The Legendary Pink Dots are a Netherlands-based band formed in August 1980 … Read Full Bio ↴The Legendary Pink Dots are a Netherlands-based band formed in August 1980 in the UK who, although distinctly underground, have been musically influential over the years. The band name was derived from pink dots of nail varnish on the piano in their squat, where founding members Edward and April lived. The band has as its focal point vocalist Edward Ka-Spel, who is, along with Phil "The Silverman" Knight, one of the original remaining members of the band. In the mid eighties the band resettled in the Netherlands, where they still reside today. Apart from Edward and Phil, the line-up has gone through many changes. Members such as Ryan Moore, a Canadian bass player, who joined in 1991 after the recordings of the Last Man to Fly with the Tear Garden (he joined as a session musician), went on to form their own labels and musical projects. See Twilight Circus and M Records. Their music is nothing if not original and it is difficult to categorise, but comparisons may be drawn with bands like Pink Floyd and Can.

Their sound has been described as an amalgamation of psychedelic rock, industrial, synth-pop and avant-garde. They have released over 40 records and continuously tour the world.

Members of the band have also collaborated with Nurse With Wound, The Dresden Dolls, Jarboe, HNAS, Jim O'Rourke, Skinny Puppy's cEvin Key, forming The Tear Garden. Ka Spel accompanied Skinny Puppy for a small part of their 1988 European 'Head Trauma' tour in Sweden. Key also appears on the 1994 album 9 Lives to Wonder.

The Pleasure Palace
The Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics

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Get right down and work, work. Beat it, eat it, lick it out, and
drink it down and spit it out. The Love Machine
demands a sacrifice. The Love Machine demands a sacrifice. 500 pounds
of meat in amyl nitrate. Nice and neat. Repeat, repeat.
don't hit me with a wooden fish cos I can hear the bells ring, my burning
bride.

{???} closed the door and keep

her out. Forty days, forty nights, waiting for the time, waiting for the
green light says, "Come in boys, I'm waiting here, I'm lonely, I need
your company, I need a {???}, white flash. I'm waiting, I'm desperate.
I need some energy, so I can {???} quiver, quiver, quiver. {???} in my
sacrifice. {???} sacrifice. Yes, I'll be your sacrifice, but please
don't hurt me with the {ribbon fist?}. {???} tie my legs together.
Please don't hit me with the {fish??}, I'm {???}, I might just split from
eyes to knees to feet to {???}. I'll be your sacrifice. I'll be your

sacrifice. {???} I can hear your bells ring. {???} I'll be your
sacrifice.(x3)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Legendary Pink Dots's song The Pleasure Palace are strikingly visceral, and speak to themes of power, control, sacrifice and submission. The Love Machine metaphorically represents the machinery of desire and pleasure, which demands a sacrifice from its devotees. The lines, "Beat it, eat it, lick it out, and drink it down and spit it out," imply the consumption and disposal of the object of desire, with the emphasis on the demand, the command.

The reference to 500 pounds of meat in amyl nitrate is a nod to the drug's use in the gay club scene during the 1980s, and the lyrics "Nice and neat. Repeat, repeat," suggest a cyclical pattern of abuse and addiction. The mysterious woman who waits for forty days and nights behind closed doors, represents an unattainable desire, a trophy to be won. The reference to tying the legs together, and the fear of being hit with the "ribbon fist" or "wooden fish," imply a sense of physical violence, or a fear of loss of control.

Overall, the song speaks to the paradox of pleasure and pain, power and submission, and the darker psychological aspects of desire.

Line by Line Meaning

Get right down and work, work. Beat it, eat it, lick it out, and drink it down and spit it out. The Love Machine demands a sacrifice.
The Love Machine requires a physical act of devotion, where 500 pounds of meat in amyl nitrate needs to be consumed repeatedly in neat order, in order to satisfy its needs.

The Love Machine demands a sacrifice. 500 pounds of meat in amyl nitrate. Nice and neat. Repeat, repeat.
The Love Machine desires a repetitive motion of eating 500 pounds of meat in amyl nitrate repeatedly in order to achieve satisfaction.

don't hit me with a wooden fish cos I can hear the bells ring, my burning bride.
Please do not harm me with a wooden fish, as I'm aware of my bride's impending doom through the sounds of the bells that are ringing.

{???} closed the door and keep her out. Forty days, forty nights, waiting for the time, waiting for the green light says, "Come in boys, I'm waiting here, I'm lonely, I need your company, I need a {???}, white flash. I'm waiting, I'm desperate. I need some energy, so I can {???} quiver, quiver, quiver. {???} in my sacrifice. {???} sacrifice.
I closed the door and kept her out for forty days and forty nights, waiting for a sign to allow me to invite her in. When the green light appeared, I called out to the boys to come in as I'm lonely and need company. I require certain needs to be fulfilled for my satisfaction and to make my sacrifice successful.

Yes, I'll be your sacrifice, but please don't hurt me with the {ribbon fist?}. {???} tie my legs together. Please don't hit me with the {fish??}, I'm {???}, I might just split from eyes to knees to feet to {???}.
I'm willing to be the sacrifice, but kindly don't harm me with anything that might lead to physical harm, even if you tie my legs together. I'm terrified of the fish as well, as it may severely harm me and cause me to split from top to bottom.

I'll be your sacrifice. I'll be your sacrifice. {???} I can hear your bells ring. {???} I'll be your sacrifice.(x3)
I'm ready to be the sacrifice whenever required and am aware of the impending danger coming through the sound of the bells. I'll continue being the chosen sacrifice.

Contributed by Mason F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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