Currently Martyn Jacques, Adrian Stout, Adrian Huge (Past member Phil Butcher)
Their surreal style has been described as dark, darkly humorous, strangely humorous, Brechtian, and gypsy cabaret. They are also notorious for singing controversial songs involving bestiality, prostitution and blasphemy.
The Tiger Lillies were originally buskers, playing songs about the criminals, pimps and whores of Soho, London, England. Over time, the band became involved in several theatrical productions around the world, including the critically acclaimed Shockheaded Peter. Known for their intense, outlandish, and dark performances, they have garnered both controversy and critical acclaim.
Also "The Tiger Lillies", "The Tigerlilies" and "The Tigerlillies" may refer to Indie rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio that formed in 1989.
Bio:
Cincinnati's power pop stalwarts the Tigerlillies formed in 1989 and set out to fuse glam rock, roots rock, and post-punk into an aesthetic they called "More Pop than Jesus." Led by vocalist/guitarist Pat Hennessy, the band also included former members of the Chrome Cranks, the Candy Snatchers, and G.G. Allin & the Murder Junkies before settling on the lineup of Hennessy, guitarist/vocalist William Weber, bassist Brian Driscoll, and drummer/vocalist Steve Hennessy.
Discography:
Deep (1992)
Space Age Love Songs (1997)
Ceci N'est Ces Pop (2003)
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Manure
The Tiger Lillies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a brothel in this town
I lick my lips each one I kiss
And then on each one I go down
I watch the days turn to a year
And as they pass it grows my fear
What have I done what have I done
But give the lust crazed boys their fun
I’m just a whore
Until I turn into manure
What does it mean is it a dream
Or is it just one bad joke
I guess I’ll sit here drinking champagne
Until the day I croak
I think I once did have a dream
But now I’m nasty and I’m mean
I’ll suck your wallet I’ll suck it dry
Come on baby give me a try
I’m just a whore
I’m just a whore
Until I turn into manure
I’m just a whore
I’m just a whore
Come on baby me you can paw
Take me now upon the bed
Or take me now upon the floor
And when I wither from the treetop
Then I’ll sell the fresh young crop
I’m just a whore
I’m just a whore
And there is no way to stop
I’m just a whore
I’m just a whore
Until I turn into manure
The Tiger Lillies's song Manure is a tragic and bleak portrait of a prostitute’s life. The singer is a cynical and hardened sex worker who spends her days in a brothel servicing the lust-filled customers who come her way. She acknowledges her position as being nothing more than a whore, someone who provides a service in exchange for money, and recognizes that her fate is to eventually end up as fertilizer, something completely devoid of life. The singer is haunted by the passing of time and the realization that she is stuck in a cycle of degradation that she may never escape from. The lines “What have I done what have I done/But give the lust crazed boys their fun” demonstrate this sense of hopelessness and regret. Despite her isolation and despair, the singer maintains a sense of toughness, in part an essential survival tactic in the emotionally destroy role.
Throughout the song, we get the sense that the singer believes herself to be powerless and helpless in the face of her circumstances. Her mindset appears to be that of someone who has given up on life and is just trying to make the best of a bad situation. The lyrics “I’ll suck your wallet I’ll suck it dry/ Come on baby give me a try” and “Take me now upon the bed/ Or take me now upon the floor” serve to emphasize the commercial aspect of prostitution, that her worth is based solely on her body and what she can do to please her customers. The final line “And there is no way to stop” conveys the idea that she is trapped, that society has consigned her to a role that is difficult to escape from. Overall, the song is a powerful and affecting exploration of the life of female sexual laborers and the impact that their profession has on their sense of self-worth and agency.
Line by Line Meaning
I’m just a fool who sits around
I am foolishly idle and trapped in this brothel
In a brothel in this town
I am in a place of vice, surrounded by lustful people
I lick my lips each one I kiss
I use seduction to earn my living
And then on each one I go down
I perform sexual favors on my clients
I watch the days turn to a year
Time passes slowly in this place
And as they pass it grows my fear
My fear of being trapped here forever increases with each passing day
What have I done what have I done
I regret my choices and actions
But give the lust crazed boys their fun
I provide pleasure to those who seek it, regardless of the consequences
I’m just a whore
I am a prostitute, with no other identity
I’m just a whore
I am a prostitute, with no other identity
Until I turn into manure
Eventually, I will be reduced to a worthless and forgotten substance
What does it mean is it a dream
I am uncertain of the purpose or meaning of my existence
Or is it just one bad joke
Perhaps my life is just a cruel and meaningless joke
I guess I’ll sit here drinking champagne
I will continue to indulge myself in temporary pleasures
Until the day I croak
I will never escape this life except through death
I think I once did have a dream
I had aspirations and hopes once, but they have long since faded
But now I’m nasty and I’m mean
The harshness and corruption of my life has hardened me
I’ll suck your wallet I’ll suck it dry
I will take as much money as possible from my clients
Come on baby give me a try
I will entice new customers to pay for my services
Take me now upon the bed
Sexual intercourse is the only physical connection I have left
Or take me now upon the floor
I am willing to be used in any way that my clients desire
And when I wither from the treetop
My time is limited and eventually I will age and become less desirable
Then I’ll sell the fresh young crop
I will make way for new and younger prostitutes to take my place
And there is no way to stop
I feel trapped and powerless to change my situation
I’m just a whore
Once again, I am acknowledging my identity as a prostitute
I’m just a whore
Once again, I am acknowledging my identity as a prostitute
Until I turn into manure
The culmination of my life will simply be to become a worthless piece of waste
Contributed by Nolan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mkarch99
bravo! thanks for uploading this!
-=AngelGr=-
This song scares the hell out of me..... See too much of myself in it :/
M K
@mkarch99 Just to let you know, I've now gotten a lot more of the album uploaded. Cheers, - mike
M K
@GDCMwMike Make that the entire album, and a little stoner metal from Acrimony. :D