Morphine — Top Floor, Bottom Buzzer
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Length: 5:39
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First we'll pick Priscilla up. And then we'll stop for Jane.
And Mary Ellen needs a ride. We're going by her place.
We're going to a party. Our friends will all be there.
I got the directions. It's across the river somewhere.
We rang the top floor, bottom buzzer.
Top floor, bottom buzzer. Top floor, bottom buzzer.
The middle won't work. Ring the one under.
Priscilla's in the kitchen she's mixing drinks.
She's mixing one for me I think.
And one for Mary Ellen and one for Jane.
Priscilla, she knows how to use a shaker.
She doesn't get up as early as a baker. Uh huh.
There's a muchacha, teaching me to mambo.
There's my buddy Pete eyeing a bowl of combos.
Ramona and a man do a tango dip. Cheek to cheek, hip to hip, come on.
The window's open it's the heart of the summer.
More people coming looking for the number.
Mary Ellen sees them she has a little stutter. She yells...
T-top floor, b-bottom buzzer. Top floor, bottom buzzer.
Top floor, bottom buzzer. Top floor, bottom buzzer.
The middle won't work. Ring the one under. Come on. Woo.
It was later it was after two.
We found a bottle of good chartreuse.
The lights were green and gold. We played Latin soul.
By the time Priscilla put the Al Green on the bottle was gone.
On the top floor, bottom buzzer.
Top floor, bottom buzzer. Top floor, bottom buzzer.
The middle won't work. Ring the one under. Come on. Woo.
Top floor, bottom buzzer. Top floor, bottom buzzer.
Top floor, bottom buzzer. The middle won't work. Ring the one under. Come on. Woo.
And Mary Ellen needs a ride. We're going by her place.
We're going to a party. Our friends will all be there.
I got the directions. It's across the river somewhere.
We rang the top floor, bottom buzzer.
Top floor, bottom buzzer. Top floor, bottom buzzer.
The middle won't work. Ring the one under.
Priscilla's in the kitchen she's mixing drinks.
She's mixing one for me I think.
And one for Mary Ellen and one for Jane.
Priscilla, she knows how to use a shaker.
She doesn't get up as early as a baker. Uh huh.
There's a muchacha, teaching me to mambo.
There's my buddy Pete eyeing a bowl of combos.
Ramona and a man do a tango dip. Cheek to cheek, hip to hip, come on.
The window's open it's the heart of the summer.
More people coming looking for the number.
Mary Ellen sees them she has a little stutter. She yells...
T-top floor, b-bottom buzzer. Top floor, bottom buzzer.
Top floor, bottom buzzer. Top floor, bottom buzzer.
The middle won't work. Ring the one under. Come on. Woo.
It was later it was after two.
We found a bottle of good chartreuse.
The lights were green and gold. We played Latin soul.
By the time Priscilla put the Al Green on the bottle was gone.
On the top floor, bottom buzzer.
Top floor, bottom buzzer. Top floor, bottom buzzer.
The middle won't work. Ring the one under. Come on. Woo.
Top floor, bottom buzzer. Top floor, bottom buzzer.
Top floor, bottom buzzer. The middle won't work. Ring the one under. Come on. Woo.
Comments (118)add comment
My favorite Morphine.
Rockit9 wrote:
Me too!!
I always turn this one way UP.
Me too!!
Grayson wrote:
Good point. Ya got me thinking that the late 90's really was somewhat of a high water mark. I can't help but think we are somewhere under that mark at the moment.
This band was so late 90s. Before our world changed forever. Stoners' dee-light. Love them so.
Good point. Ya got me thinking that the late 90's really was somewhat of a high water mark. I can't help but think we are somewhere under that mark at the moment.
I am always pushing Morphine to the uninitiated. The music is too good to stay relatively obscure.
jukes1 wrote:
They were. I had the privilege of seeing them twice in Toronto, the first time in I think 1994 at a free outdoor concert at Harbourfront, the second time in 1995 at the Opera House on Queen Street E.
These guys must have been amazing live.
