Summer Cannibals
Patti Smith Lyrics


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I was down in Georgia
Nothing was as real
As the street beneath my feet
Descending into air

The cauldron was a-bubbling
The flesh was lean
And the women moved forward
Like piranhas in a stream
They spread themselves before me
An offering so sweet
And they beckoned and they beckoned
Come on darling eat

Eat the summer cannibals
Eat eat eat
You eat the summer cannibals
Eat eat eat

They circled around me
Natives in a ring
And I saw their souls a-withering
Like snakes in chains
And they wrapped themselves around me
Ummm what a treat
And they rattled their tales hissin'
Come on let's eat

Eat the summer cannibals
Eat eat eat
You eat the summer cannibals
Eat eat eat

I felt a rising in my throat
The girls a-saying grace
And the air the viscous air
Pressed against my face
And it all got too damn much for me
Just got too damn rough
And I pushed away my plate
And said boys I've had enough
And I laid upon the table
Another piece of meat
And I opened up my veins to them
And said come on eat

Eat the summer cannibals
Eat eat eat
You eat the summer cannibals
Eat eat eat
You eat the summer cannibals
Eat eat eat
You eat the summer cannibals
Eat eat eat

'Cause I was down in Georgia
Nothing was as real
As the street beneath my feet
Descending into hell

So eat eat eat
You eat eat eat




You eat eat eat
Eat eat eat

Overall Meaning

Patti Smith's song Summer Cannibals is a haunting and seductive meditation on the darker side of human desire. Smith begins with a description of her physical surroundings, down in Georgia, where nothing feels quite real. The imagery is evocative, as she paints a picture of a cauldron bubbling away, flesh that is lean, and women moving forward like piranhas in a stream. The women offer themselves to the singer, beckoning her to join them and indulge in the forbidden pleasures of cannibalism.


As the song progresses, the tone shifts from one of seductive temptation to one of despair and disgust. The women are described as natives in a ring, with withering souls like snakes in chains. The singer is overwhelmed by the experience and pushed to their breaking point. The lyrics "I pushed away my plate/And said boys I've had enough" reveal the singer's disgust with the act of cannibalism and the realization that they have participated in a depraved act. The final lines of the song suggest that the singer has descended into hell, symbolically representing the consequences of giving into temptation and desire.


Overall, Summer Cannibals is a song that explores the themes of desire, temptation, and the consequences of giving into our darker impulses. The lyrics are haunting and the imagery is evocative, making for a powerful listening experience.


Line by Line Meaning

I was down in Georgia
The singer was in Georgia


Nothing was as real
The situation was surreal


As the street beneath my feet
The singer was walking on the street


Descending into air
The atmosphere was light and airy


The cauldron was a-bubbling
The pot was boiling


The flesh was lean
The meat was thin


And the women moved forward
The women approached the singer


Like piranhas in a stream
The women moved quickly and aggressively


They spread themselves before me
The women presented themselves to the artist


An offering so sweet
The women were tempting


And they beckoned and they beckoned
The women gestured to the singer


Come on darling eat
The women invited the artist to eat


Eat the summer cannibals
The singer was urged to participate in cannibalism


They circled around me
The women surrounded the singer


Natives in a ring
The women were like indigenous people in a circle


And I saw their souls a-withering
The women's spirits were deteriorating


Like snakes in chains
The women were trapped


And they wrapped themselves around me
The women secured the singer


Ummm what a treat
The singer found the situation enjoyable


And they rattled their tales hissin'
The women made noise, as if they were snakes


Come on let's eat
The women encouraged the artist to eat


I felt a rising in my throat
The artist felt nauseous


The girls a-saying grace
The women were praying


And the air the viscous air
The air was thick


Pressed against my face
The singer felt suffocated


And it all got too damn much for me
The situation was overwhelming


Just got too damn rough
The experience was too intense


And I pushed away my plate
The artist stopped eating


And said boys I've had enough
The artist expressed to the women that they had consumed enough


