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)
https://facebook.com/TheTigerliliesUSA/
https://myspace.com/tigerliliesusa
Old Gracefully
The Tiger Lillies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Show you've got three more weeks
You won't grow old gracefully
The skin pulled from your cheeks
You're voice is growing weak
You won't grow old gracefully
You didn't pretend
I remember in St. James Park
When we both did laugh
About growing old gracefully
Were you promiscuous
I only ask because
We won't grow old gracefully
And I remember on the Thames
You knew you'd reached the end
You won't grow old gracefully
The Tiger Lillies’s song Old Gracefully shares a painful message of the degeneration that comes with old age. The opening lines, “The shit-stains on your sheets / Show you've got three more weeks / You won't grow old gracefully” demonstrate the honesty in their expression of the inevitable but harsh reality of confronting our own impending mortality. The pain and fear of this reality are mirrored in lines such as “The skin pulled from your cheeks / You're voice is growing weak,” which highlights the impact that age can have on our physical selves.
While the lyrics are bleak, there is a sense of reflection and nostalgia as the singer reminisces about moments of laughter and joy with their loved one. The chorus, “And I remember when / You didn't pretend / I remember in St. James Park / When we both did laugh / About growing old gracefully” demonstrates the juxtaposition of the harsh reality of aging with the bittersweet memories of happier times. The song ends with “And I remember on the Thames / You knew you'd reached the end / You won't grow old gracefully,” which suggests either a moment of acceptance or a strong sense of foreboding.
Line by Line Meaning
The shit-stains on your sheets
The stains made by your excretions on your bed sheets
Show you've got three more weeks
Indicates the approaching death of the person in three weeks
You won't grow old gracefully
The person is not going to have a dignified and respectable death due to their reckless life choices
The skin pulled from your cheeks
The person's skin is sagging and has lost its elasticity due to ageing
You're voice is growing weak
The person's vocal cords are losing efficiency with age
And I remember when
You didn't pretend
The person used to be honest and genuine
I remember in St. James Park
When we both did laugh
About growing old gracefully
The singer and the person being talked about once joked about having a graceful old age, which is now proven to be untrue
Were you promiscuous
I only ask because
The person is being questioned about their sexual promiscuity
We won't grow old gracefully
The artist and the person being talked about will not be able to have a dignified and respectful old age due to their reckless lifestyle and choices
And I remember on the Thames
You knew you'd reached the end
The person knew their life was coming to an end, possibly due to their unhealthy lifestyle
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
wageslave12033
Listened to this one many times while my dad was dying of cancer.
BCThunderthud
I heard it for the first time in the last few days of my sister's journey with cancer. Hit me like a ton of bricks. I love this album but I mostly skip this one.
Janko Takac
Very pretty.
jeffearth1
xxx