At the start of the Campaign Days without Meat (Dagenzondervlees), in which participants engage to leave meat and fish of their plates as much as possible, Belgian Radio 1 sollicited meaty songs to air during their show Monschau. ‘To keep your diet in balance, Monschau is serving you lovely meaty songs’ it says on their website. Yes, really.

We thought this was the perfect occasion to set Meat is murder, (The Smiths – with frontman Morrissey) in the spotlights and requested this song.
‘Meat is Murder’ is from 1985 (30 years old!), although onfortunately still very applicable to the present day situation. Love him or hate him (Morrissey), but it’s a classic.

Apparently Radio 1 did play the song (although I wasn’t listening myself). In between the songs about sausages and pork ribs …

Lyrics – Meat is murder  – The Smiths (1985)

Heifer whines could be human cries
Closer comes the screaming knife
This beautiful creature must die
This beautiful creature must die
A death for no reason
And death for no reason is murder
And the flesh you so fancifully fry
Is not succulent, tasty or kind
It’s death for no reason
And death for no reason is murder

And the calf that you carve
With a smile is murder
And the turkey you festively slice is murder
Do you know how animals die
Kitchen aromas aren’t very homely
It’s not comforting, cheery or kind
It’s sizzling blood
And the unholy stench of murder

It’s not natural, normal or kind
The flesh you so fancifully fry
The meat in your mouth
As you savor the flavor of murder

No, no, no, it is murder
No, no, no, it is murder
Oh and who hears when animals cry?

Morrissey Live at Glastonbury Festival, 2011
Images from ‘Meet your Meat‘ campaigne, PETA.

originally posted this blog on our Dutch blog, here