They were. I had the privilege of seeing them twice in Toronto, the first time in I think 1994 at a free outdoor concert at Harbourfront, the second time in 1995 at the Opera House on Queen Street E.
This band was so late 90s. Before our world changed forever. Stoners' dee-light. Love them so.
Groovy man
Dancing thru the Covid isolation..... THANKS !!!
I love this especially the bass and horns.
I always turn this one way UP.
These guys must have been amazing live.
Catchy, in a opiate-haze sort of way.
Rock sax at it's best with this guy!
such a strong bass for a two-string guitar tuned to a fifth
Girls and Boys: Prince ..?
Love the sounds Morphine makes with only three instruments and that sexy voice.
Rockit999 wrote:
Big Bottom Bass 2!
More Sax Please.
Big Bottom Bass 2!
Love this band. Glad to hear the remaining members are still going strong.
Would like to have been at this party. I have a thang for Jane
Damn, this is AWESOME!! I'm at an 8 and might get pushed to a 9 (esp. if I hear this while pre-funking and not while working)
Also, I'm thinking the list of folks getting picked up kinda sounds like one of Lazarus' chock full hotel room muleskinning gypsy parties.
Long Live RP!!
**EDIT** yup...8→9 on this funky pre-funktastic track!
Sax player, Dana, is my buddy. Incredibly funny, talented guy. The surviving members of morphine still play Under different names, mostly Vapors of morphine. Regular gig in Cambridge at Atwoods. They still Rock. RIP Sandman
BoFiS wrote:
As AllMusic states, "Sandman on vocals and a homemade, detuned two-string bass that he built himself," which might explain the unique, and recognizable sound.
He also played it with a slide.
As AllMusic states, "Sandman on vocals and a homemade, detuned two-string bass that he built himself," which might explain the unique, and recognizable sound.
He also played it with a slide.
unclehud wrote:
Not sure, but it sounds like they clipped all the treble out, leaving only the lowest harmonics. Knobs on the bass guitar, knobs on the amplifier, and knobs on the mixing board can be used separately or in combination.
That gives a muffled, throbbing sound, so a pick (or a thumbpick) allows the initial 'attack' to be clearly audible — essential for a solid rhythm section.
As AllMusic states, "Sandman on vocals and a homemade, detuned two-string bass that he built himself," which might explain the unique, and recognizable sound.
Not sure, but it sounds like they clipped all the treble out, leaving only the lowest harmonics. Knobs on the bass guitar, knobs on the amplifier, and knobs on the mixing board can be used separately or in combination.
That gives a muffled, throbbing sound, so a pick (or a thumbpick) allows the initial 'attack' to be clearly audible — essential for a solid rhythm section.
As AllMusic states, "Sandman on vocals and a homemade, detuned two-string bass that he built himself," which might explain the unique, and recognizable sound.
Great tune- a favorite of our's when driving the kid's to various high school parties...Bill and Rebecca maybe you should follow this one with a little Al Green!
very zesty ! cheek to cheekNice to get my Morphine fix early on a Saturday morning.
Haven't heard this before. Nice..
Typesbad wrote:
Not sure, but it sounds like they clipped all the treble out, leaving only the lowest harmonics. Knobs on the bass guitar, knobs on the amplifier, and knobs on the mixing board can be used separately or in combination.
That gives a muffled, throbbing sound, so a pick (or a thumbpick) allows the initial 'attack' to be clearly audible — essential for a solid rhythm section.
Never heard this one before, but you could tell it was Morphine before the first sax kicked in. What did they did to make that bass sound so distinctive?
Not sure, but it sounds like they clipped all the treble out, leaving only the lowest harmonics. Knobs on the bass guitar, knobs on the amplifier, and knobs on the mixing board can be used separately or in combination.
That gives a muffled, throbbing sound, so a pick (or a thumbpick) allows the initial 'attack' to be clearly audible — essential for a solid rhythm section.
More Sax Please.
hayduke2 wrote:
The surviving members have formed Vapors of Morphine. Not quite the same thing, but close.
