The Beast In Me

Johnny Cash

The beast in me Is caged by frail and fragile bars Restless by day And by night rants and rages at the stars God help the beast in me

The beast in me Has had to learn to live with pain And how to shelter from the rain And in the twinkling of an eye Might have to be restrained God help the beast in me

Sometimes it tries to kid me That it's just a teddy bear And even somehow manage to vanish in the air And that is when I must beware Of the beast in me that everybody knows They've seen him out dressed in my clothes Patently unclear It it's New York or New Year God help the beast in me

The beast in me


Lyrics submitted by toterkater

The Beast In Me song meanings
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  • +1
    General CommentEveryone is mostly right. Though it was written long after the worst of it, the song is definitely about Cash's drug use specifically. That said, no he himself didn't write it; his son-in-law, Nick Lowe (who also sang 'The Sopranos version'), did, for him.

    And while it is about that in specific, in general, it can be about any personal demon that affects a person for the worse, whether it be anger, drug/drink abuse, phobias or simply under-confidence. Anything that you may have thought was 'done with', that wouldn't affect you again. Anyone that has had any issue (which is, basically, everyone) must be able to relate.

    The best part of the song for me? The single acoustic guitar that most people accompany the song with. It highlights (1) the calm saneness of the person when 'the beast' is not around AND (2) just how fragile the person is, all at the same time.
    andrewspon April 11, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Commentaltough i dont know what time in his life this song was written, this song is most deffinitley about his drug abuse.
    jinx_me6on December 20, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Commentexcept that he didn't write it...
    stanlavisbad2on February 21, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentit could mean any beast, be it drugs, sex, violence, etc., anything that gives us any form of 'power' over whatever (lol, I'm stoned)
    angrygoatmanon February 08, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Commentnick lowe, carlene carter's ex wrote it for cash.
    DBT dadon April 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI think this song is about internal conflcit one is facing -- whether it be a personal and emotional ordeal or whatever. I prefer Lowe's version, honestly, as much as I love Cash...
    LoveisBlindnesson April 16, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThe Hangover 2 brought me here. I only used to know the Sopranos version of this song, and now I love the Cash version
    McScrittleson July 24, 2011   Link

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