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Dead Cats, Dead Rats Lyrics
Dead cats, dead rats.
Did you see what they were at, all right.
Dead cat in a top hat, wooh!
Sucking on the young man's blood.
Wishing he could come, yeah.
Sucking on the soldier's brain.
Wishing it would be the same.
Dead cat, dead rat.
Did you see what they were at.
Fat cat in a top hat.
Thinks he's an aristocrat.
Thinks he can kill and slaughter.
Thinks he can shoot my daughter.
Yeah, right.
Oh yeah.
Oh right.
Yeah...
Dead cats, dead rats.
Think you're an aristocrat.
Crap, that's crap.
Source: Cobo Hall, Detroit - May 8, 1970
Yeah, It's on the Absolutely Live Album. It's basically just Jim doing his whole Improv peotry in their songs thing. I'm not sure if it has any deeper meaning. Sounds to me like it's about politicians.
This is a comment on war, politicians, and killing. Mostly how the people in charge can traud anyone out there to die and make everything justifiable, even murder. And of course, it leads into "Break on Through".
I'd have to agree with BigEvil. Sort of like how the rich can screw up anything.
Acid trip??? Lol
It's definitely political, seems to strongly allude to the Vietnam war and the people who were sent to die there for the sake of "fat cats" politics.
The people of South Vietnam plus the Cambodians (and others) might disagree :) Interesting song, but I doubt it has to do with the Vietnam war due to the following: "Thinks he can shoot my daughter." Women were not allowed in combat and pretty much not allowed near it. They served mainly as nurses during that war. If he had used the word "son" I might agree with you. 'Slaughter" does rhyme with 'daughter," which may be why he chose to use it, but it causes confusion.
The people of South Vietnam plus the Cambodians (and others) might disagree :) Interesting song, but I doubt it has to do with the Vietnam war due to the following: "Thinks he can shoot my daughter." Women were not allowed in combat and pretty much not allowed near it. They served mainly as nurses during that war. If he had used the word "son" I might agree with you. 'Slaughter" does rhyme with 'daughter," which may be why he chose to use it, but it causes confusion.
I did a teeney tiny bit of online research and found that women (military) listed as dead during the war died from injuries suffered in plane and helicopter crashes plus from shrapnel wounds.
I did a teeney tiny bit of online research and found that women (military) listed as dead during the war died from injuries suffered in plane and helicopter crashes plus from shrapnel wounds.
I suppose it could have to do with abortion being illegal in 1970, when the song was written. Row V Wade was passed in 1972, if I recall correctly from my feminist days. Women were dying from self-induced abortions. Unfortunatly, many women believed their lives were over if they went through with a pregnancy (even though adoption was always an option). Unmarried pregnant women were frowned upon and appearances meant a lot to many (and still do, unfortunately); there was pressure from families to keep conditions underwraps and abortion seemed like a viable (but illegal) option. And in 1970 there...
I suppose it could have to do with abortion being illegal in 1970, when the song was written. Row V Wade was passed in 1972, if I recall correctly from my feminist days. Women were dying from self-induced abortions. Unfortunatly, many women believed their lives were over if they went through with a pregnancy (even though adoption was always an option). Unmarried pregnant women were frowned upon and appearances meant a lot to many (and still do, unfortunately); there was pressure from families to keep conditions underwraps and abortion seemed like a viable (but illegal) option. And in 1970 there would have been huge pressure on our politicians (the "fat cats") to make abortion a legal remedy to a pesky child problem.