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I don't mind stealing bread
From the mouth of decadence
But I can't feed on the powerless
When my cup's already over-filled
But it's on the table.
The fire's cooking.
And they're farming babies
While the slaves are all working.
Blood is on the table.
The mouths are choking
And I'm going hungry
I'm going hungry [Repeat: x3]
From the mouth of decadence
But I can't feed on the powerless
When my cup's already over-filled
But it's on the table.
The fire's cooking.
And they're farming babies
While the slaves are all working.
Blood is on the table.
The mouths are choking
And I'm going hungry
I'm going hungry [Repeat: x3]
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Like, be grateful for whatever you can get from everyone who gives naturally, and don't be greedy with it by pushing them to give more than what they already have given so far, or making them give you something they don't have in the first place.
Like, be grateful for whatever you can get from everyone who gives naturally, and don't be greedy with it by pushing them to give more than what they already have given so far, or making them give you something they don't have in the first place.
Like, be grateful for whatever you can get from everyone who gives naturally, and don't be greedy with it by pushing them to give more than what they already have given so far, or making them give you something they don't have in the first place.
"I can't feed off the powerless when my cup's already overfilled".
I interpret this as a nod to Margaret Thatcher, the British PM at the time. Thatcher's cup, or agenda, is overfilled by protests against her and her handling of the strike. The 'powerless' are obviously the hunger-strikers, in particular Bobby Sands.
"Blood is on the table, the fire's cooking. They're farming babies, while the slaves are working".
This line is about life in the Maze Prison. 'Blood is on the table' because the prison guards are mistreating the prisoners. The fire is cooking because the nation is disgusted by all of this. 'They're farming babies' is a nod to the nurses in the prison's hospital wing; they are farming babies because the hunger strikers have become so weak, so they must nurse them like babies. 'While the slaves are working' is a reference to the public and how the people of Northern Ireland felt like slaves under British rule... the slaves are working to end the hunger strike and change Thatcher's stance and unite Northern Ireland with Ireland.
It's a pretty 'heavy' interpretation... but that's what this song means for me.
If anyone wants to learn more about the Hunger Strikes of 1981, check out the film 'Hunger', starring Michael Fassbender as Bobby Sands, and directed by Steve McQueen.
Jeff Ament
Matt Cameron
Chris Cornell
Stone Gossard
Mike McCready
Eddie Vedder
That's almost a who's who of grunge royalty! Or at least Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Mother Love Bone. Can you imagine Chris and Eddie trading off on vocals (either on the same song or taking their own songs to lead on), Chris prolly writing the lyrics (sorry Eddie) or at least most of them, and Ament, Cameron, McCready, and Gossard all rocking out behind them?
FUUUUUUUUUUCK. This is one of the best albums ever, IMO. Every song on it rocks. Pearl Jam's "Ten" might be as good as this one, but in my mind no other album from them or any of the other groups that followed was as good as this one. Although Soundgarden's harder stuff like "Beyond the Wheel" kicked ass too, so maybe it's good they all explored their own sounds.
I dunno, all's I know is it ROCKS!!!
And yeah mgb, Chris could rip the roof off the ceiling with his highs back then. Don't get me wrong, I still love his voice, but he can't hit that upper register anymore. I mean, he smoked for a long time, plus the dude's in his 40s and been screaming his head off most of his life, so who can blame him? But he still kicks ass just in a more gravelly sort of way. Eddie's voice is still strong because the way he sings is more controlled and he doesn't strain it as much. He could never go that high in the first place, but his voice is buttery and natural just as it is. Those two plus Layne Staley had the best voices in "grunge", though Kurt's was great too because it was really emotional. Scott Weiland is ok. The dude from Marcy Playground has an awesome voice too but it's not a "hard rock" voice, more alternative. Anyway, I'll shut up now.
I am going out on a limb and saying that Eddie Vedder, Chris Cornell, Stone, and Mike McCready succeeded in creating the perfect song on this one. This is like, the original grunge song.