Hunger
Patricia Barber Lyrics


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Everything is food, everything is fair game.
The second it's gone is the second I crave
more animal, vegetable, mineral feed,
more fodder, more fuel, more cake and ice cream.
In Scythia, where the pickings are slim,
I'm gorgeous and grateful it's "in" to be thin.
Wan and pale, I court emaciation
in high style and endless mastication.
With cheekbones and ribs that tighten my skin,
wildly attractive and seductive as sin,
the closer you come, the more you want me,
the more you want, the more you want to be free.
There's no slaking of thirst, no quenching of need,
and there's never, ever enough to eat:

When the Gods get even They think of me
While you're fast asleep to your bed I creep
As my breath you breathe as I give you a kiss
As I take my leave I leave you with this
As you wake so you dream of fish fowl and beef
And there's never ever enough to eat

Where inherited wealth meets fine French cuisine
Where oodles of truffles and tarts and terrines
Where gavage is an art and foie gras is fatty
Where quail duck lamb sugar butter and spaghetti
There desire is infectious and fulfillment is lean
And there's never ever enough to eat

does an ocean deny a river?
would a fire spurn the wood it craves
for heat?
like Narcissus and his lover
you can never have the other
you can never turn away
you can never lick the plate
clean

When the coffers are empty in lieu of defeat
I deal my daughter for camembert cheese
Here the story leaves me to my own device
As lips teeth tongue savor self sacrifice




And now the Hunter is prey and the Hungry are meat
And there's never ever enough to eat

Overall Meaning

The song "Hunger" by Patricia Barber is a haunting and introspective exploration of the insatiability of human desire. Throughout the verses, the singer reflects on her own voracious appetite for all kinds of sustenance, from food to attention and love. She acknowledges that no matter how much she consumes, she is always left hungering for more. The first verse sets the tone, stating that "Everything is food, everything is fair game," and that the moment something ends, she wants more. The second verse describes the singer's obsession with achieving thinness, even if it means courting emaciation. The third verse moves to a more luxurious setting, where wealthy diners indulge in decadent French cuisine but are never satisfied. Finally, the last verse takes a darker turn, with the singer alluding to sacrificing her own daughter for a taste of cheese.


The chorus, "And there's never, ever enough to eat," repeats throughout the song, emphasizing the constant longing and desire at the heart of the singer's experience. The haunting melody underscores the melancholy tone of the lyrics, conveying both the beauty and the pain of the singer's constant striving. The allusions to mythology and history add depth and complexity to the lyrics, suggesting that this experience of insatiability is as old as humanity itself.


Line by Line Meaning

Everything is food, everything is fair game.
The hunger is a relentless need that consumes everything.


The second it's gone is the second I crave
As soon as the hunger is satisfied, it comes back with the same intensity.


more animal, vegetable, mineral feed,
The hunger seeks nutrients in any available form.


more fodder, more fuel, more cake and ice cream.
The hunger is insatiable, it demands more and more.


In Scythia, where the pickings are slim,
The hunger is a constant companion in the face of scarcity.


I'm gorgeous and grateful it's "in" to be thin.
The hunger is not just an appetite, it's a way of life.


Wan and pale, I court emaciation
The hunger is a beauty ideal, a symbol of discipline and control.


in high style and endless mastication.
The hunger is a performance, a way of showing off one's willpower.


With cheekbones and ribs that tighten my skin,
The hunger is a physical manifestation of a mental state.


wildly attractive and seductive as sin,
The hunger is a source of power and allure.


the closer you come, the more you want me,
The hunger is a paradox, the more you feed it, the more it grows.


the more you want, the more you want to be free.
The hunger is a trap, the more you indulge it, the less control you have.


There's no slaking of thirst, no quenching of need,
The hunger is insatiable, it can never be satisfied.


and there's never, ever enough to eat:
The hunger is a bottomless pit, it can never be filled.


When the Gods get even They think of me
The hunger is a divine punishment, a curse from the gods.


While you're fast asleep to your bed I creep
The hunger is a nocturnal visitor, it never rests.


As my breath you breathe as I give you a kiss
The hunger is an intimate partner, it's always with you.


As I take my leave I leave you with this
The hunger is a gift and a curse, it makes you feel alive and powerless.


As you wake so you dream of fish fowl and beef
The hunger is a dream, a fantasy of abundance and pleasure.


Where inherited wealth meets fine French cuisine
The hunger is a privilege, a luxury reserved for the elite.


Where oodles of truffles and tarts and terrines
The hunger is a sensory experience, a feast for the senses.


Where gavage is an art and foie gras is fatty
The hunger is a product of culture, a reflection of society's values.


Where quail duck lamb sugar butter and spaghetti
The hunger is a symbol of excess, a display of abundance.


There desire is infectious and fulfillment is lean
The hunger is contagious, it spreads from person to person.


And there's never ever enough to eat
The hunger is a common denominator, it affects everyone.


does an ocean deny a river?
The hunger is a natural impulse, a force of the universe.


would a fire spurn the wood it craves
The hunger is a relationship, a symbiosis between the eater and the eaten.


for heat?
The hunger is a need, a vital component of survival.


like Narcissus and his lover
The hunger is a mirror, a reflection of the self.


you can never have the other
The hunger is a paradox, the more you chase it, the more it eludes you.


you can never turn away
The hunger is a temptation, a lure that cannot be resisted.


you can never lick the plate clean
The hunger is a mess, a reminder of our imperfection.


When the coffers are empty in lieu of defeat
The hunger is a curse, a punishment for our failures and shortcomings.


I deal my daughter for camembert cheese
The hunger is a sacrifice, a price paid for the sake of taste.


Here the story leaves me to my own device
The hunger is a mystery, a puzzle that cannot be solved.


As lips teeth tongue savor self sacrifice
The hunger is a paradox, the more you indulge it, the more you suffer.


And now the Hunter is prey and the Hungry are meat
The hunger is a cycle, a destiny that cannot be escaped.


And there's never ever enough to eat
The hunger is a curse, a blessing, and a mystery all at once.




Contributed by Madison H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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