Cripple and the Starfish

I can understand the drug explanation, but I would not agree. I believe this song's about love and obviously gay, as Antony is gay and also Mr. Muscle is a Man (M capital!:P). Anyway, love is like a drug, isn't it?! For me, it's mostly about the humiliation and the pain of love and the fact that the more hurtful it is the stronger it is and the more pleasure you get from it. Something like masochism, I'd say. But also it's about the human strength and the ability to recover from most things. To cut a long story short, I agree with most of you, boys and girls:)

You know....not EVERY song is about love and all it's joy. It is so obvious to me that this song is about drug use..and as this song seems, this person has taken drugs because he has been through a hurtful relationship.

"Mr. Muscle forcing bursting Stingy thingy into little me, me, me"

Forcing your muscle on your upper arm, with rope or whatever they use, to make the vein stick out, "bursting" out. Stingy thingy into litle me, me, me is the needle. Pushing the needle into himself (me), the needle stings, obviously.

"As my jaw dropped to the ground Smile smile"

Jaw dropped - everything relaxes and smile, smile - the drug has taken it's effect.

"It's true I always wanted love to be Hurtful And it's true I always wanted love to be Filled with pain And bruises"

This is where it says that the person has been through a traumatic relationship. Filled with pain, yes. But bruises....bruises from needles.

"Yes, so Cripple-Pig was happy Screamed " I just compeletely love you! And there's no rhyme or reason I'm changing like the seasons"

Everything is so easy going for him now that he has taken the drugs.

"Watch! I'll even cut off my finger It will grow back like a Starfish!"

It's known to happen that drugs make you feel like you can do anything....so many people have died from jumping off buildings when they are high because they think that they have the ability to fly. In this part the person is saying that he can even cut off his own finger and it will grow back (like a starfish).

"Mr. Muscle, gazing boredly And he checking time did punch me And I sighed and bleeded like a windfall Happy bleedy, happy bruisy" The effect of the drugs is wearing off.

"I am very happy So please hit me I am very very happy So come on hurt me"

Wanting another hit of the drugs. "hit me".

Let me know what you think of my interpretation of this song. It's a good song.

does this not make anybody else cry like a baby?

i love the mix of the bizarre verses with the chorus which shows that he's quite prepared to be trampled on in this relationship, just to feel loved/wanted.

theres something about the development and intensification of this song that just makes me shiver and catches my breath the imagery of his lyrics are so naked and dark and perfect to me.. what a beautiful, natural gift

I cannot get enough of this song. It makes me happy to listen to such incredible beauty and sad, because...because it is such a sad person, who describes his/her point of view, here! It's about one only becoming happy in life, when one is humiliated, hurt, destroyed!

I can well understand that: The love, that cuts deepest ist the love, that left most scars.

And still- I love this song!

btw love this song.

Personally, when I listen to this song I don't think of drugs. I think of problems I've gone through being a not so attractive gay man, being used for pleasure and nothing more. Mr. Muscle in my mind represents a beautiful man, and Cripple-Pig is an ugly man, willing to do anything for the love and attention of Mr. Muscle, who is ashamed of Cripple-Pig and only wants pleasure.

"Mr. Muscle forcing bursting, Stingy thingy into little me me me...."; If you think of certain acts of gay love, perhaps this stanza could signify that.

"It's true I always wanted love to be hurtful...."; Speaks for itself, a person who doesn't know true love, who only seeks it on a physical level would probably feel hurt.

"Yes so Cripple-Pig was happy, Screamed I just completely love you, there's no rhyme or reason, I'm changing like the seasons, Watch I'll even cut off my finger, It'll grow back like a starfish....."; Cripple-Pig is happy with Mr. Muscle, he'll even change himself if it'll mean he'll love him, even something as drastic as cutting off a limb, because if Mr. Muscle would just love him, anything Cripple-Pig gave up would be meaningless.

"Mr. Muscle gazing boredly, And he checking time did punch me, And I sighed, And bleeded like a windfall, Happy bleedy, happy bruisy......."; Mr. Muscle is unphased by the confessions of love from Cripple-Pig, he hurts Cripple-Pig out of shame, yet Cripple-Pig merely takes it and is happy with it, because its attention nevertheless (Happy bleedy). He knows Mr. Muscle will always want the pleasure he offers.

"I am very happy, So please hit me....."; Cripple-Pig is happiest when Mr. Muscle is giving him the most attention, which happens to be when he is hitting him.

Let me know if you agree with this! :)

I do agree with nope512. I have always thought this song was about love and gay sexual experiences from Anthony's point of view as a non attractive and perhaps at the time inexperienced gay man. I think it was the first time things felt right, even though in some ways it felt wrong (perception from family, friends, society, knowingly being used by mr muscle).

I think the "grow back like a starfish" is part of a running theme in Anthony and the Johnson's work of futile hope, or almost a magical hope. "One day i'll grow up, i'll be a beautiful woman" from "For today I am a boy" and "May all of your dreams come true" from "you are my sister". This theme of hope is what touches me the most in their work, because it is always delivered slightly knowing it is futile.

Am i the only one who thinks Antony should do something with the great Scott Walker?

This was the first song I heard from Antony and The Johnsons and I think its amazing! I dont think I've heard or even felt so much pain and tenderness in a song before, it's quit unique.