Peking Saint
Cat Power Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

In Peking
There is a son who
Is much greater
Than you want to be

Carnival arms have
A medical wonder
Who would of guessed that
It was not a real body part

In Peking
There is a mother
Who is laden
With who she has to be

Carnival arms have
A medical wonder
Who would of guessed that
It was not a real body part





In Peking there is someone who
Is who they should exactly be.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cat Power's song Peking Saint suggest that there is a person in Peking who is admired and considered great, perhaps greater than the listener wants to be. The reference to carnival arms having a medical wonder hints at the idea that this person's greatness might be artificial or manufactured in some way, rather than naturally occurring. The song goes on to suggest that there is also a mother in Peking who is burdened by expectations and societal pressures, but there is someone else in Peking who is exactly who they should be.


Overall, the song seems to be about the struggle to find one's place in the world and to live up to societal expectations, while also highlighting the deception and artifice that can sometimes exist behind the surface of greatness. The contrast between the manufactured greatness of the carnival arms and the natural authenticity of the person who is exactly who they should be suggests that true greatness comes from within and cannot be artificially created or imposed from outside.


Line by Line Meaning

In Peking
The focus of the song is on Peking (now known as Beijing).


There is a son who
There’s a person in Peking who holds a position of power and influence.


Is much greater
This person is considered to be superior in some way.


Than you want to be
The artist is suggesting that they don’t necessarily desire the same level of greatness.


Carnival arms have
The song mentions 'carnival arms' which is likely a reference to something unusual or unexpected.


A medical wonder
This unusual thing is referred to as a 'medical wonder', which could mean that it has some kind of medical significance or is related in some way to the body or medicine.


Who would of guessed that
The next line suggests that whatever this unusual thing is, it’s not immediately noticeable.


It was not a real body part
Finally, the line reveals that the 'medical wonder' is not actually a real body part.


There is a mother
Moving on, the song mentions a mother in Peking.


Who is laden
This mother is carrying a heavy burden or responsibility.


With who she has to be
This burden is related to her identity or role in society in some way.


In Peking there is someone who
The song concludes with a statement about a person in Peking.


Is who they should exactly be
This person is completely comfortable with who they are and don’t feel any pressure to change or conform to society’s expectations.




Lyrics © BEGGARS MUSIC, LTD.
Written by: CHAN MARSHALL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Peter Pumkinghead


on He-War

i love the cats