And I laid upon the table
The singer laid down


Another piece of meat
The singer presented their own flesh


And I opened up my veins to them
The artist cut themselves to offer their blood


And said come on eat
The artist encouraged the women to continue eating


'Cause I was down in Georgia
The artist repeats that they were in Georgia


Descending into hell
The situation was becoming hellish


So eat eat eat
The artist reiterates the request to eat


You eat eat eat
The singer continues to urge the women to eat


You eat eat eat
The singer persistently affirms the act of eating


Eat eat eat
The singer concludes the song with a final instruction to eat




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRED SMITH, PATTI SMITH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@Broatch6

I was down in Georgia
Nothing was as real
As the street beneath my feet
Descending into air

The cauldron was a-bubbling
The flesh was lean
And the women moved forward
Like piranhas in a stream
They spread themselves before me
An offering so sweet
And they beckoned
And they beckoned
Come on darling eat

Eat the summer cannibals
Eat Eat Eat
You eat the summer cannibals
Eat Eat Eat

They circled around me
Natives in a ring
And I saw their souls a-withering
Like snakes in chains
And they wrapped themselves around me
Ummmm what a treat
And they rattled their tales
Hissing come on let's eat

Eat the summer cannibals
Eat Eat Eat
You eat the summer cannibals
Eat Eat Eat

I felt a rising in my throat
The girls a-saying grace
And the air , the vicious air
Pressed against my face
And it all got too damn much for me
Just got too damn rough
And I pushed away my plate
And said boys I've had enough
And I laid upon the table
Just another piece of meat
And I opened up my veins to them
And said come on eat

Eat the summer cannibals
Eat Eat Eat
You eat the summer cannibals
Eat Eat Eat

'Cause I was down in Georgia
Nothing was as real
As the street beneath my feet
Descending into hell
So Eat Eat Eat
Eat Eat Eat



@leppak42088

I was down in Georgia
nothing was as real
as the street beneath my feet
descending into air

The cauldron was a-bubbling
the flesh was lean
and the women moved forward
like piranhas in a stream
they spread themselves before me
an offering so sweet
and they beckoned and they beckoned
come on darling eat

Eat the summer cannibals
eat eat eat
you eat the summer cannibals
eat eat eat

They circled around me
natives in a ring
and I saw their souls a-withering
like snakes in chains
and they wrapped themselves around me
ummm what a treat
and they rattled their tales hissin'
come on let's eat

Eat the summer cannibals
eat eat eat
you eat the summer cannibals
eat eat eat

I felt a rising in my throat
the girls a-saying grace
and the air the viscous air
pressed against my face
and it all got too damn much for me
just got too damn rough
and I pushed away my plate
and said boys I've had enough
and I laid upon the table
another piece of meat
and I opened up my veins to them
and said come on eat

Eat the summer cannibals
eat eat eat
you eat the summer cannibals
eat eat eat
you eat the summer cannibals
eat eat eat
you eat the summer cannibals
eat eat eat

Cause I was down in Georgia
nothing was as real
as the street beneath my feet
descending into hell

So eat eat eat
you eat eat eat
you eat eat eat
eat eat eat



All comments from YouTube:

@carolmurray1927

Patti Smith is the most sensual woman I’ve ever seen. She still has it now after all these years. ❤️

@carolmurray1927

Check out summer canibals!

@coolcat4894

Oh yesssss......sensuality is ageless.......

@gisleineleite6122

She's wonderful 😍🇧🇷

@jaimiehiggs8914

Brittany,Jessica,Madonna,Miley et.al-wish they cud find the dimension Patti inhabits....🚫

@pamzavada5269

Patti is a force of nature!

@MoonFree75

Happy birthday 🎉🎶😀

@mediacenterman8583

Billions S05E01 rage room scene. What a gripping opening episode!!

@googhan

coming from there as well

@guitarworks2546

ditto....forgot about this song until tonight. Billions has always had a great soundtrack! awesome show as well.

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