Morphine's great, just went to youtube for "In spite of me"
fantastic. Shame he's no longer with us
fantastic. Shame he's no longer with us
The surviving members have formed Vapors of Morphine. Not quite the same thing, but close.
hencini wrote:
Indeed. If you don't like Cure for Pain, you don't like music. The odd-numbered tracks in the middle are some of my favorites of all time: In Spite of Me, Cure for Pain and (to only a slightly lesser extent) Candy.
Don't know the album but the title track is top-notch. This song does have the feel of a filler.
DD rabbi_phil wrote:
Rabbi Phil, where did you go? Miss your craziness.
Indeed. If you don't like Cure for Pain, you don't like music. The odd-numbered tracks in the middle are some of my favorites of all time: In Spite of Me, Cure for Pain and (to only a slightly lesser extent) Candy.
Don't know the album but the title track is top-notch. This song does have the feel of a filler.
DD rabbi_phil wrote:
givin' the klipsch a workout. yeah,thats what I'm talkin bout!
Rabbi Phil, where did you go? Miss your craziness.
Never heard this one before, but you could tell it was Morphine before the first sax kicked in. What did they did to make that bass sound so distinctive?
One of those groups which songs I can't rate lower than 7. Honestly. Another one is Calexico, Morcheeba and Thievery Corporation. This particular track is 8.
Morphine's great, just went to youtube for "In spite of me"
fantastic. Shame he's no longer with us
fantastic. Shame he's no longer with us
Great song.
And it just occurred to me...I live on the top floor, but have the bottom buzzer. And the middle doesn't work....you have to ring the one under. True story...
And it just occurred to me...I live on the top floor, but have the bottom buzzer. And the middle doesn't work....you have to ring the one under. True story...
I am hopping out of my chair - love the beat - fun song :-)
rdo wrote:
Don't bare please!
The stuffinicity of these guys is just way too much for me bare. I need AIR!!!
Don't bare please!
I miss Morphine.
sultry boozy smoky smooth as you like it...
Bass+Sax = Morphine
Bass+Sax+Drums+Organ+Guitar = ??
Funky blues good for a 6 degree day!
Yes, Morphine.
Love it!!!
Top vomit
Bottom bucket....
Bottom bucket....
I walked into the room with RP playing this song before I knew who it was. I'm thinking that has to be Morphine. There is no other voice like Sandman's!
Love these guys! Keep it going!
The stuffinicity of these guys is just way too much for me bare. I need AIR!!!
hencini wrote:
If you don't like Cure for Pain, you don't like music.
That's right. It is an absolute wonderful album - from the first note to the last.
I never thought about morphine's songs sounding similar. I like almost every song of them...I think I just can't get enough of it & Mark Sandman's way of singing: he had an attitude in it I liked a lot. he sounded like a (likable) bon vivant.
And I'll always be grateful for having had the pleasure to seeing them live in '95. It was a marvellous gig, in a -literally- tiny shoebox, with a marvellous (sax) sound. They were such a great and fun live band. They're one of the bands I miss A LOT. There's only one band I miss more: E.S.T. (Esbjörn Svensson Trio).
If you don't like Cure for Pain, you don't like music.
That's right. It is an absolute wonderful album - from the first note to the last.
I never thought about morphine's songs sounding similar. I like almost every song of them...I think I just can't get enough of it & Mark Sandman's way of singing: he had an attitude in it I liked a lot. he sounded like a (likable) bon vivant.
And I'll always be grateful for having had the pleasure to seeing them live in '95. It was a marvellous gig, in a -literally- tiny shoebox, with a marvellous (sax) sound. They were such a great and fun live band. They're one of the bands I miss A LOT. There's only one band I miss more: E.S.T. (Esbjörn Svensson Trio).
Leener wrote:
Nasty liqueur, nice color, pretty good tune.
Awesome opening and any song that mentions Chartreuse gets an extra point.
Nasty liqueur, nice color, pretty good tune.
Hot damn, this is good.
It could be my mood, the great quality stream, or the good headphones, but this is really hitting it right at the moment.
