its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
Have you seen the little piggies
Crawling in the dirt?
And for all the little piggies
Life is getting worse,
Always having dirt to play around in
Have you seen the bigger piggies
In their starched white shirts?
You will find the bigger piggies
Stirring up the dirt,
Always have clean shirts to play around in
In their styes with all their backing
They don't care what goes on around
In their eyes there's something lacking
What they need's a damn good whacking
Everywhere there's lots of piggies
Living piggy lives
You can see them out for dinner
With their piggy wives
Clutching forks and knives to eat the bacon
One more time
Crawling in the dirt?
And for all the little piggies
Life is getting worse,
Always having dirt to play around in
Have you seen the bigger piggies
In their starched white shirts?
You will find the bigger piggies
Stirring up the dirt,
Always have clean shirts to play around in
In their styes with all their backing
They don't care what goes on around
In their eyes there's something lacking
What they need's a damn good whacking
Everywhere there's lots of piggies
Living piggy lives
You can see them out for dinner
With their piggy wives
Clutching forks and knives to eat the bacon
One more time
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
George wrote this song merely as a humorous social satire, but it unfortunately took on another role and meaning. At the time, the so-called counter-culture adopted the song as its anthem against police. It became further notorious when Charles Manson, in his very disturbed mind, believed the phrase "a damn good whacking," meant against the American police. During the murders of Sharon Tate, the LaBianca's and others, knives and forks were used to stab them, because these utensils were mentioned in the song, and the words "pig and piggy," were written with the victims blood on the walls. Naturally Harrison was horrified when he learned his song took on another meaning. It was meant to be a simple commonplace song, and the line "damn good whacking," actually came from a suggestion from George's mother, when he asked her for a word that rhymed with backing and lacking. It had nothing at all to do with American police.
from iamthebeatles.com
BrainDamage is right about the Manson murders. Also I think it was the Tate murder that they wrote in blood on the wall "Political Piggy" to make it look like a group like the Black Panthers had actually done the murder. The song is about dirty politicians. People often confuse the term 'Pig' a derogatory term for a police officer with the term 'Piggy' a term for a corrupt politician. Easily mistaken. The fact that the politicians are 'Piggies' in this song and the line 'Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon' would mean that intern the politicians were cannibals. But in the '60s it was more commonly believed that politicians were (in a way) kind of like cannibals, because they kill their own species for their own benefit. This wasn't actually an idea in the '60s but I think it's close to the '60s way of viewing corrupt government officials.
this song has the greatest ending of all time. beatles always have kick ass endings to songs
I think the White Album is such a good album, but it is a shame that Charles Manson and his "family" has forever tarnished it in the eyes of many people, making it be remembered and linked to the Mansons. These songs were not written for or about Charlie, but alot of people think this was released as such.
This song is (and was probably intended to be) a funny social commentary. It shows how ridiculous society can be. I love the irony at the end. "You can see them out for dinner with their piggie wives, Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon"
Try to ignore Manson's mixed messages. If you can get past that, it's quite a good song.
Ignore Manson altogether- this song was released before Manson convinced his "family" to kill the Tates. Manson has NO RELEVANCE.
I hate that people always bring in Charles Manson whenever they mention this song or Helter Skelter.
AGREED! No relevance!
no one cares about manson. the beatles didnt write songs for him
big business doesnt give a shit about the little man, thats what this song is about!
This song is great. It's definitely about politics and contradiction. Piggies eating bacon?! Who's ever heard of such a thing? Well, it happens. Just like politics. You think you know what's going on and they just do something that totally blows your mind. Such a fun song, short, easy to learn... Love.
such a funny little song, poking fun of the aristocrats.
IT'S ABOUT POLITICIANS-FUCKING CROOKED BITCHES!! GEORGE HARRISON IS A GEM!LOVE HIS SONGS I COMMAND YOU.