Kate Tempest - Cannibal Kids lyrics

Round here
These cannibal kids want to be kings
But there ain't no royalty left
Cause round here
The sirens and screams float on the wind
And even the street shudders
Afraid of our footsteps

Round here
These cannibal kids want to be kings
But there ain't no royalty left
Cause round here
The sirens and screams float on the wind
And even the street shudders
Yes, even the street shudders

Round here
These cannibal kids want to be kings
They don't know that kindness is courage
Or that sympathy sings
Much louder than violence


They are bitter and drained
Eyes of ice stare from figures of flames
Puff-chested, restless, nameless
They carry their pain
To the point of being painless
These numb ones, young ones
The new latch-keys of London
Just soaking up that humdrum
That makes them want to run
From the state they're in
Powerless, penniless
Feathers clipped, they find eagles' wings
In the derelict brotherhood of gang-life
That bang-bang life
That shouts louder than a sarcastic teacher
Clapping hands twice
And staring down a frightened nose
See, they learned that respect comes from striking a pose
That demands it
But I know
Respect and fear are not compatible
But they're a long way from bat and ball
They don't play, they let daggers fall
From blood-soaked fingers
While their siblings lie bleeding
In hallways dead
But like wisdom has always said
Blood begets blood and keeps spilling
So the pavements are stained
And our hearts are grief-stricken

Cause round here
These cannibal kids want to be kings
But there ain't no royalty left
No, cause round here
The sirens and the screams float on the wind
And even the street shudders
Yeah, even the street shudders

While that paranoid panic
Goes seeping through the granite
Of the breeze-blocks
Turning our cities into sheep-flocks
See me, I pity those whose knees knock
The victims of the media machine
Them poor souls who've forgotten
How to dream
You see, that cut-throat mentality
That gets encouraged in business
They tell you, yeah, to be a success
You've got to step on some necks
So big money is made
Through that ruthless pursuit
And while they're shot in water
They're jailing kids for shop
In copper suits
Now, we were born
Into these blood-soaked cities of industry
Informed of the savagery
The infamy, barbarity of history
Controlled, and contrived, and depressed
And attested, and stressed out and vexed
It's a message we've been fed
So we could propagate their system
Of division, inhibition
Viciousness and contradiction
We were suckled on the milk that they soured
Told the future was ours
And then disembowelled and disempowered
We've been disgraced
Deafened and deflowered
Our brains brutalized and
Our defiance devoured
And so now they're shooting
Guns and robbing cats
And trying to claw a little back
But when the whole thing shatters
It always starts with a little crack
And then splinters
Stretching out for miles
Pointing fingers at smart-dressed men
With crocodile smiles
But still we get the blame
Told that life is all exchange
Told that we are the child of capo
That we are the children of apathy
That we are the children of
This rapidly changing reality
But look I say we learnt it from them
From their rules and their ways
Cause their legitimate businesses
Deceive and disgrace
While us, we do what we can
Because we live in this place
Where the truth can't be seen in the face