Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a stark picture of a desperate, almost parasitic relationship centered around a "table" that represents a source of sustenance or power. The speaker feels compelled to "alter my altar" for "every mouthful," suggesting a constant, subservient adaptation to the other person's needs or consumption. This act of devotion, however, is met with a sense of being "unable" to reciprocate, leaving the speaker in a state of perpetual "hunger." The central tension lies in the speaker's forced dependence and the resulting imbalance. While the other person is "living" and presumably benefiting from the "mouthfuls," the speaker is merely "running" and "growing by inches," implying a struggle for survival rather than true growth. The repeated plea, "Feed me," becomes a desperate, almost primal cry for acknowledgment or sustenance that is never fully satisfied. The most striking craft element is the juxtaposition of "alter my altar" and "every mouthful." This creates a powerful image of religious devotion twisted into a transactional, desperate act. The repetition of "for every mouthful" hammers home the cyclical nature of this exchange, where each small gain for the other person necessitates a further sacrifice or effort from the speaker, who is left feeling empty and perpetually chasing. Ultimately, these lyrics resonate because they capture the feeling of being trapped in a one-sided dynamic. The simple, insistent repetition of "Feed me" combined with the imagery of constant, unfulfilled effort makes the speaker's desperation palpable. The final questions, "How fast do you run?" suggest a dawning awareness of the futility of this race, a desperate query into the limits of their own endurance in this unbalanced exchange.