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We Suck Young Blood
Radiohead Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Are you hungry?
Are you sick?
Are you begging for a break?
Are you sweet?
Are you fresh?
Are you strung up by the wrists?

We want the young blood
Are you fracturing?
Are you torn at the seams?
Would you do anything?
Flea-bitten? Moth eaten?

We suck young blood
We suck young blood
Won't let that creeping ivy
Won't let the nervous bury me
Our veins are thin
Our rivers poisoned
We want the sweet meats
We want young blood

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Radiohead's song We Suck Young Blood are open to interpretation, but one interpretation is that the song is about society's insatiable desire for youth and how it preys on young people who are vulnerable and naive. The repeated question "Are you hungry? Are you sick? Are you begging for a break?" seems to suggest that the singer is addressing someone who is struggling and suffering in some way, which could represent the plight of young people who are disadvantaged and marginalized.


The lines "Our veins are thin, Our rivers poisoned" could be interpreted to mean that society is sick and dying, and that young people are being sacrificed and exploited to sustain it. Furthermore, the repeated lines "We suck young blood" emphasize the predatory nature of this dynamic, highlighting the fact that young people are being consumed by a system that values youth and vitality over all else.


Overall, the song seems to be a critique of the way that society values youth and exploits young people, while at the same time consuming and destroying itself in the process.


Line by Line Meaning

Are you hungry?
Are you feeling empty and unsatisfied in life?


Are you sick?
Are you unwell, physically or emotionally?


Are you begging for a break?
Are you desperately in need of some kind of relief or respite?


Are you sweet?
Are you innocent and pure, or perhaps just appearing that way?


Are you fresh?
Are you new or recent, with a sense of vitality or excitement?


Are you strung up by the wrists?
Are you constrained or trapped, unable to move freely or do as you please?


We want the young blood
We desire the energy, vibrancy, and potential of youth.


Are you fracturing?
Are you falling apart or breaking down?


Are you torn at the seams?
Are you coming apart at the edges or splitting apart?


Would you do anything?
Are you desperate enough to take any action, no matter how extreme or risky?


Flea-bitten? Moth eaten?
Have you been worn down and battered by life or circumstances?


We suck young blood
We exploit and consume the younger generation for our own gain.


We suck young blood
We drain the vitality and promise of youth to sustain ourselves.


Won't let that creeping ivy
We refuse to let the invasive and destructive forces of society overtake us.


Won't let the nervous bury me
We won't allow fear and anxiety to overwhelm and paralyze us.


Our veins are thin
Our life force and energy is depleted and weak.


Our rivers poisoned
The very essence of our being is polluted and corrupted.


We want the sweet meats
We crave the richness and luxury of life, even at the expense of others.


We want young blood
We covet the potential and energy of those who are younger and less jaded than us.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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