Blue Oyster Cult – Veteran Of The Psychic Wars lyrics

Blue Oyster Cult – Veteran Of The Psychic Wars lyrics

You see me now a veteran of a thousand psychic wars
I've been living on the edge so long
Where the winds of limbo roar
And I'm young enough to look at
And far too old to see
All the scars are on the inside
I'm not sure if there's anything left of me

Don't let these shakes go on
It's time we had a break from it
It's time we had some leave
We've been living in the flames
We've been eating up our brains
Oh, please don't let theses shakes go on

You ask me why I'm weary, why I can't speak to you
You blame me for my silence
Say it's time I changed and grew
But the war's still going on dear
And there's no end that I know
And I can't say if we're ever...
I can't say if we're ever gonna to be free

Don't let these shakes go on
It's time we had a break from it
It's time we had some leave
We've been living in the flames
We've been eating out our brains
Oh, please don't let theses shakes go on

You see me now a veteran of a thousand psychic wars
My energy's spent at last
And my armor is destroyed
I have used up all my weapons and I'm helpless and bereaved
Wounds are all I'm made of
Did I hear you say that this is victory?

Don't let these shakes go on
It's time we had a break from it
Send me to the rear
Where the tides of madness swell
And been sliding into hell
Oh, please don't let shakes go on
Don't let these shakes go on
Don't let these shakes go on

Lyrics taken from /lyrics/b/blue_oyster_cult/veteran_of_the_psychic_wars.html

Songwriters: MICHAEL MOORCOCK

Veteran Of The Psychic Wars lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Veteran Of The Psychic Wars meanings

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+ 4
Angela Hamon 2016-08-27 20:22:28

I think the song is about PTSD, which was poorly researched at the time the song was written. I can see it being about relationship, but relationships are often casualties of deployment. Another striking meaning to me, is people fighting Parkinson's or other disabilities involving neurology. Even drug addiction could be a war with shakes. So is the conflict internal or external? Either way, he expects it to continue for a very long time, if not forever. There are just too many nuanced layers of meaning for me to say how you should interpret these powerful words.
Have you ever watched someone struggle with just daily life, socially, emotionally, or in practical matters? What feelings do you think they had? Did they have trouble articulating it to you? Poverty of speech? Schizophrenia? Dementia? The author does not expect a good outcome but he still fights, which is how I see the struggles of some unfortunate people.
I would really love to hear from anyone who thinks it is about use and misuse of clairvoyance, or telepathically sharing thoughts, like the above "PsychicWarVet" describes. That is probable and so fascinating as yet another meaning. This song is like a crystal. It is clear to everyone looking at it from different angles, and each person takes a different shade with them based on his own life!

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PsychicWarVet 2012-04-18 08:32:11

Well I know it's about nam vets but for me the song has its own meaning back when it came out I had & was do a lot of hallucinogenic to the point of near madness and there was a few of us who would mess with each other while tripping if you have done it you know you can mess with peoples heads and we did like a psychic war of some kind and even if you won you may have lost and back then just like here and now its hard to explain it less you've been there just like any war so the bottom two comments are to the point as well.

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Unregistered 2011-09-26 05:52:36

The singer laments about the emotional war he's been waging against his personal demons. He's caught between heaven and hell (where the winds of Limbo roar) because he's still has a semblance of a life but he's not really living. His partner(?) is frustrated and angry with him. She needs him to get over this. But he can't; nor does he see an end in sight (i can't say if we're ever gonna be free). He's exhausted and bereaved. There's nothing left of him. He pleads for even just a break (send me to the rear). He begs that his madness will end.

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