The Smiths – Meat Is Murder

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Heifer whines could be human cries
Closer comes the screaming knife
This beautiful creature must die
This beautiful creature must die
A death for no reason
And death for no reason is MURDER

And the flesh you so fancifully fry
Is not succulent, tasty or kind
It's death for no reason
And death for no reason is MURDER

And the calf that you carve with a smile
Is MURDER
And the turkey you festively slice
Is MURDER
Do you know how animals die ?

Kitchen aromas aren't very homely
It's not "comforting", cheery or kind
It's sizzling blood and the unholy stench
Of MURDER

It's not "natural", "normal" or kind
The flesh you so fancifully fry
The meat in your mouth
As you savour the flavour
Of MURDER

NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER
NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER
Oh...and who hears when animals cry ?

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Lyrics submitted by Idan

Track duration: 06:46

"Meat Is Murder" as written by Steven Patrick/marr Morrissey

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Meat Is Murder song meanings
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117 Comments

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  • -2
    General Comment:He's really driving at the point that killing animals is murder. But what if I don't care?
    Flag cyrilsneeron March 22, 2013   Link
  • -2
    General Comment:He's really driving at the point that killing animals is murder. But what if I don't care?
    Flag cyrilsneeron March 22, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:uhm. Meat is Murder. Pretty blunt
    Flag treehuggreon March 18, 2013   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:Morrissey is clearly very passionate about this subject and this song definitely sticks in your mind with all its melancholy and gruesomeness.

    Although I understand completely why some people are vegetarians, I don't really see what the great problem is- after all, all carnivorous animals go around killing other animals for food, don't they? It's natural selection, survival of the fittest.

    However, I do think the animals we do raise for food should live good, free lives, not cooped up in tiny sheds and treated like science experiments.
    Flag manic4manicson October 09, 2012   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:"The cow noises are too much" - That's the whole point!!!

    I agree with each to their own to an extent and it is personal choice but Morrissey knew he had a platform and used it well to get the point across that meat IS murder no matter what way you look at it. And I don't think growing up where someone did or didn't kill rabbits is going to change that if you educate yourself and have thought about the subject. Propagandhi's "Nailing Descartes to the Wall/(Liquid) Meat Is Still Murder" is another great song about this.
    Flag Ryanrock88on November 09, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Memory:I can thank this song for the vegetarian conversion, and of course all the opinions that Morrissey has expressed through interviews etc. In just 24 days, I shall be celebrating a year of being vegie!
    Flag theghostoftroubledjoeon September 12, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hmm. It's a brilliant song, and I absolutely love the lyrics. Very poignant... but I don't find myself needing to convert to vegetarianism. Though this song does stick with you, I'll agree that point.
    Flag FoxySpiritOfJaxxon August 04, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm not vegetarian, and I don't really know how people can stand being vegetarians, but these lyrics are amazing! Extremely graphic and makes you think about what you actually eat when you're sitting there with a big steak infront of you.

    Amazing. Simply amazing.
    Flag Warflojdon July 12, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:as much as anything the arguments/opinions here show how fantastic it is that someone can use the medium of pop to express deeply held opinions and beliefs rather than just "my girlfriend loves me/left me/whatever" type inanities that we normally get fed.

    Agree or disagree with the moz he can certainly stir up peoples emotions
    Flag davo111on March 01, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Has anyone else noticed that the same 'chipmunk' vocals from Bigmouth Strikes Again are in this song?
    Flag poison29on December 20, 2010   Link

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