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Cannibalism Lyrics by Adrian Matejka

The Big Smoke

2013

CANNIBALISM
Coloreds were here before these
United States were even dreamed
of. We have always been on this
land. That's why I don't bother
about what Booker T. Washington
says. I'm a pure-blooded American
of the first rate & I don't need
to cast down a bucket unless there's
no indoor toilet. After the Great
Storm hit, the Times called us "black
ghouls," cannibals eating coloreds
& whites like Sunday chicken.
They said we left babies in the street
just so we could take a dead man's
shoes. They said we sawed off
fingers at the fat meat for rings.
I was there, so I know what's true:
whole families of coloreds shot
down by whites. "Protecting the dead,"
the sheriffs said, sending buckshot
at any colored in sight. Those
dead people didn't need any more
protection than the mud & rocks
covering them. After the storm
moved through, me & the other
Galveston boys slept where we could,
spent our days searching for anybody
alive. We got paid whiskey & potatoes.
We found dead mothers & sons,
dead cats & skulls cracked
like teacups under the wet wood
& rock. That's all the storm left.
Credits
Adrian Matejka

Adrian Matejka

About “Cannibalism” by Adrian Matejka

Read the complete lyrics to "Cannibalism" by Adrian Matejka from the album "The Big Smoke" in 2013. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"Cannibalism" is performed by Adrian Matejka. from the album "The Big Smoke" in 2013 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Cannibalism", explore more songs by Adrian Matejka using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Cannibalism" is credited to Adrian Matejka. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Cannibalism" appears on "The Big Smoke" in 2013.

Visit the Adrian Matejka artist page at /artist/adrian-matejka for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.