Cannibals

Richie Kotzen's song 'Cannibals' delves into the darker aspects of human nature, exploring themes of survival, self-degradation, and the primal instincts that lie beneath our civilized exteriors. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a society that has regressed into a state of animalistic behavior, where individuals are driven by their most basic and brutal instincts. The metaphor of cannibalism is used to illustrate how people consume each other, both literally and figuratively, in their quest for survival and dominance.

The song opens with a provocative question, 'Are you hungry for your kind?' This sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics, suggesting a deep-seated craving for power and control that leads to self-destruction. The repeated use of the word 'degrade' emphasizes the loss of humanity and the moral decay that accompanies this descent. The chorus reinforces this idea, describing how what started as a mere 'taste' has now become a full-blown consumption of one's own kind, highlighting the insatiable nature of these primal urges.

Kotzen also touches on the idea of guilt and shared culpability, asking, 'Are you guilty to the bone? What's the difference? We are cut from the same stone.' This line suggests that no one is innocent and that everyone shares in the collective responsibility for the state of society. The imagery of sharpening claws and going to get what one is made of further underscores the survival-of-the-fittest mentality that has taken over. The song concludes with a haunting repetition of 'Animal, animal bury me deeper in the ground,' signifying the ultimate consequence of this cannibalistic existence: a return to the earth, stripped of all humanity.