs featured on the album were written by Mark Sandman.
1. Honey White
2. Scratch
3. Radar
4. Whisper
5. Yes
6. All Your Way
7. Super Sex
8. I Had My Chance
9. The Jury
10. Sharks
11. Free Love
12. Gone for Good
4. Like Swimming (1997)
After obtaining big following all around the world with their first three albums, Morphine were signed by Dreamworks. Therefore, their fourth studio album was released through a major record label in the spring of 1997. Besides the positive feedback, Like Swimming managed to sell “only” 200,000 copies in US. Which is 100,000 less than Cure for Pain.
Likewise the previous albums, all songs were written by Morphine’s front-man Mark Sandman.
1. Lilah (instrumental)
2. Potion
3. I Know You (Pt. III)
4. Early to Bed
5. Wishing Well
6. Like Swimming
7. Murder for the Money
8. French Fries w/Pepper
9. Empty Box
10. Eleven O’Clock
11. Hanging on a Curtain
12. Swing It Low
5. The Night (2000)
Due to Mark Sandman‘s sudden death in 1999, The Night was released posthumously in 2000. “Luckily” the recording sessions were completed shortly before his death, but he never got the chance to play the album in front of a live audience.
For the first time, Morphine was a quartet instead of a trio since Jerome made a comeback and now the band had two drummers.
You know the drill already…all songs written by Mark Sandman.
1. The Night
2. So Many Ways
3. Souvenir
4. Top Floor, Bottom Buzzer
5. Like a Mirror
6. A Good Woman is Hard to Find
7. Rope on Fire
8. I’m Yours, You’re Mine
9. The Way We Met
10. Slow Numbers
11. Take Me with You
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