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Lullaby
The Cure Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

On candy stripe legs the spiderman comes
Softly through the shadow of the evening sun
Stealing past the windows of the blissfully dead
Looking for the victim shivering in bed
Searching out fear in the gathering gloom and
Suddenly a movement in the corner of the room
And there is nothing I can do
When I realize with fright
That the spiderman is having me for dinner tonight

Quietly he laughs and shaking his head
Creeps closer now
Closer to the foot of the bed
And softer than shadow and quicker than flies
His arms are all around me and his tongue in my eyes
Be still be calm be quiet now my precious boy
Don't struggle like that or I will only love you more
For it's much too late to get away or turn on the light
The spiderman is having you for dinner tonight

And I feel like I'm being eaten
By a thousand million shivering furry holes
And I know that in the morning I will wake up
In the shivering cold

And the spiderman is always hungry

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Cure's song Lullaby paint a vivid and macabre picture of a victim who is being hunted by a malevolent figure known as "The Spiderman." The opening lines set the scene perfectly as the spider-like antagonist silently and stealthily approaches its prey, shrouded by the "shadow of the evening sun." The next line heightens the sense of terror as we learn that the Spiderman's target is "the victim shivering in bed," indicating that this is not just a casual encounter. The following line is even more chilling as the song notes that The Spiderman is "searching out fear in the gathering gloom." This line expertly captures both the succumbing of the victim to their terror and the thrill that The Spiderman experiences in causing this fear.


Line by Line Meaning

On candy stripe legs the spiderman comes
The singer imagines the spiderman arriving with legs that resemble colorful candy stripes.


Softly through the shadow of the evening sun
The spiderman moves quietly and stealthily in the darkness of the evening.


Stealing past the windows of the blissfully dead
The spiderman passes by the windows of the sleeping and unaware people.


Looking for the victim shivering in bed
The spiderman is searching for a shivering victim in bed to prey upon.


Searching out fear in the gathering gloom and
The spiderman is seeking out the fear that grows in the darkness.


Suddenly a movement in the corner of the room
The singer notices a movement in the corner of the room, alarming them.


And there is nothing I can do
The singer realizes that they are helpless in their situation.


When I realize with fright
The artist is filled with fear as they comprehend the danger.


That the spiderman is having me for dinner tonight
The spiderman has chosen the artist to be their meal for the night.


Quietly he laughs and shaking his head
The spiderman laughs quietly and shakes their head in amusement at the artist's panic.


Creeps closer now
The spiderman is getting closer to the singer.


Closer to the foot of the bed
The spiderman is moving nearer to the end of the bed.


And softer than shadow and quicker than flies
The spiderman moves with a stealthy speed that makes them seem like a shadow or a fly.


His arms are all around me and his tongue in my eyes
The spiderman has wrapped their arms around the singer and is invading their personal space with their tongue.


Be still be calm be quiet now my precious boy
The spiderman advises the singer to remain calm and still, addressing them as 'precious boy.'


Don't struggle like that or I will only love you more
The spiderman warns the artist not to struggle or resist, claiming that they will only enjoy it more if they do.


For it's much too late to get away or turn on the light
The spiderman assures the artist that they cannot escape their fate, nor can they turn on the light to reveal them.


The spiderman is having you for dinner tonight
The spiderman is making it clear that the singer will be their meal for the night.


And I feel like I'm being eaten
The singer feels as though they are already being consumed by the spiderman.


By a thousand million shivering furry holes
The artist feels as though they are being consumed by a countless number of shivering, furry orifices.


And I know that in the morning I will wake up
The artist is aware that even if they survive the night, the ordeal will haunt them.


In the shivering cold
The artist anticipates waking up shaken and cold from the experience.


And the spiderman is always hungry
The spiderman is perpetually hungry and always seeking out their next meal.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Robert James Smith, Simon Gallup, Roger O'Donnell, Porl Thompson, Laurence Andrew Tolhurst, Boris Williams

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@user-zd4xy2gm7q

LYRICS

On candy stripe legs the spiderman comes
Softly through the shadow of the evening sun
Stealing past the windows of the blissfully dead
Looking for the victim shivering in bed
Searching out fear in the gathering gloom and
Suddenly a movement in the corner of the room
And there is nothing I can do
When I realize with fright
That the spiderman is having me for dinner tonight
Quietly he laughs and shaking his head
Creeps closer now
Closer to the foot of the bed
And softer than shadow and quicker than flies
His arms are all around me and his tongue in my eyes
Be still be calm be quiet now my precious boy
Don't struggle like that or I will only love you more
For it's much too late to get away or turn on the light
The spiderman is having you for dinner tonight
And I feel like I'm being eaten
By a thousand million shivering furry holes
And I know that in the morning I will wake up
In the shivering cold
And the spiderman is always hungry



All comments from YouTube:

@LOL-cringe

52 years old and it's in my head like I was 20. Time marches on guys.

@jazau296

chill with the comments

@conradbell3781

One behind you and I love it

@patrickmcmanus5373

57. In Australia. Still love The Cure. Sang 10,15 in a band 85-7. Written at 15

@clausjohansson8233

Nearly 60 good god🙄..
The cure the forest i still have from 79🖤😎

@laurandiberti1767

Sure...

43 More Replies...

@LOL-cringe

A never-to-be-repeated masterpiece in music history..

@SusanRenee

Indeed, it’s a stand alone gem 💖

@paulasales688

😢

@drugmanufacturer

loser

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