The following
lyrics are from the
Tesla song, "Edison's Medicine". From their
1991 album,
Psychotic Supper, it is a story about the band's
namesake,
Serbian-American scientist
Nikola Tesla, telling his side of the story; it's a side that is quite rarely heard, even today. Note the links below, as they'll help
navigate Tesla's life.
Edison's Medicine (Man Out of Time)
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 fright'ning",
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.