Born in Siparia, Tiger was originally a boxer who won the Trinidad bantamweight championship in 1929. He was active in calypso from his teens. He was a member of the Old Brigade of calypso singers, which included Lord Beginner, Attila The Hun, the Roaring Lion, and Lord Pretender. In 1935, he went to New York with Attila and Lord Beginner to record for the Decca label. In 1939, he won the first Calypso Monarch competition with "The Labour Situation in Trinidad And Tobago."
More so than his contemporaries he sang about social and political issues. His best known songs are "Money is King," about economic inequality, and "The Gold in Africa," about the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. Recording together with Atilla and Beginner as the Keskidee Trio, he recorded some lighter tunes, including "Don't Let Me Mother Know."
Folklorist Alan Lomax recorded him in 1962. In 1966, Growling Tiger performed at the Newport Folk Festival. In 1979, he recorded an album "Knockdown Calypsos" for Rounder Records.
Death
The Tiger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fear and pain
Scarred for life
Never the same
Can't forget
Won't forgive
Play with life
Seeking fact presented lies
Peddling backwards
Fear in your eyes
Reaching out your hand for sympathy
All alone
In your misery
Broken Bond
No way to mend
Can you feel your world crashing in
Truths revealed
No escape
Tears of guilt
Stream down your face
There's nothing left
Cry all you
Game of death
You played and lost
In "Death," The Tiger explores themes of damage, fear, pain, and the consequences of one's actions. The lyrics depict a person who has caused harm and is now facing the aftermath of their choices. They are scarred for life, unable to forget and unwilling to forgive themselves or others involved. The song paints a vivid image of someone playing with life as if it were a game of death, seemingly seeking satisfaction through manipulation and deceit.
The lyrics also touch upon the idea of presenting falsehoods as truths, peddling backwards and relying on fear to control others. The person being addressed in the song reaches out for sympathy, but the lyrics suggest that they are ultimately alone in their misery, trapped in the consequences of their own actions.
The chorus emphasizes the broken bond and the impossibility of repair. The world crashes down around this person, with their secrets and guilt becoming increasingly evident. The final lines highlight the severity of the situation, revealing that there is nothing left for this person but to cry and face the repercussions of their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Damage done
The harm inflicted is irreparable and lasting
Fear and pain
Overwhelmed by terror and suffering
Scarred for life
Marked forever with wounds that will never heal
Never the same
Permanently changed for the worse
Can't forget
Unable to erase from memory
Won't forgive
Unwilling to pardon the wrongs committed
Play with life
Manipulate and toy with the essence of existence
Game of death
Engage in a perilous contest where survival is unlikely
Seeking fact presented lies
In search of truth but confronted with deceptive falsehoods
Peddling backwards
Promoting regress instead of progress
Fear in your eyes
Evident terror portrayed through your gaze
Reaching out your hand for sympathy
Appealing for understanding and compassion
All alone
Utterly isolated and devoid of support
In your misery
Immersed in profound suffering
Broken Bond
A connection irreparably shattered
No way to mend
No possibility to repair what is broken
Can you feel your world crashing in
Are you experiencing the collapse of your entire existence
Truths revealed
Unveiling of undisputed realities
No escape
No means of avoiding or eluding the consequences
Tears of guilt
Sobs reflecting the remorse and culpability
Stream down your face
Flow down your cheeks continuously
There's nothing left
Nothing remains anymore
Cry all you
Weep as much as you desire
You played and lost
Engaged in the game but ultimately defeated
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: James Cordero
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens.
This is terribly sad. My heart breaks for this poor tigeress. She just wants her mate. He is gone and she doesn't understand why. I hope she finds peace. 😔
Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens.
Ray El Thank you for reply! Yes, she would have found a new mate by now. I hope she is happy again! God Bless 💞
Dharshan
Ray El come on brotherrrrrrrrrrrrr
Dharshan
This is 2020 we need something to waste our time
I know u are doing same
Karami
It’s heartbreaking to see animals crying out in emotional distress, looking for their missing loved one. Poor girl. It’s even more heartbreaking knowing their species is threatened. 😭
Zoneshift
It’s actually just looking for another tiger to mate with. Tigers are nowhere near the same as humans on an emotional level
Zoneshift
@Karami i have, which is why i said that
Mnecraftnoob PVP
😭😭😭😭😭😭
Xx Death xX
This wounds my heart. I feel for her, animals have a lot more emotion than people think. I hope she’ll be okay 🖤
Nazri Buang
Lies again? Recognize Family