The Hunger
Unfulfilled Longings: Waylon Jennings' 'The Hunger' Reveals the Eternal Craving
Lyrics
They said in her younger days
Reference to the subject's past, highlighting comments about her attractiveness.
Her beauty was enough to drive men wild
Her beauty had a powerful impact on men, causing intense reactions.
But the hunger in her body then
At a younger age, her physical desires were different from those of a lonely child.
Was not the hunger of some lonely child.
Contrasting the nature of her early desires with typical childhood loneliness.
Like a butterfly in springtime
Comparing her to a butterfly seeking love in springtime, symbolizing youthful pursuit.
Searching every field for loving's sweetest rose
Metaphor for searching for love, using the imagery of a butterfly in a field.
The embrace of many strangers
Despite encounters with many strangers, she remains emotionally bound.
Still could not release her from the hold.
Struggling to break free from emotional entanglements despite varied relationships.
In the backstreets and the bedrooms
Highlighting her experiences in less visible, intimate settings.
All she's found is disappointments bitterly
Emphasizing her life filled with bitter letdowns and unfulfilled expectations.
While the love that she's too often found
The love she found wasn't enough, only meeting basic needs, not true fulfillment.
Was enough to satisfy her needs.
Reflection on her current state, aging rapidly without finding satisfaction.
She's older than the years she holds
She appears older than her actual years due to life's hardships.
And ageing fast with each day passing by
Underlining the rapid aging process she undergoes daily.
On a downhill run to nowhere
Describing her life as heading downhill with no specific destination.
'Cause the hunger never can be satisfied.
The insatiable hunger remains, preventing any sense of satisfaction.
The reflection in her mirror's not the image
Contrasting her current reflection with the image she holds in her memory.
She remembers in her mind
Her beauty has been eroded by time, symbolized by "acid winds."
Her beauty has been eaten by the hunger
Metaphorical description of the destructive impact of time on her physical appearance.
And the acid winds of time.
Reference to the corrosive effects of time and its impact on her beauty.
She has danced the tune her demons played
Metaphor for succumbing to personal demons and facing the consequences.
And payed the piper dearly for his song
Paying a heavy price for her life choices, leaving her emotionally empty.
Empty now of all her pride but still inside
Though stripped of pride, her internal yearning remains formidable.
Her hunger's just as strong.
Despite hardships, her hunger for something more meaningful persists.
They said in her younger days
Repetition of the earlier description of her past beauty and its impact on men.
Her beauty was enough to drive men wild
Recalling the allure of her beauty that once captivated men.
But the hunger in her body then
Reiteration of the contrast between her youthful desires and lonely childlike hunger.
Was not the hunger of some lonely child
Repeating the theme of her past physical desires differing from childlike loneliness.
Comment