For years fans of Boston born singer/songwri… Read Full Bio ↴Biography
For years fans of Boston born singer/songwriter Lily Holbrook all had one thing in common...a subway token! Lily was a regular fixture inside the Park Street Subway Station, performing to ever increasing enthusiastic crowds of commuters.
With the 2008 release of her new album, "Wicked Ways," an opening performance for Brian Wilson and a slot at New Jersey's "All Points West" festival headlined by Radiohead, Lily is no longer an underground sensation. Her music has caused pedestrian traffic jams in Boston's Harvard Square and Newbury Street, Santa Monica's famed Third Street Promenade and, more recently, in San Francisco's Castro area.
Lily first unleashed her voice on a wider audience with her independent debut "Running from the Sky" in 2000. Described by fans as "a somber fairy tale" the ethereal vocals and dark lyrics quickly earned a cult following resulting in the street singer selling over 20,000 copies as an unsigned artist. With her steady street buzz she was a natural choice for the film, "Playing for Change"-a rocumentary highlighting the lives of 16 street musicians across the country. The film struck a chord with audiences and was added into rotation on the Sundance Channel, the Independent Film Channel and Comcast On Demand. It also secured Lily her first record deal and in 2005 BackPorch/Virgin released her second album "Everything Was Beautiful and Hurt."
Describing her music as melancholic rock, Lily's influences have always been diverse, ranging from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd to Tori Amos, PJ Harvey and The Cure. Of her latest album the artist says "This is my most accomplished work and fully represents who I am as an artist." As legendary producer Glen Ballard (Alanis Morisette, No Doubt, Michael Jackson) says: "Lily Holbrook is the real deal!"
Lily now calls San Francisco her home and has begun working on her fourth album. Her passion for causes such as LGBTQI rights, animal welfare, at risk youth and women's issues has her donating her musical talents to various charitable organizations throughout the bay area. She continues to busk and delight fans, locals and tourists with her impromtu concerts.
Make Them Wonder
Lily Holbrook Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They want a dirty little girl whose mouth tastes clean
Well they're all fucked up on the American Dream
Who are they to call me obscene?
Come out from under and watch the show
They want a one night stand with a magazine
They want a plastic doll so they can spread their seed
Well, they're all fucked up on the American Dream
Who are they to call me obscene?
I like to make them wonder who's in control
Come out from under
And watch the show
The lyrics in Lily Holbrook's song "Make Them Wonder" are a commentary on the objectification and degradation of women by society, as well as the pressure to conform to certain societal expectations. The first two lines, "They want robot sex with a pretty machine/ They want a dirty little girl whose mouth tastes clean," suggest that society wants women to be perfect, submissive objects of desire, while being "dirty" in appearance and behavior. The reference to "American Dream" in the following lines suggests that this is a societal issue in America, where there is a cultural expectation for women to conform to a certain ideal.
The chorus, "I like to make them wonder how far I'll go/ Come out from under and watch the show," suggests that the singer is aware of society's expectations but chooses to defy them and live life on her own terms. By "making them wonder," she asserts her own agency and control over her life, rather than being controlled by societal expectations. The second verse echoes the themes of the first verse, emphasizing how society sees women as disposable objects for pleasure, but the singer refuses to be objectified and chooses to take control.
Overall, "Make Them Wonder" is a powerful commentary on the objectification of women and the pressure to conform to societal expectations, and serves as a reminder to women to take control of their lives and live on their own terms.
Line by Line Meaning
They want robot sex with a pretty machine
They desire emotionless sexual relations with a beautiful, yet unfeeling partner
They want a dirty little girl whose mouth tastes clean
Their desire is for a physically innocent woman who will do lewd acts for them
Well they're all fucked up on the American Dream
Their thoughts are warped by the distorted perception of the American Dream
Who are they to call me obscene?
What right do they have to disparage me with an offensive epithet?
I like to make them wonder how far I'll go
I enjoy causing them to speculate about the limits of my actions
Come out from under and watch the show
Step out from the shadow and observe the spectacle
They want a one night stand with a magazine
Their desire is for a brief, insignificant encounter with an idealized picture
They want a plastic doll so they can spread their seed
Their covetous want is for a doll-like sex object to increase their offspring
I like to make them wonder who's in control
I derive joy from causing them to question whether they are in charge or not
Come out from under
Come out of the darkness
And watch the show
And look with amazement
Contributed by Alice S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.