The song is an aggressive guitar-based number with heavy Post-punk influences. Although its title suggests wholesome imagery à la "The Candy Man", Sioux's lyrics describe an altogether different kind of "Candyman" (à la Ronald Clark O'Bryan): ("...Sickly sweet, his poison seeks / For the young ones who don't understand / The danger in his hands / With a jaundiced wink see his cunning slink / Oh trust in me my pretty one / Come walk with me my helpless one...").
"Candyman" became Siouxsie & the Banshees' thirteenth top-forty hit, peaking at number thirty-four in the UK singles chart.
Candyman
Siouxsie and the Banshees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For the young ones who don't understand
The danger in his hands
With a jaundiced wink see his cunning slink
Oh trust in me my pretty one
Come walk with me my helpless one
Candyman
Ge latine saliva spills
The flash of a guillotine a smile
Candyman - oh candyman
No pity for him, their misery screams
Unspeakable things
A cool missile, yes it's in his smile
With open arms to welcome you
Beware the masked pretender
He always lies, this candyman
Those lips conspire in treachery
To strike in cloak and dagger, see!
Candyman - oh candyman
And all the children, he warns ''don't tell,''
Those threats are sold
With their guilt and shame they think they're to blane
For candyman - oh candyman
The lyrics of Siouxsie and the Banshees's song Candyman is about a predator who preys upon innocent, young children, luring them with promises of sweet treats and friendship. The song describes the Candyman as a sinister figure who uses deceit and manipulation to ensnare his victims, making them believe that he is a friend who can be trusted. He uses his charm and trickery to lure them away, and once he has them in his clutches, he can do what he pleases.
The song's lyrics are a warning to children and their parents that there are dangerous people out there who will exploit their innocence and trust. The Candyman represents the darker side of human nature, where individuals will do whatever it takes to get what they want, even if it means exploiting the vulnerable. The song's lyrics are accompanied by a haunting melody that perfectly captures the eerie atmosphere of the story.
Line by Line Meaning
Sickly sweet, his poison seeks
His charming demeanor disguises his sinister intentions
For the young ones who don't understand
His targets are naive and unaware of the danger
The danger in his hands
He is a threat to all those who come into contact with him
With a jaundiced wink see his cunning slink
His sly ways are visible to those observant enough to spot them
Oh trust in me my pretty one
He uses flattery and charm to manipulate his victims
Come walk with me my helpless one
He preys on those who are vulnerable and powerless
Candyman
This is his self-proclaimed name, showcasing his sinister intention
Syrup lies upon your tongue
He sweet-talks his victims to earn their trust
Ge latine saliva spills
His words sound slick and slimy, leaving a bad taste in the mouth
The flash of a guillotine a smile
His smile is sinister, hinting at the harm he can cause
No pity for him, their misery screams
Despite the harm he causes, he shows no remorse for his victims
Unspeakable things
His actions are too terrible to mention
A cool missile, yes it's in his smile
His cool, collected demeanor hides his harmful intentions
With open arms to welcome you
He appears friendly and welcoming, but it's all part of his scheme
Beware the masked pretender
Don't fall for his charming facade
He always lies, this candyman
He is a habitual liar
Those lips conspire in treachery
His words are always deceiving and manipulative
To strike in cloak and dagger, see!
He uses subterfuge to accomplish his evil deeds
And all the children, he warns ''don't tell,''
He warns his victims not to speak up about his actions
Those threats are sold
He uses fear to keep his victims quiet
With their guilt and shame they think they're to blane
His victims feel guilty and ashamed for falling for his lies
For candyman - oh candyman
This refrain serves as a reminder of his manipulative ways
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MATTHEW DAVID CLAYDEN, MARK WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mroldnewbie
It is about her own experience according to many interviews. I think I trust her more about it than I trust you.
From an interview:
"It's a song about child abuse. "Oh trust in me my pretty one/ Come walk with me my helpless one..."
"...That song," says Siouxsie, "was an outlet for a lot of things that had not been expressed."
At the age of nine, Susan and a friend were sexually assaulted. When they told adults what had happened the police were called, and Susan was taken to see a police doctor who examined her; but her family quickly swept the fuss under the carpet - it was another undiscussible item. Presumably that was the moment that Siouxsie started to acquire that total disrespect for adulthood and authority that she exuded in later years?
"Definitely" she agrees. "I grew up having no faith in adults as responsible people. And being the youngest in the family I was isolated - I had no-one to confide in. So I invented my own world, my own reality It was my own way of defending myself - protected myself from the outside world. The only way I could deal with how to survive was to get some strong armour..."
@mnmlstellar
#lyrics Sickly sweet, his poison seeks
For the young ones who don't understand the danger in his hands
With a jaundiced wink see his cunning slink
Oh, trust in me my pretty one, come walk with me my helpless one
Candyman
Syrup lies upon your tongue
Gelatine saliva spills the flash of a guillotine a smile
Candyman
Oh, candyman
No pity for him, their misery screams unspeakable things
No pity for him, their misery screams unspeakable things
Candyman
A cool missile, yes, it's in his smile
With open arms to welcome you beware the masked pretender
He always lies, this candyman
Those lips conspire in treachery to strike in cloak and dagger, see
Candyman
Oh, candyman
And all the children, he warns, don't tell those threats are sold
With their guilt and shame they think they're to blame for candyman
Candyman
Candyman
Candyman
Candyman
@wildechild5
I wish I was still a teenager when this song came out and I just thought it was a cool song. That was long before I knew everything about this song. It always guts me to hear it and to think about what Siouxsie Sioux went through as a child. For those of you that don't know (if you don't want to know stop reading now) this song is about the sexual assault of Siouxsie Sioux at the age of nine, she and a friend were sexually assaulted by a stranger. The assault was ignored by both her parents and the police, and was not spoken of in the family. The incident and its later treatment would lead Siouxsie to distrust adults. Years later, she stated:
"I grew up having no faith in adults as responsible people. And being the youngest in the family I was isolated – I had no one to confide in. So I invented my own world, my own reality. It was my own way of defending myself – protecting myself from the outside world. The only way I could deal with how to survive was to get some strong armour."
💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
@lucius0malfoy
Thanks so much.
@wildechild5
@El gran regreso del consejero Rojo' for what?
@lucius0malfoy
@The Real Wilde Child For share this valuable information.
@wildechild5
@El gran regreso del consejero Rojo' you are very welcome. It is extremely sad when happened to her and my heart broke when I read the interview. It sickens me to know there are people out there that do this especially to children. It also sickens me that her parents did nothing for her.
@lucius0malfoy
@The Real Wilde Child i feel the same i guess.
@MebThemes
Siouxsie is easily among the greatest frontwomen of all time.
@MD-ru5vs
Sure, what a performance !!
@petekelsall4299
I’ll second that.
@d3athr0ck3r
She is the greatest