Put together from chops of other songs or not, good is good. And I think this is really good.
Put together from chops of other songs or not, good is good. And I think this is really good.
Dedicated to the not so Secret Service
I really like Morphine. I couldn't listen them all day because their songs are all very simular, but then again I could say that about every band (Except for Pink Floyd of course).
(Another) one I can't believe I hadn't rated before - immediate 9+
impediguy wrote:
Indeed. If you don't like Cure for Pain, you don't like music. The odd-numbered tracks in the middle are some of my favorites of all time: In Spite of Me, Cure for Pain and (to only a slightly lesser extent) Candy.
Come on people! So much bad hype and yet so little said. Morphine is not bad, and this song does not epitomize them. This song was mixed from the dregs of their recordings after Mark Sandman died of a heart attack on stage. That is, this album was put together from bits and pieces of yet unpublished recordings from a dead man.
Morphine was quite good before their career abruptly ended in 1999. The three piece band consists of three members: Dana Colley, a baritone sax player; Billy Conway (or once Jerome Deupree) on drums; and Mark Sandman who sang and often played a two-string bass guitar with a slide. The band's sound was obviously in the low register with Mark Sandman's deep voice, a slide-bass, and baritone sax. Their sound is like a silky smooth addiction. I highly recommend that you all listen to their "Cure for Pain" CD before speculating about the band and posting morbid postmortem about a single song.
They were very great guys as well, who bonded well with their audiences. Dana Colley would sometimes take pictures of their audience during shows for their own memory. There will be a documentary on Mark Sandman this year.
Morphine was quite good before their career abruptly ended in 1999. The three piece band consists of three members: Dana Colley, a baritone sax player; Billy Conway (or once Jerome Deupree) on drums; and Mark Sandman who sang and often played a two-string bass guitar with a slide. The band's sound was obviously in the low register with Mark Sandman's deep voice, a slide-bass, and baritone sax. Their sound is like a silky smooth addiction. I highly recommend that you all listen to their "Cure for Pain" CD before speculating about the band and posting morbid postmortem about a single song.
They were very great guys as well, who bonded well with their audiences. Dana Colley would sometimes take pictures of their audience during shows for their own memory. There will be a documentary on Mark Sandman this year.
Indeed. If you don't like Cure for Pain, you don't like music. The odd-numbered tracks in the middle are some of my favorites of all time: In Spite of Me, Cure for Pain and (to only a slightly lesser extent) Candy.
Not one of their better efforts....
givin' the klipsch a workout. yeah,thats what I'm talkin bout!
Mmmm.... had to turn this one up!
One of my new FAVORITE bands thanks to RP. SO original with just bass, tenor sax and drums. Not for everyone...but very, very cool. Sandman was a brilliant and creative musician taken way too soon.
impediguy wrote:
Yeah, what he said...
Come on people! So much bad hype and yet so little said. Morphine is not bad, and this song does not epitomize them. This song was mixed from the dregs of their recordings after Mark Sandman died of a heart attack on stage. That is, this album was put together from bits and pieces of yet unpublished recordings from a dead man.
Morphine was quite good before their career abruptly ended in 1999. The three piece band consists of three members: Dana Colley, a baritone sax player; Billy Conway (or once Jerome Deupree) on drums; and Mark Sandman who sang and often played a two-string bass guitar with a slide. The band's sound was obviously in the low register with Mark Sandman's deep voice, a slide-bass, and baritone sax. Their sound is like a silky smooth addiction. I highly recommend that you all listen to their "Cure for Pain" CD before speculating about the band and posting morbid postmortem about a single song.
They were very great guys as well, who bonded well with their audiences. Dana Colley would sometimes take pictures of their audience during shows for their own memory. There will be a documentary on Mark Sandman this year.
Morphine was quite good before their career abruptly ended in 1999. The three piece band consists of three members: Dana Colley, a baritone sax player; Billy Conway (or once Jerome Deupree) on drums; and Mark Sandman who sang and often played a two-string bass guitar with a slide. The band's sound was obviously in the low register with Mark Sandman's deep voice, a slide-bass, and baritone sax. Their sound is like a silky smooth addiction. I highly recommend that you all listen to their "Cure for Pain" CD before speculating about the band and posting morbid postmortem about a single song.
