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Hunger Strike Lyrics
I don't mind stealing bread
From the mouths of decadence
But I can't feed on the powerless
When my cup's already overfilled
Yeah
But it's on the table
The fire is cooking
And their farming babies
While the slaves are working
The blood is on the table
And their mouths are choking
But I'm growing hungry
Yeah
I don't mind stealing bread
From the mouths of decadence
But I can't feed on the powerless
When my cup's already overfilled
Oho, ah
But it's on the table
The fire is cooking
And their farming babies
While the slaves are working
And it's on the table
Their mouths are choking
But I'm growing hungry (Growing hungry)
I'm growing hungry (Growing hungry)
I'm growing hungry (Growing hungry).....
From the mouths of decadence
But I can't feed on the powerless
When my cup's already overfilled
Yeah
But it's on the table
The fire is cooking
And their farming babies
While the slaves are working
The blood is on the table
And their mouths are choking
But I'm growing hungry
Yeah
I don't mind stealing bread
From the mouths of decadence
But I can't feed on the powerless
When my cup's already overfilled
Oho, ah
But it's on the table
The fire is cooking
And their farming babies
While the slaves are working
And it's on the table
Their mouths are choking
But I'm growing hungry (Growing hungry)
I'm growing hungry (Growing hungry)
I'm growing hungry (Growing hungry).....
Song Info
Copyright
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Writer
Christopher J Cornell
Producer
Rick Parashar, Temple Of The Dog
Release date
1991-08-21
Sentiment
Positive
Submitted by
alisaifee On Dec 04, 2001
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Chris Cornell talks about this song in 'Pearl Jam Twenty'. Essentially, the song condemns those who take too much from people who couldn't afford to give it away (energy, money, love or anything like that).
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.
@dajirok
@dajirok
I think this is a pretty straightforward interpretation of the song. However, there's a twist in the lyrics that I wonder if Cornell even realized himself. He's talking about avoiding greed and exploitation, but uses the phrase "I'm goin' hungry." This implies that he has the desire to exploit and feed off the less fortunate, but he refrains. He wouldn't be going hungry if he didn't have the hunger to begin with. See what I mean? Maybe he's saying this hunger to feed off of others is innate within all of us? And...
I think this is a pretty straightforward interpretation of the song. However, there's a twist in the lyrics that I wonder if Cornell even realized himself. He's talking about avoiding greed and exploitation, but uses the phrase "I'm goin' hungry." This implies that he has the desire to exploit and feed off the less fortunate, but he refrains. He wouldn't be going hungry if he didn't have the hunger to begin with. See what I mean? Maybe he's saying this hunger to feed off of others is innate within all of us? And the best we can do is starve ourselves of this desire?
Taken this way, the lyrics transform from a kind of virtue signaling into a very harsh look in the mirror. And this makes the song even more powerful and beautiful IMO.
I think its pretty obvious to tell the truth. "I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadence". Decadence is over-indulgence. They are saying that they don't mind taking from the rich to satisfy themselves. "but I can't feed on the powerless when my cups already overfilled" basically means that they can't take from the poor because they are already better off then those individuals. after that things seem to get a little blurry for me haha. In my opinion, its about greed... and feeling sorry for greed... I think that this is one of the greatest songs ever written, not too depressing, and not too happy. Its dramatic and living. Glad I read about Temple of the Dog on Wiki. Else I wouldn't have heard the two greatest vocalists (also in my opinion) singing together!
I agree that this song is about people in positions of power and wealth exerting dominance over those less well of than ourselves (e.g. in the 3rd world), but i'd also like to add a different interpretation of the song... The lyrics of the song remind me of human abuse of animals for meat (and dairy) production. Taking a more literal interpretation of the lyrics, the overall theme of food and a hunger strike could be seen as a protest against the treatment of animals for the food industry. "But it's on the table, The fire is cooking" - cooking and serving food of animal origin, "farming babies" - rearing young specifically to be killed and eaten. "But I can't feed on the powerless" could be interpreted as the fact that animals are unable to communicate with people effectively enough to protest against their mistreatment, and the idea that animals are infact enslaved by us ("While the slaves are working"). The reference to blood is also obviously linked to the preparation of animals for meat products. Overall the fact that the food choice to be 'stolen' in replacement of this system is bread - a non-animal food product. This is a personal interpretation, so not what I think the song was intentially written about, but possibly an interesting way of looking at the lyrics.
