Revenge
KMFDM Lyrics

The empty and searching streets
The streets are empty and it seems like everyone is on a quest. Searching for what? There's no way to know.

These gutters they warm my feet
Although it's cold outside, the gutters provide some warmth for the singer's feet.

Since your cold lips blue
The singer's beloved has died, but their lips are still frozen cold.

Give me life anew
The artist wants to be revived, to feel alive once again.

Your works and your understanding
The person addressed in this song is intelligent and accomplished.

My god is so undemanding and don't miss a day
The singer's god is very lenient and never requires daily worship or other outside efforts.

And I'll always pay
The singer is willing to do whatever is necessary to benefit from their god's favor.

I got a love for the leader
The artist has strong admiration for a powerful figure who leads them.

The cross the deceiver
There is a religious symbol used to deceive people, possibly used by an organized religion.

The ache is the answer to break with disaster
Pain is the solution or the way out of a disasterous situation, according to the artist.

Awake be forgiven arise with the living
Wake up, be forgiven for your past mistakes, and rejoin the land of the living for a fresh start.

Never see realize peel your eyes feel the prize
Take off the blinders and use your senses to understand the reward waiting for you.

The battle burns in my head
The singer is fighting an internal battle in their own mind.

The love is dead and hope has fled
Both love and hope are absent from the singer's life.

Hate's the hurt my humanity
The singer feels that their humanity is being undermined by their intense hatred.

A corpse in bondage burns for thee
A dead body that is restrained is put on fire for your sake.

You've been tied ripped and bled
The artist is referring to their own experience of being tied up, ripped, and bleeding.

Raped by freedom while hate gave head
Despite being free, the singer is still enslaved by their own hatred, which is taking advantage of them.

You've got a screaming silence
The person addressed in the song is experiencing a painful silence, perhaps due to being unable to speak up or communicate effectively.

You're full of caution
The person addressed is very careful in all that they do, and perhaps overly so.

Your regret is my abortion
The artist sees the other person's regret as a crippling force that has stopped them from moving forward in their own life.

This vicious victim lost his hold
The artist has been victimized and they have lost their grasp on the situation.

Revenge is a dish that's best served cold
It is better to wait and plan before exacting revenge on someone.

Let your bloodlust leave
Get rid of your desire to hurt others.

Let your hate recede
Let go of the anger that is consuming you.

I can take it all with one collect-call
The singer can handle anything, and is willing to help the other person if they need it.

Innocence dies trust betrays
When someone is betrayed, their innocence is lost forever - people cannot trust others if they have been betrayed before.

Hope remains I'm a fan of the flames
Even when innocence and trust are lost, there is still hope to be found in destruction.

Hey there baby girl
The artist is addressing someone in a flirtatious or condescending way.

I got a weakness for lies
The singer admits that they are prone to believing falsehoods.

And I'm speechless for highs
The singer is euphoric and cannot describe it.

Your hurt's my hope I'm your holy ghost
The pain that the other person is experiencing makes the artist feel better about themselves, as if they have divine power.

Your angel of mercy
The artist is offering help or support to the other person, as if they are an angelic figure.

I'll keep you dirty
The artist does not intend to clean up the other person, but instead wants to keep them in their present, messy state.

Be kind to be cruel
Sometimes being 'kind' to someone can actually be cruel to them in the long run.

So break every rule
The artist is encouraging the other person to break all the societal norms or expectations.

Be cruel to the kind and you'll take every fool
If you treat those who are kind to you with cruelty, you will ultimately deceive anyone who trusts you.