In 1985, Kristofferson joined fellow country artists Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash in forming the country music supergroup The Highwaymen, and formed a key creative force in the outlaw country music movement that eschewed the Nashville music machine in favor of independent songwriting and producing. In 2004, Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. As an actor, he is known for his roles in Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973), Blume in Love (1973), Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), A Star Is Born (1976) (which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor), Convoy (1978), Heaven's Gate (1980) and Blade (1998).
Kristofferson has said that he would like the first three lines of Leonard Cohen's "Bird on the Wire" on his tombstone:
Like a bird on the wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free
Killer Barracuda
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Patient as the devil
Hanging still
Like a shadow in the water
Pretty barracuda
Dagger of the devil
Waiting to kill
Little girl, beware of killer barracuda
He rules these waters like a king
He'll cut your heart out slicker than a dagger
Not 'cause he's hungry, 'cause he's mean
You can see the shark now
Glidin' through the water
Ugly as death
Eats anything
But the pretty barracuda, don't touch no leavin's
Takin' what he wants to
'Cause he's king
And you can't scare him or entice him
He won't move for the devil, till his own time
Then quicker than heartbeat
He'll turn you away, girl, just to
See you fall, and leave you dyin'
[Chorus]
In Kris Kristofferson's song "Killer Barracuda," the lyrics paint a picture of the dangers lurking beneath the surface of the water. The song describes the barracuda as patient, still, and waiting to strike like the devil. The creature is referred to as a "dagger of the devil," emphasizing its deadly nature. The chorus warns a little girl to beware of the killer barracuda, who rules the waters like a king and will cut her heart out slicker than a dagger, not because he's hungry, but because he's mean.
The lyrics further describe how the pretty barracuda takes what he wants, unlike the ugly shark who eats anything, and because he's king, he won't be scared or enticed. The barracuda is portrayed as heartless and cruel, turning away from the girl just to watch her fall and leave her dying. The song serves as a warning of the dangers of the sea and how easily one can fall prey to its deadly creatures.
Line by Line Meaning
Look into water, see the barracuda
If you look into the water, you can see the barracuda lurking there.
Patient as the devil
The barracuda is waiting patiently, just like the devil would.
Hanging still
The barracuda is motionless, hanging in the water.
Like a shadow in the water
The barracuda appears like a shadow in the water.
Pretty barracuda
Despite being deadly, the barracuda is still a pretty fish.
Dagger of the devil
The barracuda's sharp teeth are compared to the devil's weapon, a dagger.
Waiting to kill
The barracuda is waiting for its prey to come close so it can attack and kill.
[Chorus:]
The chorus is a warning to a little girl, telling her to beware of the killer barracuda.
He rules these waters like a king
The barracuda is the dominant predator in these waters, acting as a king would rule over his land.
He'll cut your heart out slicker than a dagger
The barracuda can attack and kill so quickly and effortlessly, it's like someone cutting out your heart with a dagger.
Not 'cause he's hungry, 'cause he's mean
The barracuda is deadly not because it's hungry, but just because that's who it is - a mean and dangerous predator.
You can see the shark now
The song switches from talking about the barracuda to mentioning a shark.
Glidin' through the water
The shark is moving smoothly through the water.
Ugly as death
The shark is described as being as ugly as death itself.
Eats anything
Unlike the picky barracuda, the shark will eat anything it can get its jaws on.
But the pretty barracuda, don't touch no leavin's
The barracuda is selective in its choice of prey and won't eat scraps or leftovers.
Takin' what he wants to
The barracuda has the luxury of choosing whatever prey it wants.
'Cause he's king
The barracuda is able to do this because it's the dominant predator in the area.
And you can't scare him or entice him
The barracuda won't be frightened or lured away by any means.
He won't move for the devil, till his own time
Like the devil, the barracuda will only act on its own schedule and won't be moved by outside forces.
Then quicker than heartbeat
When the barracuda does attack, it's so fast that it's almost like a heartbeat.
He'll turn you away, girl, just to
The barracuda might attack, but it's also just as likely to turn and swim away.
See you fall, and leave you dyin'
If the barracuda does attack, it will leave its victim to die.
[Chorus]
The chorus repeats the warning to the little girl to beware of the killer barracuda.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KRISTOFFER KRISTOFFERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind