Tiger in My Tank
Eels Lyrics
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From the back of rolling stone
I guess he wouldn't mind it
They couldn't sell his soul
The tiger in my tank
Is going to go extinct
And I'm not feeling so good myself
I think I'm on the brink of disaster
I had a dream last night
The TV and the phone
Grew some legs and took a walk
And left me all alone
The tiger in my tank
Is going to go extinct
And I'm not feeling so good myself
I think I'm on the brink of disaster
When I grow up I'll be
An angry little whore
I'll give you all the finger
I'll sell you all what for
The tiger in my tank
Is going to go extinct
And I'm not feeling so good myself
I think I'm on the brink of disaster
The lyrics to Eels's song Tiger in My Tank offer a haunting and foreboding glimpse at the emotional state of the singer. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer declares that he bought some rock star ashes from the back of Rolling Stone. The notion of purchasing ashes is a macabre one, and suggests that the singer may be struggling with his own mortality, or with the fleeting nature of fame and success. The reference to Rolling Stone also hints at the idea that the singer is in some way connected to the world of music.
The second verse of the song explores the singer's sense of isolation and disconnection from the world around him. He mentions a dream he had in which the TV and the phone took on a life of their own and left him alone. This dream may be a metaphor for the singer's own sense of detachment from society, or of the feeling that technology has taken over our lives and left us feeling isolated.
The chorus of the song, which repeats several times throughout, emphasizes the singer's sense of despair and impending doom. He declares that the tiger in his tank is going to go extinct, which could be read as a metaphor for the loss of passion or vitality in his life. Altogether, Tiger in My Tank paints a powerful picture of a person struggling with their own mortality, their place in the world, and their sense of isolation from society.
Line by Line Meaning
I bought some rock star ashes
I acquired some ashes of a famous musician from a source associated with Rolling Stone magazine
From the back of rolling stone
The ashes were obtained from the magazine Rolling Stone
I guess he wouldn't mind it
I assume that the musician wouldn't object to his ashes being sold
They couldn't sell his soul
The publication was not able to exploit the musician beyond his death
The tiger in my tank
The fuel in my car
Is going to go extinct
The fuel is becoming scarce
And I'm not feeling so good myself
The situation is making me feel uneasy
I think I'm on the brink of disaster
I believe I am close to experiencing a catastrophic event
I had a dream last night
I experienced a dream during my sleep
The TV and the phone
Electronic devices in my environment
Grew some legs and took a walk
The devices came to life and moved on their own
And left me all alone
I was abandoned by the devices
When I grow up I'll be
In the future I aspire to become
An angry little whore
A person who sells their body for money and is filled with anger
I'll give you all the finger
I will make an obscene gesture towards everyone
I'll sell you all what for
I will give everyone a reason to want to pay me for something
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARK O. EVERETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind