Audioslave released three successful albums, received three Grammy nominations, sold more than eight million records worldwide, and became the first American rock band to perform an open-air concert in Cuba. Cornell issued a statement in February 2007 that he was permanently leaving the band "due to irresolvable personality conflicts as well as musical differences." As the other three members were busy with the Rage Against the Machine reunion, and Morello and Cornell had each released solo albums in 2007, Audioslave was officially disbanded.
Discography
2002 Audioslave
2005 Out of Exile
2006 Revelations
Man or Animal
Audioslave Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You look like the summertime
You call me an artifact
But I'll save that for another time
I could be rich or poor
I don't need anymore
Keep your love inside the kitchen
Leave the feathers on the chicken
Peel the leather from your skin
I can be young or old
Sweet or sad, hot or cold
Man or animal, I don't care at all
Find the antidote underneath the dose
Man or animal, obedient
Out of control
I will love you more than money
I will breathe you in the smoke
I will drink you in my honey
Sweet and golden down my throat
When you're right, when you're wrong
Head is near, eyes are gone
You can drown my appetite
I will sip your tears at night
You can tie me to a chair
Skin and bones, I don't care
I could be rich or poor
I don't need anymore
Man or animal, I don't care at all
Find the antidote underneath the dose
Man or animal, obedient
Out of control yeah
Man or animal, I don't care at all
Find the antidote underneath the dose
Man or animal, obedient
Out of control
Out of control
You give me a heart attack
You give me a heart attack
I will give you more than that
I will give you more than that
You give me a heart attack
You give me a heart attack
I will give you more than that
I will give you more than that
The lyrics of Audioslave's 'Man or Animal' present a powerful and enigmatic exploration of desire and the human condition. The song's repeated refrain of "Man or animal, I don't care at all" highlights the idea that our underlying needs and emotions are primal and animalistic, regardless of our outward appearance or societal status. This is further emphasized through imagery such as "feathers on the chicken" and "peel the leather from your skin," which suggest a return to the raw and instinctive nature of love.
The singer's willingness to be either "rich or poor" and their disregard for physical appearances demonstrate that their love is not contingent on superficial qualities. Their desire is all-consuming, as reflected in lines like "I will drink you in my honey" and "you can drown my appetite/I will sip your tears at night." The repetition of the line "you give me a heart attack" suggests an overwhelming and potentially dangerous intensity to this passion.
The song's chorus - "Man or animal, obedient/out of control" - reflects the contradictory and often unpredictable nature of desire. The image of the "antidote underneath the dose" suggests that love and desire can be both curative and poisonous, and that too much of either can be destructive.
Overall, 'Man or Animal' presents a complex exploration of desire and the human condition, emphasizing the primal and often uncontrollable nature of our emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
You give me a heart attack
You make me feel a sudden rush of love and passion
You look like the summertime
Your appearance is warm and inviting like a summer day
You call me an artifact
You categorize me as an object from the past
But I'll save that for another time
But that is a topic of discussion for later
I could be rich or poor
My financial status is irrelevant
I don't need anymore
I do not require any materialistic possessions
Keep your love inside the kitchen
Keep love within the confines of household duties
You can feed me anything
I am content with whatever sustenance you provide
Leave the feathers on the chicken
Do not bother to remove the excess parts while preparing
Peel the leather from your skin
Remove the artificial layers and allow your true self to be seen
I can be young or old
My age does not affect my love for you
Sweet or sad, hot or cold
My emotions do not alter my love for you
Man or animal, I don't care at all
I love you regardless if you identify as human or animal
Find the antidote underneath the dose
Find a solution for the negative aspects within our relationship
Man or animal, obedient
Whether you follow my commands or not, I still love you
Out of control
My love for you is so strong that I am willing to disregard social norms
I will love you more than money
My love for you surpasses any materialistic desires
I will breathe you in the smoke
I will do anything to be close to you
I will drink you in my honey
I will absorb your essence as if it were a sweet nectar
When you're right, when you're wrong
Regardless of whether you are correct or incorrect
Head is near, eyes are gone
I am emotionally invested in our relationship
You can drown my appetite
You can affect my hunger for anything else but you
I will sip your tears at night
I will comfort you during times of distress
You can tie me to a chair
I am willing to be restrained if it means being close to you
Skin and bones, I don't care
My physical appearance does not affect my love for you
Out of control yeah
My love for you makes me feel as if I am losing control of myself
You give me a heart attack
You make me feel a sudden rush of love and passion
I will give you more than that
I am willing to give you everything and more
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Timothy Commerford, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind