You Will Eat Your Children - Artwork: Eva Krusche
I think this has to be one of the most iconic pieces of art that Eva painted for us and it was considered for use as the main front cover for the album. It is both comical, cartoonish and grotesque at the same time - depending of your perspective of course. And now comes to mind an idea I had to make a photo shoot based on the song with some friends who had a young version of themselves. A baby.
I wanted to put the baby in a large cooking pot full with vegetables and water and take some photos. They seemed up for the idea, but in the end it never transpired and now the baby is a three year old and too big for the pot. BUT they do have another little version that soon with some feeding up will be ready for the pot - so perhaps second time lucky!
You Will Eat Your Children. “What the bloody hell?”, as I can imagine some of my friends commenting. Well, the song itself was developed under the the theme of one leg in the fairytale world and one in the real world. Which is really perhaps the default setting for fairytales. They are after all inspired by the real world and are meant to be something akin to parables, wise stories that help guide and warn of the dangers encountered on our hopefully long journey to the grave.
I had in mind a despotic ogre that holds sway over his minions with an iron grip. In my minds eye, his subjects were generally submissive and retched in their lot, but bubbling under the surface a quietly hidden resentment that possibly would never lead to any revolt, kept in check by sheer power and unrelenting cruelty. In the real world there are of course no end of examples to choose from as inspiration for the tale. Concerning the eating of children, North Korea did spring to mind, as there are horror stories of people eating their children due to starvation.
And of course, in classic form, this ogre has a very high opinion of himself. A real self love. A real sense that he is divinely chosen to rule in his kingdom.
The music itself is something of an epic condensed Ben-Hur production, starting gently with an almost Tango feel, growing until lurching into a real rock finale. And wonderful improvised lines from the Brass Boys™
The song also features the wonderful voice of a very good friend of mine from the States that, at Nashville’s great loss, now resides in Bavaria - Just John Jones. I sometimes get a little jealous when I hear a voice quality that has so much richness or uniqueness that can just soar above songs seemingly so effortlessly - JJ has such a voice.
There is a legend told by the ‘Witches’ of the Crooked House Pub (Black Country) that one can inherit the voice of a person by ingesting their offspring, in the case of JJ, if this is true:
I will eat his children.
You Will Eat Your Children
I like to see myself, high above the rest,
Lording over all below me,
But try as I might I find, no kind of peace of mind,
All those dirty faces smile up at me,
It’s almost as if they like,
Every shade of shite,
That I care to drop on them,
They seem to crave debasement,
I like to see myself, high above the rest,
Lording over all below me,
But try as I might I find, no kind of peace of mind,
All those dirty faces smile up at me,
I take their wealth away, I give them words to say,
And every word it paints a lovely picture of me,
Or else,
I will eat their Children, I will eat their Children,
I hope they don’t try me, tears will run down the streets,
And above all I hate to pick those small bones from my teeth
It’s for their own good, without me they would,
In the end, starving, they’d eat their Children themselves
Like to see myself, far above the rest, lording over all I love to love me
But try as as I might, find no peace of mind, all those face staring smiling at me
Taking me on is foolish, you know it, we’ll come for you
It’s for their own good, without me they would
In the end starving they’d eat their Children
Ian Chapman: vocals, guitars, cornets, synths, charanga,
Carles Camós: piano
Dine Doneff: drums, tamburo, vocals, guitars, percussion
Sandra Hollstein: accordeon, vocals
Just John Jones: vocals
Johannes Url: drums
Martin Habersetzer: tuba
Julian Hesse: trumpet
Thorben Schütt: trombone
Producer: Dine Doneff
Music, Lyrics & Arrangement: Ian Chapman