They were very great guys as well, who bonded well with their audiences. Dana Colley would sometimes take pictures of their audience during shows for their own memory. There will be a documentary on Mark Sandman this year.
Yeah, what he said...
Come on people! So much bad hype and yet so little said. Morphine is not bad, and this song does not epitomize them. This song was mixed from the dregs of their recordings after Mark Sandman died of a heart attack on stage. That is, this album was put together from bits and pieces of yet unpublished recordings from a dead man.
Morphine was quite good before their career abruptly ended in 1999. The three piece band consists of three members: Dana Colley, a baritone sax player; Billy Conway (or once Jerome Deupree) on drums; and Mark Sandman who sang and often played a two-string bass guitar with a slide. The band's sound was obviously in the low register with Mark Sandman's deep voice, a slide-bass, and baritone sax. Their sound is like a silky smooth addiction. I highly recommend that you all listen to their "Cure for Pain" CD before speculating about the band and posting morbid postmortem about a single song.
They were very great guys as well, who bonded well with their audiences. Dana Colley would sometimes take pictures of their audience during shows for their own memory. There will be a documentary on Mark Sandman this year.
Morphine was quite good before their career abruptly ended in 1999. The three piece band consists of three members: Dana Colley, a baritone sax player; Billy Conway (or once Jerome Deupree) on drums; and Mark Sandman who sang and often played a two-string bass guitar with a slide. The band's sound was obviously in the low register with Mark Sandman's deep voice, a slide-bass, and baritone sax. Their sound is like a silky smooth addiction. I highly recommend that you all listen to their "Cure for Pain" CD before speculating about the band and posting morbid postmortem about a single song.
They were very great guys as well, who bonded well with their audiences. Dana Colley would sometimes take pictures of their audience during shows for their own memory. There will be a documentary on Mark Sandman this year.
Mark Sandman just had such a great gift with words. The tunes are the cherry on top. How sexy is "top floor bottom buzzer"? Woof!
I'm not really one for posting here... but I have to say that Morphine is one of those groups that each song sounds so similar that even if there is a large gap between each individual song being played, it feels like they are played far too frequently.
I also have to agree with some of the previous posters that this one in particular is particularly poor.
I also have to agree with some of the previous posters that this one in particular is particularly poor.
Axelito wrote:
Consistency is not always a virtue.
I just hate Morphine, every single song...
Consistency is not always a virtue.
I just hate Morphine, every single song...
bam23 wrote:
Exactly. The tune is uninspired and boring.
The principal issue I have with this band is exemplified by this song. The lyrics like an excuse to put together a tune, without any particular reason other than that they needed to record something. All bands have a sound, some more stereotyped than others. Morphine uses the same mix of instruments in pretty much the same way for all the songs I have heard. This particular one falls shorter than most on the lyrics side.
Exactly. The tune is uninspired and boring.
The principal issue I have with this band is exemplified by this song. The lyrics like an excuse to put together a tune, without any particular reason other than that they needed to record something. All bands have a sound, some more stereotyped than others. Morphine uses the same mix of instruments in pretty much the same way for all the songs I have heard. This particular one falls shorter than most on the lyrics side.
Yeah BB! 
I gotta meet this Priscilla...
Awesome opening and any song that mentions Chartreuse gets an extra point.
whooo!
OK, the keyboards bumped this from 6 to 7!Oh man, I like that! Groovy in an addled sort of way..
thyceomx wrote:
Cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool! ;-)
Oh man, I haven't heard this in a while... So good! 8 > 9
I wonder if I had never heard these guys before whether I would find this song more palettable. As it is, every time a Morphine song starts it's immediately obvious that it's them, and not in a good way. It's gotten really tiresome.
Ho Hum.
Ho Hum.
Great tune from lesser known combo.
great turnpike truckin" sounds.....ride Sally ride
ick wrote:
yeah...... Killer! ....
Slutty sax... subzero bass!
yeah...... Killer! ....
I was thinking this was Cake and the singer had a cold or something.
I like it.
I like it.
Verpeiler wrote:
For some reason I think I just heard the Eels
distorted "talking" vocals
It's the reason I like both the EEls and Morphine
For some reason I think I just heard the Eels
distorted "talking" vocals
It's the reason I like both the EEls and Morphine
Slutty sax... subzero bass!
I gots to get me some morphine and maybe this CD too?
besides being a badass song, their name makes me smile. That stuff is great on the rare occasion that I am celebrating extremely heavily.
Cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool! ;-)
wow I wish this song could go on forever.....oh wait....it does...
De ja vu, anyone? Bill is obsessed with this band! Reminds me so much of early 2000 times ...
"She's mixing one for me I think.
And one for Mary Ellen and one for Jane."
And one for Mary Ellen and one for Jane."
Sax ok rest boring. #4
Doogie wrote:
this doogie agrees. The sax rocks though!
Keep the sax, the rest can go
this doogie agrees. The sax rocks though!
It's OK... I'd like it better, but we live on the bottom floor, top buzzer, so I just can't relate.
Groovy... it makes me swing.
Top Beat!
Bottom Vocals!
Bottom Vocals!
Ho.
Hum.
Boring song but I love the new layout of the site!! :)
Hum.
Boring song but I love the new layout of the site!! :)
Until I saw it was Morphine (which is hit or miss for me too) I thought this had snuck in from the LRC 
Very cool. Morphine nicely demonstrates that less is often more, like when it comes to the many overproduced tunes that keep getting puked out by the big labels.
great funkin' groove
saw them at the showbox in seattle in the 90's
RIP sandman
saw them at the showbox in seattle in the 90's
RIP sandmanWizzuvv_oz wrote:
I agree twice.
Thrice.
Most of Morphine's songs are hit-or-miss to me...either I really like them ("Buena") or I could do without them. This one is one of the few that fall right between those two categories...it's not bad, but doesn't really blow me away, either. A solid "5".
I could do without the chicks singing in the background during the chorus, though. This may get a "4", just because of them.
Keep the sax, the rest can go
linden wrote:
For some reason, now I want to hear some Steely Dan.
For some reason I think I just heard the Eels
For some reason, now I want to hear some Steely Dan.
Why I love RP
Was going to rip on this song at first. Then read the comments, and gave it a chance.
While not my complete cup of tea, it has it place.
Without RP, I would have never listen and taken the knee jerk reaction.
The Kingfish
Yay for some Morphine!
I got to see them minus Mark Sandman :( performing as the Twinemen a couple years ago. They have a female vocalist now. She (and the band as a whole) is fantastic.
saulpena wrote:
Morphine rules ! 
Yea, the DRUG not the group! (I'm a heart patient, so I know)
OMG Bill. I'm torn, I have to suffer through a Morphine song I've never heard before, but I'm excited because I get to rip on it as well!
Meh!
loversclub wrote:
Jo, kann man wirklich raushören.
Fiel mir auch spontan ein. 
edit: oder meintest Du das gar nicht?
the sound of loversclub !!!
...Lovemachine in town...
Jo, kann man wirklich raushören.
Fiel mir auch spontan ein.
edit: oder meintest Du das gar nicht?
In the beginning, the whole tune might be a funny and original one (including a nice sax), but it\'s much too long and repeats itself too often then. 
the sound of loversclub !!!
Morphine rules !
OMG... this is going to get stuck in my head!
G R O O V Y ! !
DoctorHooey wrote:
One of the funkiest songs from the best album Morphine ever made. They just got better and better.
I agree twice.
Nobody makes music like Morphine and I wish their time hadn't been cut short.
One of the funkiest songs from the best album Morphine ever made. They just got better and better.
It was later it was after two.
We found a bottle of good chartreuse.
The lights were green and gold. We played Latin soul.
By the time Priscilla put the Al Green on the bottle was gone. . . .
I remember that party . . . sort of.