They Locked Up a Man (poem) / A Person Who Eats Meat / Intro (Live at the Isle of Wight)

Song Meaning

The lyrics open with a provocative political statement: "They locked up the wrong man." This immediately sets a tone of defiance and hints at a deeper, perhaps misunderstood, agenda. The narrator dismisses the authorities as "fools" for imprisoning someone who "wanted to rule the world," suggesting a critique of conventional power structures or a belief that the true threat remains at large. The central tension emerges in the contrast between meat-eaters and non-meat-eaters, both described as wanting to "get their teeth into something." This juxtaposition seems to suggest a fundamental human drive for engagement or consumption, whether it's literal sustenance or something more abstract. The narrator warns that even considering this thought means "You're lost," implying a dangerous or disorienting path of inquiry that deviates from the norm. The live performance context injects a meta-layer, with audience shouts interrupting the spoken word. The narrator's reaction, "They're calling me a fascist pig again," reveals a recurring public perception he grapples with. This external judgment contrasts sharply with the intimate, almost ritualistic imagery of his creative process described later: "lighting wax candles in the form of men and women," and "marrying the smoke of two cones of sandalwood." This suggests a personal, esoteric world of creation that is at odds with how he is publicly perceived. What makes these lyrics resonate is the deliberate ambiguity and the narrator's willingness to court controversy. The initial political assertion, the philosophical musing on desire, and the personal confession of artistic struggle create a complex portrait. The lyrics invite listeners to question who the "wrong man" truly is and to consider the disconnect between internal creative impulses and external societal judgment, leaving a lingering sense of unease and intellectual provocation.