Peak
67
Weeks
2
Score
123
Chart Year
2023
Eat Your Young is a three-track EP released ahead of Hozier's third album, Unreal Unearth. The record draws inspiration from Dante's Inferno, the renowned 14th century epic poem that is considered a masterpiece of Italian literature. Dante's Inferno is the initial part of The Divine Comedy, which portrays the journey of the soul towards God in three parts. The poem begins with the recognition and denial of sin (Inferno), followed by the penitential Christian life (Purgatorio), culminating in the soul's ascent to God (Paradiso). Dante's Inferno illustrates the descent through nine progressively severe circles of Hell, where the gravity of sins and associated punishments intensifies with each circle. They are: 1. Limbo: The first circle of Hell, reserved for the souls of those who weren't baptized or born before the advent of Christianity. 2. Lust: The second circle, reserved for the souls of the lustful. 3. Gluttony: The third circle, reserved for the souls of the gluttonous. 4. Greed: The fourth circle, reserved for the souls of the avaricious and the prodigal. 5. Anger: The fifth circle, reserved for the souls of the wrathful and the sullen. 6. Heresy: The sixth circle, reserved for the souls of the heretics. 7. Violence: The seventh circle, divided into three rings: a. Violence against others b. Violence against self c. Violence against God, nature, and art 8. Fraud: The eighth circle, reserved for the souls of the fraudulent. 9. Treachery: The ninth and final circle, reserved for the souls of traitors. "Eat Your Young" relates to the third circle, where gluttonous souls are confined in the slushy waste of their excess. Hozier describes a frenzied feast, exploring the idea of greed and excess. During the verses, Hozier uses symbolic language to represent different forms of gluttony. They include his desire for oral sex with his love interest. I'm starvin', darlin' Let me put my lips to something Let me wrap my teeth around the world Hozier often poetically evokes imagery of oral sex in his music, and here he's gluttonous for his sweetheart, Here, it's more about greed: Crumbs enough for everyone Old and young are welcome to the meal The youngest and oldest individuals are particularly vulnerable to this particular sin. In chasing profits, anyone can become a sacrificial victim. The strings-laden, bluesy chorus conveys Hozier's message about the gluttony of war. Come and get some Skinnin' the children for a war drum Puttin' food on the table sellin' bombs and guns It's quicker and easier to eat your young War is highly lucrative. During wartime, we get two choices: capitalize on the atrocities committed or perpetrate them oneself to survive. The song title may allude to Jonathan Swift's 1729 satirical essay, A Modest Proposal. Swift wrote the work in a mock public-spirited way where the narrator, with intentionally grotesque arguments, recommends that Ireland's poor escape their poverty by selling their offspring to the rich, who could fatten the children before eating them. Hozier composed the song with producer/songwriter Bekon, Stuart Johnson, Rappy, Valentino, Craig Balmoris, Tyler Mehlenbacher, Pete G and Chakra. Frequent Kemdrick Lamar collaborator Bekon contributed to eight out of the 14 tracks on the Compton rapper's DAMN album. Rappy and Stuart Johnson have both worked with Rich Brian and Joji. Stuart Johnson also played the drums, and Bekon the synthesizer, piano and organ. The other musicians are: Jordan Seigel: strings arranger Daniel Krieger: guitar, bass Marius Feder: synthesizer
[Verse 1] I'm starvin', darlin' Let me put my lips to something Let me wrap my teeth around the world Start carvin', darlin' I wanna smell the dinner cookin' I wanna feel the edges start to burn [Pre-Chorus] Honey, I wanna race you to the table If you hesitate, the gettin' is gone I won't lie if there's somethin' to be gained There's money to be made, whatever's still to come [Chorus] Get some Pull up the ladder when the flood comes Throw enough rope until the legs have swung Seven new ways that you can eat your young Come and get some Skinnin' the children for a war drum Puttin' food on the table sellin' bombs and guns It's quicker and easier to eat your young [Instrumental Break] [Verse 2] You can't buy this fineness Let me see the heat get to you Let me watch the dressing start to peel It's a kindness, highness Crumbs enough for everyone Old and young are welcome to the meal [Pre-Chorus] Honey, I'm makin' sure the table's made We can celebrate the good that we've done I won't lie if there's somethin' still to take There is ground to break, whatever's still to come You might also like Unknown (Angel To Me)* Hozier All Things End Hozier Through Me (The Flood) Hozier [Chorus] Get some Pull up the ladder when the flood comes Throw enough rope until the legs have swung Seven new ways that you can eat your young Come and get some Skinnin' the children for a war drum Puttin' food on the table sellin' bombs and guns It's quicker and easier to eat your young [Instrumental Outro]
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apr 1, 2023 | 67 | 59 |
| 2 | Apr 8, 2023 | 96 | 30 |