The Thief (Can cover)

It is a Can cover, and being a fan of both bands for years now, I was delighted when I finally heard this version. What an amazing job they did of it. If you like this, you'll love the original. It's just a shame that Radiohead have only played this once in public.

As for the meaning, you have to understand a bit of Can's background. Basically, Can were a German band, but their at the time was Malcolm Mooney, an African-American sculptor living in Europe. Mooney supposedly wrote this about his lonliness and isolation living in Germany, as well as his crushing homesickness.

Why must I be a thief He asked to the hanging man And how come you're the only one Who's better off, and garble farble warble

Why must I be a thief He asked to the hanging man And how come you're the only one Who gives with an open hand

Why must I be a thief He cursed and then he cried And the hanging man held out his hand And looked beyond the skies

Do what you must Take what you can Steal the heart from every man Every angered man Every angered man Every angered man

I am the thief I am the thief And you can run And you can hide But I will get you yet, yes I will Cause of you Cause it's just your pride Cause it's justified

This is what I hear on these verses. Thanks for submitting this, is a really great song :)

hey all this song is unreleased but kicks ass! if u find any mistakes in the lyrics tell me and ill fix it piewwe

this is a can cover.

Why must I be a thief He said to the hanging man And how come you're the only one Who's black around that always stands

Why must I be a thief He asked to the hanging man And how come you're the only one Who gives with an open hand Why must I be a thief He cursed and then he cried And the hanging man put out his hand And looked beyond his eye

The thief he cried on the cross To share that other's fate But the Jesus man said not now My brother not now its far too late Far too late

Do what you must Take what you can Steal the pride from every heart of every angry man Every angry man Every angry man Every angry man

I am the thief I am the thief And you can run And you can hide But I will get you yet, yes I will Cause of you Cause it's just your pride GOd God... God Gooddddd!!! I will get you yet cause its just your pride

Society sets up the crime and waits for the criminal to commit it.

KUDOS to the Halloween thief who burglarized my porch. Had he waited one day it would have been beside the road with a "free" sign on it and he wouldn't have had to work so hard :) My pride is hurt that both the dog and I didn't hear the nasty little bugger! Perfect song for this morning.

this is a CAN cover

Why must I be the thief? Why must I be the thief? Oh lord please won’t you tell me Why must I be the thief? Why must I be the thief? He said to the hanging man And how come you’re the only one Whose like a rock That always stands

Why must I be the thief He asked of the hanging man And how come you’re the only one who live with an open hand Why must I be the thief Who cursed and then he died And the hanging man put out his hand And looked beyond his eye

The thief he climbed that cross To share that other’s fate But the Jesus man said ‘not now ‘My brother not now it’s far too late ‘Far too late far too late ‘Far too late far too late ‘Far too late far too late ‘Far too late’

Do what you must Take what you can Steal the pride from every heart And every angry man Every angry man Every angry man Every angry man

I am the thief I am the thief And you may run, yes And you may hide But I’ll get you yet Yes I will Because you’re, ‘cos it’s just your pride Just your pride Pride pride

I will get you yet It’s just your pride