Growing up in Malibu, California, she began learning the violin at the age of four and left regular school five years later with the goal of becoming a world-class violinist; she practiced eight or nine hours a day and read a wide range of literature. Progressing to writing her own music, she studied under various teachers and went to Indiana University, which she left over issues regarding the relationship between classical music and the appearance of the performer. Through her own independent label Traitor Records, Autumn debuted with her classical album On a Day: Music for Violin & Continuo, followed by the release in 2003 of her album Enchant.
She appeared in singer Courtney Love's backing band on her 2004 America's Sweetheart tour and returned to Europe. She released the 2006 album Opheliac with the German label Trisol Music Group. In 2007, she released Laced/Unlaced; the re-release of On a Day... appeared as Laced with songs on the electric violin as Unlaced. She later left Trisol to join New York-based The End Records in 2009 and release Opheliac in the United States, where previously it had only been available as an import. Currently she is on tour to promote her newest album Fight Like A Girl. She played the role of Painted Doll in Darren Lynn Bousman's 2012 film The Devil's Carnival.
Time for Tea
Emilie Autumn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Right in the middle of her forehead
And when she was good, she was very, very good
But when she was bad, she was homicidal!
Hatchet… Check!
Scalpel… Check!
Rusty steel syringe… Check!
It's time for blood!
It's time for TEA!
One day that little girl may find a filthy metal spike
And drive it right in the middle of your forehead
For she and her friends, this is very, very good
But for you the game is over – this is revolution!
Hatchet… Check!
Scalpel… Check!
Amputation saw… Check!
It's time for war!
It's time for blood!
It's time for TEA!
We've got the tools, we've got the time
To punish a most worthy crime against humanity
Somewhere it's always time for tea
We've been trained by the very best
We think you just might be impressed
Eradicate the enemy
Somewhere it's always time for…
Revenge is a dish that is best served…NOW!
I am that little girl, I have that little curl
Right in the middle of my forehead
And when I am good, I am very, very good
But when I am bad, I am fucking gorgeous!
Hatchet… Check!
Scalpel… Check!
Electroshock Machine… Check!
It's time for war!
It's time for blood!
It's time for TEA!
We've got the tools, we've got the time
To punish a most worthy crime against humanity
Somewhere it's always time for tea
We've been trained by the very best
We think you just might be impressed
Eradicate the enemy
Eradicate the enemy
Eradicate the enemy
Eradicate the enemy
Eradicate
Eradicate
Eradicate
Eradicate
Revenge is a dish that is best served…NOW!
The lyrics of Emilie Autumn's song "Time for Tea" describe a character who embodies both a sweet and innocent demeanor and a dangerous, homicidal one. The opening lines, "There was a little girl, who had a little curl / Right in the middle of her forehead," is a reference to the Mother Goose rhyme. The lyrics suggest that the character's behavior can go from good ("When she was good, she was very, very good") to evil ("But when she was bad, she was homicidal!"). The tools mentioned - a hatchet, scalpel, rusty steel syringe, and amputation saw - allude to a violent and deadly nature.
As the song progresses, the character talks about finding a metal spike to drive into someone's forehead. She refers to her friends and herself, and how this violent behavior is "very, very good" to them. The repetition of "It's time for war! / It's time for blood! / It's time for TEA!" mimics a military or battle cry, with the addition of "tea" giving it a sense of twisted, macabre humor.
Towards the end of the song, the character reveals herself as the "little girl" with the curl in her forehead. She acknowledges her potential for violence but also embraces it, declaring that when she is bad, she is "fucking gorgeous." The song ends with a final call to "eradicate the enemy" and a reminder that "revenge is a dish that is best served...NOW!"
Overall, "Time for Tea" presents a disturbing and unsettling portrayal of a character who revels in violence and bloodshed. It showcases Emilie Autumn's unique blend of haunting, atmospheric music and provocative lyrics that challenge the listener's perceptions.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a little girl, who had a little curl
Once upon a time, there was a girl with attractive curls.
Right in the middle of her forehead
Her curls were positioned in the middle of her forehead, accenting her beauty.
And when she was good, she was very, very good
When she was well-behaved, she was exceptionally polite and obedient.
But when she was bad, she was homicidal!
But when she was ill-behaved or angry, she became hazardous enough to kill people.
Hatchet… Check!
_Tool verification for carrying out the next violent act._
Scalpel… Check!
Tool verification for carrying out the next violent act.
Rusty steel syringe… Check!
Tool verification for carrying out the next violent act.
It's time for war!
It is time to take action and violently fight back against enemies.
It's time for blood!
It is now time to shed blood and kill enemies.
It's time for TEA!
It's time to brew and enjoy cups of tea after the violent act.
One day that little girl may find a filthy metal spike
One day the girl may possess a spike and use it to execute a kill.
And drive it right in the middle of your forehead
She would execute the kill by embedding the spike in the victim's forehead.
For she and her friends, this is very, very good
The violent act and the feeling of success that comes with it is incredibly pleasant for her and her group.
But for you the game is over – this is revolution!
But for those who are against her or her group, this is the end of the road, and they are part of the planned revolution.
Amputation saw… Check!
Verification of the tool for amputating limbs.
We've got the tools, we've got the time
The group has both the necessary equipment and enough time to carry out acts of violence.
To punish a most worthy crime against humanity
They plan to enact revenge against a crime that they consider heinous and deserving of punishment.
Somewhere it's always time for tea
The group prefers to celebrate after the act of violence with tea, as it is believed that somewhere, it is always tea time.
We've been trained by the very best
Their significant level of expertise in violent acts can be attributed to their great trainers.
We think you just might be impressed
They hope that they might be able to impress or intimidate the individuals they plan to execute.
Eradicate the enemy
The group's goal is to get rid of the people they perceive as the enemy.
I am that little girl, I have that little curl
The singer reveals that she is the girl mentioned at the beginning of the song with the charming curls.
And when I am good, I am very, very good
She is very polite and obedient when she is well-behaved.
But when I am bad, I am fucking gorgeous!
She expresses her beauty and intellect while she is enacting violent acts.
Electroshock Machine… Check!
Verification that the tool for inflicting electric shock is present.
Eradicate
The repetition of 'eradicate' emphasizes the group's goal of getting rid of their enemies.
Revenge is a dish that is best served…NOW!
The group seeks to take revenge on their enemies now and immediately.
Contributed by Maya C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kenny_is_sleepy
I'm truly excited for this musical, it would be so awesome to see done on stage! (or, in my own delusions, performed)
Brain_Static
i have this album and she signed it! love it so much
Terry TheFULLMETALCHEF
Almost metal, Emilie. Nice to hear this again 🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀👸🏼
Zara
Noticed she rolls the R in right in the "I am that little girl" part unlike other versions. It really works lol
Tessa Crawford
best song ever!
Emily Kwolek
first time i ever heard this i head "amputation torque" (don't really have an ear for lyrics) and just took it at face value, like, someone's got a limb you want them to not have? sure, just torque it off!
Rosalinda Bloodflowers
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Hella Swag Cos
I wonder why these are all being reposted.
kaiser 1845
Could be to improve audio quality from where it was years ago or for relevance from an upcoming or recent tour
Ericairline
I think she’s getting ready to finally release her fourth album.