You're guilty of crime in the first degree,
Second and third as well.
My jury finds you'll be serving your time
When you go straight to hell.

'Cause he was Lord of the Lightning,
Though "socially frightening",
But never out to sell.

Their nickels and pence
Meant more than did sense,
And not the sensible thing.

Nor did the man outta time, man outta time.
Thought you was crazy, you was one of a kind.
Man outta time, man outta time.
All along, world was wrong, you was right.

All that he saw, all he conceived,
They just could not believe.
Steinmetz and Twain were friends that remained,
Along with number three.
He was electromagnetic, completely kinetic,
"New Wizard of the West."
But they swindled and whined that he wasn't our kind,
And said Edison knew best.

He was the man outta time, man outta time.
Thought you was crazy, you was one of a kind.
Man outta time, man outta time.
Said you was outta your mind!

You took a shot and it did you in.
Edison's medicine.
You played your cards, but you couldn't win.
Edison's medicine.

I spent twelve years of hard time,
More like the best years of my life.
Never heard or read a single word
About "the man" and his "wicked mind."
They'll sell you on Marconi.
Familiar, but a phony.
Story goes they sold their souls
And swore that you'd never know.

About the man outta time, man outta time.
Thought you was crazy, you was one of a kind.
Man outta time, man outta time.
Swore you was outta your mind!

You took a shot and it did you in.
Edison's medicine.
You played your cards, but you couldn't win.
Edison's medicine.

You took a shot and it did you in.
Edison's medicine.
You played your cards, but you couldn't win.
Edison's medicine.


Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings

Edison's Medicine Lyrics as written by Frank Hannon Brian Wheat

Lyrics © RING BEARER MUSIC LTD

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Edisons Medicine song meanings
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    My Interpretation

    The earlier interpretations of this song seem mostly correct to me; I'll add only a few ideas here: "All that he saw, all he conceived....they just could not believe", etc. most likely refers to the inability of laymen or financiers to chance on/ or interpret the concepts of visionaries like Nikola Tesla. e.g. The world is not flat after all. "Steinmetz and Twain were the friends that remained, along with number 3" I'm fairly certain the "number 3" refered to here is TIME magazine's volume 18, issue number 3 released on July 20, 1931 which contained an article about Tesla (and featured him on the cover) that depicted him in a favorable light. "But they sniveled and whined and he wasn't our kind, etc." Edison was not "crazy" per se and was easier to accept. His ideas were more easily digestible...Tesla disappears into obscurity...except in Croatia where he's one of their proudest countrymen. "You took a shot and it did you in...Edison's Medicine" I think this is a reference to Tesla's bold and fearless attempts at sharing his inventions with the world...but falling flat by contrast with the likes of Marconi and Edison....I think it's irony they're going for here. Edison's Medicine being a hard pill to swallow for Tesla.

    srvliveson April 02, 2013   Link

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