Cruel
Public Image Ltd Lyrics

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Body and soul, an animal
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

(It's so 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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Public Image Ltd's song "Cruel" can be interpreted as a criticism of the societal expectations placed on women and the consequent exploitation they face. The first stanza seems to suggest that women are seen as mere objects that can be used to make men foolish, with the reference to the "monthly frown" potentially hinting at the exploitation of women's bodies for sexual pleasure. The repetition of the word "cruel" throughout the song reinforces the idea that this exploitation is not just problematic, but actively cruel.

The second stanza introduces the character of Cleopatra, who is described as a "rat catcher" who delights in measuring her next victim, echoing the idea of women being reduced to objects for male consumption. The lines "too good to be sin, far too entertaining" suggest that society sees this kind of exploitation as something to be enjoyed, despite its harmful consequences.

The third stanza is perhaps the most pointed in its critique, as the "suffragette" silhouette represents the fight for women's rights and equality, while the "deadly schemes" and "best nightmare" indicate the opposition they face. The reference to the ship to shore "paramour amour" suggests that even in more modern times, women are still seen primarily as objects for male pleasure.

Overall, "Cruel" is a scathing critique of the way women are objectified and exploited by society, with the repetition of the word "cruel" highlighting the harm caused by this mentality.

Line by Line Meaning

Body and soul, an animal
Our physical and emotional selves are primitive and instinctual

As a sword, swing double edged
Our actions often have both intended and unintended consequences, cutting both ways

Dig deep down, that monthly frown
When we explore our inner selves, we may confront negative emotions that we try to suppress

You have the tools, to make men fools
With our attractiveness and charm, we have the power to manipulate and control others

Cruel, cruel, cruel
Our behavior is heartless and callous

Cleopatra, the rat catcher
We are like the ancient queen who lured others to their doom for her benefit

Preambling eyeball shopping
We carefully observe and assess potential victims before selecting them

Measuring, your next victim
We take calculated steps to ensnare and exploit our targets

Too good to be sin, far too entertaining
Our cruel actions are so alluring and fun that they seem almost virtuous

She said, "The most evil thing I can do Is to give my body to you"
Even engaging in physical intimacy with us is a harmful act since it strengthens our hold over our victims

Silhouette, the suffragette
Our efforts to gain power and independence mirror those of historical women's rights activists

Behind the scenes the deadly schemes
Our plotting and scheming is dangerous and potentially lethal

Your best nightmare, without a prayer
We are capable of inflicting extreme harm without a second thought

From ship to shore paramour amour
We are serial seducers who leave a trail of victims in our wake

Inside our head, 22 to lead
We are constantly plotting and planning our next move, aware of the many options we have

The modern miss, with modern gifts
Our attractiveness and charm are tools we use to get what we want

In the tragedy hilarity
Our cruel actions can have both tragic and comedic outcomes

Never sin, far too entertaining
Our cruel behavior is so captivating and exciting we cannot resist it

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN LYDON, JOHN ALEXANDER MCGEOCH, ALAN DIAS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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