As a singer-songwriter, Tikaram scored her greatest hit to date with Twist in My Sobriety, from her debut album Ancient Heart in 1988, when she was 19 years of age. After two years she released her second album The Sweet Keeper, containing songs such as Sunset's Arrived and Harm in Your Hands.
Other albums released by Tanita are: Everybody's Angel, Eleven Kinds of Loneliness, Lovers in the City, Cappuccino Songs and Sentimental.
As of April 2009, Tanita is living in London, England, and is currently recording a new album. Tanita is also releasing free live versions of older songs on her blog. You can subscribe here: http://tanitatikaramblog.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
Poor Cow
Tanita Tikaram Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I stay outside the hall
Inside sit the butterflies
For the butterfly ball
All the boys are graded now
They come in their white socks, flat tops
And somehow they find a placr
They play all the tricks with smiles
And a sorry past
For poor caw
Their own room
And winter tales
Never touched these girls before
They hear the car stereo
And know what life is for
All the boys are weary now
listening to the family sing song
Family say so
Must carve, must carve poor cow
Slice her, slice her up, poor cow
Slice her, slice her up, poor cow
Slice her, slice her up, poor cow
Today is my birthday
I stay outside the hall
Inside sit the butterflies
For the butterfly ball
The lyrics to Tanita Tikaram's song "Poor Cow" are both poignant and sad. The song seems to be describing a scene where the singer is isolated from those around her. Today is her birthday, and while others celebrate inside the hall, she stays outside. Inside, the boys are graded and finding their place, while poor cow is left behind, forgotten. The lyrics suggest that the boys are winning and putting on a show, but they have a sorry past that is left unspoken.
The imagery of winter tales and car stereos seems to suggest a contrast between the innocence of childhood and the harsh realities of the world. The girls are hearing the songs on the radio and realizing what life is for, and it is clear that life is not fair. The final lines are haunting, suggesting that the singer is aware of the fate that awaits her, and there is a sense of hopelessness that pervades the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Today is my birthday
I am celebrating my birthday, but I feel like an outsider.
I stay outside the hall
I am not part of the group inside the hall.
Inside sit the butterflies
The people inside the hall are confident and impressive.
For the butterfly ball
The gathering is a type of ball where everyone is beautiful and social.
All the boys are graded now
All the boys are being judged and evaluated.
They come in their white socks, flat tops
The boys dress similarly in white socks and flat haircut.
And somehow they find a place
Despite their similarities, each boy has a unique place in the group.
All the boys are winning now
All the boys are getting what they want.
They play all the tricks with smiles
The boys act deceptively happy while getting what they want.
And a sorry past
The boys have a past which they are ashamed of.
For poor cow
The phrase 'poor cow' is used as an expression of sympathy.
Their own room
The girls have their own space.
And winter tales
The girls revel in their own stories.
Never touched these girls before
None of the boys have been able to win over these particular girls.
They hear the car stereo
The girls listen to music from a car stereo.
And know what life is for
The girls seem to understand the essence of life better than the boys.
All the boys are weary now
The boys are tired and lacking enthusiasm.
listening to the family sing song
The boys hear a song being sung by the family.
Family say so
The boys follow what their family tells them to do.
Must carve, must carve poor cow
The phrase 'must carve' is a reference to the slang term 'pulling' and the boys want to hook up with the girls.
Slice her, slice her up, poor cow
The boys want to 'slice' or 'cut up' the girls (again, in reference to 'pulling').
Slice her, slice her up, poor cow
The boys continue to express their desires and plans.
Slice her, slice her up, poor cow
The boys repeat the phrase to emphasize their intentions.
Today is my birthday
The song ends on the same note as it began, with the sense of being an outsider looking in.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TANITA TIKARAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind