Cannibal Kids

Round here

These cannibal kids want to be kings

But there ain't no royalty left

Cause round here

The sirens and screams float on the wind

And even the street shudders

Afraid of our footsteps.

Round here

These cannibal kids want to be kings

But there ain't no royalty left

Cause round here

The sirens and screams float on the wind

And even the street shudders

Yes, even the street shudders.

Round here

These cannibal kids want to be kings

They don't know that kindness is courage

Or that sympathy sings

Much louder than violence

They are bitter and drained

Eyes of ice stare from figures of flames

Puff-chested, restless, nameless,

They carry their pain

To the point of being painless.

These numb ones, young ones,

The new latch-keys of London

Just soaking up that humdrum

That makes them want to run

From the state they're in

Powerless, penniless,

Feathers clipped, they find eagles' wings

In the derelict brotherhood of gang-life

That bang-bang life

That shouts louder than a sarcastic teacher

Clapping hands twice

And staring down a frightened nose

See, they learned that respect comes from striking a pose

That demands it.

But I know

Respect and fear are not compatible

But they're a long way from bat and ball

They don't play, they let daggers fall

From blood-soaked fingers

While their siblings lie bleeding in hallways dead

But like wisdom has always said

Blood begets blood and keeps spilling

So the pavements are stained

And our hearts are grief-stricken.

Cause round here

These cannibal kids want to be kings

But there ain't no royalty left

No, cause round here

The sirens and the screams float on the wind

And even the street shudders

Yeah, even the street shudders.

While that paranoid panic

Goes seeping through the granite

Of the breeze-blocks

Turning our cities into sheep-flocks

See me, I pity those whose knees knock

The victims of the media machine

Them poor souls who've forgotten how to dream.

You see, that cut-throat mentality,

That gets encouraged in business

They tell you, yeah, to be a success

You've got to step on some necks

So big money is made through that ruthless pursuit

And while they're shot in water

They're jailing kids for shop in copper suits.

Now, we were born

Into these blood-soaked cities of industry

Informed of the savagery

The infamy, barbarity of history,

Controlled, and contrived, and depressed

And attested, and stressed out and vexed

It's a message we've been fed

So we could propagate their system

Of division, inhibition,

Viciousness and contradiction

We were suckled on the milk that they soured

Told the future was ours

And then disembowelled and disempowered

We've been disgraced, deafened and deflowered

Our brains brutalized and our defiance devoured.

And so now they're shooting guns and robbing cats

And trying to claw a little back

But when the whole thing shatters

It always starts with a little crack

And then splinters

Stretching out for miles

Pointing fingers at smart-dressed men

With crocodile smiles.

But still we get the blame

Told that life is all exchange

Told that we are the child of capo

That we are the children of apathy

That we are the children of this rapidly changing reality

But look I say we learnt it from them

From their rules and their ways

Cause their legitimate businesses deceive and disgrace

While us, we do what we can,

Because we live in this place

Where the truth can't be seen in the face.