As the years progressed, the PiL line-up would change, adding renowned drummer Martin Atkins in 1979 as the direction of the band evolved. Compared to their first three albums, the later 1980’s/early 1990’s period saw a more conventional sound to the musical aspect, but still retaining Lydon’s biting lyrics. The album Compact Disc (aka Album or Cassette, depending on what format you have it on), recorded by Lydon with a slate of studio musicians organized by producer Bill Laswell, is considered the artistic highpoint of this period of PiL’s evolution. PiL reached their commercial zenith with their aptly titled ninth album, 9, during 1989/1990.
PiL kept going as a Lydon project until 1993, when Lydon disbanded the group. Their final lineup consisted of Lydon, Ted Chau (guitar, keyboards), Mike Joyce of The Smiths (drums), John McGeoch of Magazine and Siouxsie and the Banshees (guitar), and Russel Webb (bass).
Cruel
PiL Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As a sword, swing double edged
Dig deep down, that monthly frown
You have the tools, to make men fools
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cleopatra, the rat catcher
Preambling eyeball shopping
Measuring, your next victim
Too good to be sin, far too entertaining
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
(You're so cruel)
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
(So cruel)
Cruel, cruel, cruel
She said, "The most evil thing I can do
Is to give my body to you"
Silhouette, the suffragette
Behind the scenes the deadly schemes
Your best nightmare, without a prayer
From ship to shore paramour amour
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
(So cruel)
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Inside our head, 22 to lead
The modern miss, with modern gifts
In the tragedy hilarity
Never sin, far too entertaining
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Cruel, cruel, cruel
The lyrics of the song Cruel by Public Image Ltd (PiL) depict the cold and calculated nature of power, oppression, and manipulation. The opening lines describe the primal and animalistic nature of the individuals who hold power, who are driven by their own needs and desires, and will use any means necessary to achieve them. The lyrics also suggest a sense of inevitability, that these powerful individuals will cruelly take advantage of those who are weaker, using the tools at their disposal to make them fools.
The next verse focusing on Cleopatra and her rat-catching, eyeball shopping nature is a metaphor for the predatory nature of those in power. They measure people, looking for their next victim, while being far too entertaining to be considered evil. The song then takes a shift towards a female perspective, where she proclaims that the most evil thing she can do is to give her body to someone who will use it against her.
The final verse highlights the modern world's obsession with appearance, social media, and instant gratification, providing excellent tools for those in power to manipulate and control the masses. Overall, the song Cruel highlights the cyclical nature of power, oppression, and human exploitation and the idea that these conditions are far from being "left behind" but rather continue to persist in modern society.
Line by Line Meaning
Body and soul, an animal
Our primal instincts as human beings can be seen as animalistic.
As a sword, swing double edged
Our actions can have both positive and negative effects, like a sword with two edges.
Dig deep down, that monthly frown
Take a closer look at the things that bring us sorrow, especially if it happens regularly.
You have the tools, to make men fools
You possess the ability to deceive and manipulate others.
Cruel, cruel, cruel
Repetition of the word "cruel" emphasizes the theme of the song.
Cleopatra, the rat catcher
A reference to the story of Cleopatra killing herself with a poisonous snake, likening someone who can deceive and manipulate to a rat catching snake.
Preambling eyeball shopping
Looking at someone closely, scrutinizing their every detail before preying on them.
Measuring, your next victim
Planning out the details of how to victimize someone.
Too good to be sin, far too entertaining
The pleasures of deceit and manipulation make it difficult to see it as sinful or wrong.
She said, "The most evil thing I can do
Is to give my body to you"
Giving yourself physically to someone who will use that connection to manipulate and deceive you could be considered truly evil.
Silhouette, the suffragette
Behind the scenes the deadly schemes
Someone who works tirelessly behind the scenes to create harmful plots and plans.
Your best nightmare, without a prayer
From ship to shore paramour amour
A nightmare that doesn't require prayer, and a romantic relationship going from afar to close proximity, signifies the all-encompassing nature of manipulation.
Inside our head, 22 to lead
The modern miss, with modern gifts
The modern woman with the skills and tools to manipulate and deceive, often using her intellect and femininity to achieve her goals.
In the tragedy hilarity
Never sin, far too entertaining
Even amidst tragic circumstances, the entertainment value of manipulation obscures its sinful nature.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN LYDON, JOHN ALEXANDER MCGEOCH, ALAN DIAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@swalk813
I'm here13 years later....wondering and waiting....and appreciating.
@ludan68
Wow...Simply fantastic!!! One of the best of the 90s!!!
@piginasack
Brilliant sound - one of the best guitar sounds ever produced....
@Hacker73
He's the incarnated intelligence itself... A genuine British poetry, original, provoking, disturbing, punk, modern... A real alchemist, uniting art and reality. The Most Revolutionary Musician Ever.
@Hacker73
Nothing less than this. He's like a breath of fresh air! Nothing bad for an Irish guy born in London at the same daywhen his immigrant parents came to England. Despite -- and even because? -- the meningitis, the total ammnesya at his 8, the curve on his spine, the lack of musical education... HE IS THE BEST!
@stephenwaynemitchell
How could anybody hate this ,its simply genious
@JuliaMP013
The teddy bear cracked me up the first time I watched this... it still does.
@Takac1979
It makes so much sense for PIL to reunite!!!
@Slance1Himself
One of the best!!
@swalk813
I wish there was a better quality vid, but you have all there is, and for that, I tip my hat....you have my favorite song of all time. Thank you.