P.S who is this Thruthusedtohurt guy and why is he/she writing about kurt cobain on a page about Temple of the Dog lyrics?! Also, whether it is "going" or "growing", the message is pretty much the same. Peace out dudes :)
@right-in-two, you’re brilliant!
@right-in-two, you’re brilliant!
@right-in-two this came on the radio the other night and i thought the same thing. Im close to 100% sure that the song was not written with animals in mind as the state of factory farming simply wasnt known then. But the lyrics struck me the same way. Obviously by refusing to eat the powerless you are on strike. I agree with the rest of your interpretations, except the ‘slaves are working’ part. To me, that is the shit icing on the shit cake of factory farming - the poorest of the poor, illegal immigrants, people who dont have another...
@right-in-two this came on the radio the other night and i thought the same thing. Im close to 100% sure that the song was not written with animals in mind as the state of factory farming simply wasnt known then. But the lyrics struck me the same way. Obviously by refusing to eat the powerless you are on strike. I agree with the rest of your interpretations, except the ‘slaves are working’ part. To me, that is the shit icing on the shit cake of factory farming - the poorest of the poor, illegal immigrants, people who dont have another option make up much of the staff in there. It wraps up the whole system - greed at the very top, greed and softness and obesity in the consumers, terrorized victims and traumatized workers - even if it wasnt written that way on purpose.
@right-in-two 18 years later, but right on my friend.This is exactly how I always interpreted this song.
@right-in-two 18 years later, but right on my friend.This is exactly how I always interpreted this song.
isn't it "i'm going hungry" not "i'm growing hungry"?
@ilikefood That's what I say also... This fortifies the preoccupation of the greedy Narcissist to continually squeeze out more from whatever resources available.
@ilikefood That's what I say also... This fortifies the preoccupation of the greedy Narcissist to continually squeeze out more from whatever resources available.
@ilikefood it's "growing." It's in the lyric book of the CD.
@ilikefood it's "growing." It's in the lyric book of the CD.
@ilikefood It may say growing in the lyrics but it is sung "going hungry". You can see this in Youtube videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vThM_KqXphY
@ilikefood It may say growing in the lyrics but it is sung "going hungry". You can see this in Youtube videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vThM_KqXphY
@adam101541 I appreciate the info about the lyric book and trust that you're right about its contents, but even if those are the lyrics stated in the book, there's no way that they're saying "growing" instead of "going". The "gr" sound is so distinct in the English language that it can't be silently or even lightly pronounced. There isn't even a hint of "gr" in the audio for this word. The lyric book must be wrong.
@adam101541 I appreciate the info about the lyric book and trust that you're right about its contents, but even if those are the lyrics stated in the book, there's no way that they're saying "growing" instead of "going". The "gr" sound is so distinct in the English language that it can't be silently or even lightly pronounced. There isn't even a hint of "gr" in the audio for this word. The lyric book must be wrong.
yeah I don't know - I've always heard "growing" - maybe because I was influenced by the lyric book. Every other lyric site on earth shows it as "going" - but maybe they're just assuming. ... Then again, the lyric book also has what this page has "their farming babies" - when it should be "they're" - I assume. And other lyric sites also translate to "they're" .... so maybe that proves the lyric book is wrong. I don't know. You can stretch an explanation for "their" - but it's a stretch....
yeah I don't know - I've always heard "growing" - maybe because I was influenced by the lyric book. Every other lyric site on earth shows it as "going" - but maybe they're just assuming. ... Then again, the lyric book also has what this page has "their farming babies" - when it should be "they're" - I assume. And other lyric sites also translate to "they're" .... so maybe that proves the lyric book is wrong. I don't know. You can stretch an explanation for "their" - but it's a stretch.
@ilikefood It's definitely "goin'" for at least most of the song. There is one time -- near the middle of the song -- where I could believe that Vedder says "growin'" instead. Other than that, it's definitely "goin'". I base this on what I hear as well as -- and I know it sounds strange -- how their mouths look when they sing in the video.
@ilikefood It's definitely "goin'" for at least most of the song. There is one time -- near the middle of the song -- where I could believe that Vedder says "growin'" instead. Other than that, it's definitely "goin'". I base this on what I hear as well as -- and I know it sounds strange -- how their mouths look when they sing in the video.
Temple of the Dog was a supergroup with the exception that none of them had yet achieved the fame they would go on to get in the following years. Imagine if they reunited now! Check out this f'n lineup:
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.
They were all extremely famous heavy weights and successful when they made this little tribute record. It's a tribute to Andrew Wood, who they claim was actually the really talented one out of the whole lot. That says a lot about the guy,
They were all extremely famous heavy weights and successful when they made this little tribute record. It's a tribute to Andrew Wood, who they claim was actually the really talented one out of the whole lot. That says a lot about the guy,
Well said, bro.
Well said, bro.
i pretty much agree with you across the board, stegon. but - vedder wasn't even in "pearl jam" when they recorded "hunger strike." he was auditioning, just up from san diego. that was his first vocal on a major label release. the other guys were gaining traction, but they were far from heavyweights at that point.
i pretty much agree with you across the board, stegon. but - vedder wasn't even in "pearl jam" when they recorded "hunger strike." he was auditioning, just up from san diego. that was his first vocal on a major label release. the other guys were gaining traction, but they were far from heavyweights at that point.
Temple of The Dog...Not sure with this combination of Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell you could find any better musicians, (at least during that time). But anyway, this is indeed one of my favorite songs all time. And good God, can Chris Cornell hit some high notes or what!?
Man I love this song. I interpret it as a political protest song, basically. But it's a great angry song, and wow, it perfectly flows. I love how they use an "Alice in Chains Staley-Cantrell" singing setup with Cornell and Eddie.
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.
I always thought this was about more than food---it is about feeling powerless.
Often a "hunger strike" is a form of protest. And the lyric "I can't feed off the powerless / when my cup is overfilled" meant that the narrator's cup (life) is full of the same powerlessness.
I think the song is about seeing others having success they do not deserve at the expense of other people, and feeling the injustice of witnessing that.
It's the lie of the American dream: we see the rich and powerful, and we keep thinking that will be us, but we hate the rich even as we dream of being one of them. Watching other people have success just makes us emptier.
That is a nice way of interpreting the cup is already filled verse. Another interesting interpretation is maybe Cornell sings that line as if he were the oppressor. Maybe oppressor is thinking I already took too much. Or maybe Cornell wants to get inside the oppressors mind by suggesting to him his cup is already full and maybe it's not good to keep feeding on the powerless.
That is a nice way of interpreting the cup is already filled verse. Another interesting interpretation is maybe Cornell sings that line as if he were the oppressor. Maybe oppressor is thinking I already took too much. Or maybe Cornell wants to get inside the oppressors mind by suggesting to him his cup is already full and maybe it's not good to keep feeding on the powerless.
Could the entire song be written from the point of view of the oppressor feeling remorse for the injustice.
Could the entire song be written from the point of view of the oppressor feeling remorse for the injustice.
Sounds like johnny depp and his minions need to be flogged senseless.
Chris Cornell says of this song, it came about because of an existential crisis that his band Soundgarden faced at that moment he told Rolling Stone. "[It] is a statement that I'm staying true to what I'm doing regardless of what comes of it, but I will never change what I'm doing for the purposes of success or money."