They don't eat, don't sleep
They don't feed, they don't seethe
Bare their gums when they moan and squeak
Lick the dirt off a larger one's feet

They don't push, don't crowd
Congregate until they're much too loud
Fuck to procreate till they are dead
Drink the blood of their so-called best friend

They don't scurry when something bigger comes their way
Don't pack themselves together and run as one
Don't shit where they're not supposed to
Don't take what's not theirs, they don't compare

They don't scam, don't fight
Don't oppress an equal's given rights
Starve the poor so they can be well fed
Line their holes with the dead ones' bread, no no

They don't scurry when something bigger comes their way
Don't pack themselves together and run as one
Don't shit where they're not supposed to
Don't take what's not theirs, they don't compare

They don't scurry when something bigger comes their way
Don't pack themselves together and run as one
Don't shit where they're not supposed to
Don't take what's not theirs

They don't compare, rats
They don't compare, rats
They don't compare

Oh
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more


Lyrics submitted by Trent

Rats Lyrics as written by Eddie Vedder David Abbruzzese

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Rats song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

33 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +5
    General Comment

    As far as this song being ironic, it is. The ridiculous of his lyrics that portray rats as civilized is a mockery of similar rhetoric that humans are civilized and superior. Vedder is using this irony to reveal the truth that humans are just as animalistic as rats - and maybe worse due to the calculated cruelty we exact on one another on large scales.

    pumpikanoon December 20, 2005   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    vedder compares humans and rats but not to say they're different but equal or even worse... he uses irony when he says "Don't take what's not theirs" the first thing we think is that rats do that.. yes! they do that so as we do, so we are like rats... on the contrary, when he says "they don't compare" we think no, they don't compare but we do, we are worse than rats... it's just a way to say that we act worse than animals...

    one of may favorite songs

    violiniston February 08, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The Ben at the end of the song is in reference to the song Ben by Michael Jackson for the movie of the same name. In the movie, a young boy befriends the rat Ben, but then the rat turns evil and recruits other rats to attack people.

    grevulonon March 04, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Read the lyrics synically (sarcastically), then they'll make sense...

    forchette49on May 26, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    No, no, no, you've got it all wrong. Its "Lick the dirt off Olajuwon's feet"

    ;)

    freshdecayon October 18, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Seems to me that this song is a jab at our behaviour as humans. By pointing out how rats behave in their own culture, it demonstrates how creatures with so much less capacity for thought can exist to be so much more thoughtful than us...

    stefanon January 09, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    vedder is obviously comparing rats and humans. however, he is vague as to which trait belongs to which species, and whether he is condemning humans or not. for instance, "they don't scurry when something bigger comes their way." does this apply to humans? if so, that doesn't necessarily describe a negative trait. but, "starve the poor so they can be well fed" seems to be a jab at people. this song is really good and one of my favorites on vs., but its message is confusing.

    icy40ozon June 19, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    actually, i think it refers to Ben the rat in the story Ratman's Notebooks, which became a movie in the 70s called Willard, now redone as a new movie more recently. The man befriends Ben and Socrates, 2 rats, and he gets payback from all the people that treated him bad with his legion of rats that will do what he says.

    ethicalsubroutineon March 12, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    actually, i think it refers to Ben the rat in the story Ratman's Notebooks, which became a movie in the 70s called Willard, now redone as a new movie more recently. The man befriends Ben and Socrates, 2 rats, and he gets payback from all the people that treated him bad with his legion of rats that will do what he says.

    ethicalsubroutineon March 12, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think it's difficult to know when he's talking about humans or rats for a reason. If you can't differentiate between the two, is there a significant difference? He's saying that humans act just like rats..

    Regos the Saneon April 14, 2004   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Step
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Album art
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."