I'm Eating in Bed
Cardiacs Lyrics


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Firstly there's a spanner in here
Secondly it has the right of way
And something else is missing
Sometimes sorted out
And wrapped up straight away

Nothing by comparison puts thoughts straight in my mind
As I comfort myself with the will to be unkind
Goes the way of every day to hell with uncle, I

Mr Technique's doing well
And he stands around in poses just like this
But when I gets to thinking it seems better
To betray me with a kiss
We will inform you from day to day
Mr Technique's is a much better way

A change in circumstances
Forget responsibilities
And showbiz personalities?

Goes the way of every day
To hell with uncle, I
[Goes the way of every day]
Know I'm wrong
[To hell with uncle, I]
It must be all this eating in bed
Tell me when it's over
[It must be all this]
A spider is crawling up and eating in bed

Catch this, in a minute

No-one can see or say or do
What no-one wants or not to do
It's scary to be that way
To make use of my body
I'll be round with the tarring can
And stand with the standard man
Who paints us inseperable
But should I break my fall?

In every cry of every man
The mind for ??? and it calls my bluff
Goes the way of every day
To hell with uncle, I
[Goes the way of every day]
Know I'm wrong
[To hell with uncle, I]
It must be all this eating in bed
[Know I'm wrong]
Tell me when it's over
[It must be all this eating in bed]
A spider is crawling up and eating in bed

No-one can see or say or do
What no-one wants or not to do
It's scary to be that way
To make use of my body
The woman with the clap
Takes me round to the back
To the man with the crocodile smile




Who scares me to my hands and knees
But should I break my fall?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cardiacs' song "I'm Eating in Bed" are complex and have a surreal quality to them that makes them open to interpretation. The first verse seems to describe a sense of disorder, with a spanner having the right of way and something missing. The second verse offers a contrast to this chaos, with the singer finding comfort in being unkind. The mention of "Mr. Technique" suggests the idea of conforming to a particular way of doing things, even if it involves betraying oneself.


The third verse mentions a "change in circumstances" and "showbiz personalities", which could suggest the pressures of fame or success. The final verse is perhaps the most mysterious, with references to a "woman with the clap", a man with a "crocodile smile", and the singer being scared to their "hands and knees". The recurring phrase "it must be all this eating in bed" adds to the surreal and dreamlike quality of the lyrics, suggesting that everything is not quite as it seems.


Overall, the song seems to explore themes of chaos, conformity, and the pressures of society, with a touch of surrealism that makes it difficult to pin down.


Line by Line Meaning

Firstly there's a spanner in here
There's a problem in this situation


Secondly it has the right of way
The problem is more significant than anything else


And something else is missing
Something important is absent


Sometimes sorted out
Occasionally, things are resolved


And wrapped up straight away
And resolved immediately


Nothing by comparison puts thoughts straight in my mind
Comparatively, nothing makes me think straight


As I comfort myself with the will to be unkind
Instead, I console myself by being cruel


Goes the way of every day to hell with uncle, I
The situation is becoming like every other day, and I reject it


Mr Technique's doing well
The situation is being handled successfully


And he stands around in poses just like this
Someone is posing and showing off their success


But when I gets to thinking it seems better
However, I think it would be better


To betray me with a kiss
To betray me in a subtle way


We will inform you from day to day
You will be given updates regularly


Mr Technique's is a much better way
The successful method is the preferable one


A change in circumstances
Something has changed


Forget responsibilities
Ignore obligations


And showbiz personalities?
And people associated with the entertainment industry?


Know I'm wrong
I am aware I am mistaken


It must be all this eating in bed
The cause of my mistake may be my habit of eating in bed


Tell me when it's over
Let me know when the situation is resolved


A spider is crawling up and eating in bed
A spider is present in the bed and feeding on something


Catch this, in a minute
Wait a minute, listen to this


No-one can see or say or do
No one can act or say what they want


What no-one wants or not to do
There are things that no one wants to do


It's scary to be that way
It's frightening to be in this situation


To make use of my body
To utilize my physical ability


I'll be round with the tarring can
I will have a container of tar


And stand with the standard man
I will stand with the ordinary person


Who paints us inseparable
Who considers us to be united


But should I break my fall?
However, should I make a mistake?


In every cry of every man
In the expression of every person's pain


The mind for ? and it calls my bluff
Something is in the mind, and it is challenging me


The woman with the clap
The woman with an STD


Takes me round to the back
Leads me to the rear side


To the man with the crocodile smile
To a person with a fake smile


Who scares me to my hands and knees
Who terrifies me completely




Contributed by Christopher M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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