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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Palace By The Sea
The Tiger Lillies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and know they will win
I see the storm clouds brewing
I feel an evil wind
And yet I keep on dreaming
of calm waters and us free
I know the palace we are building
And so the serpent tightens
his grip around our throat
So soon we will be gagging
how soon we will choke
And yet I can’t stop dreaming
that one day we will be free
And we will live eternal
in our palace by the sea
And so the serpent strangles
so certain is our fate
Our hands are ripped apart
as our last breath we take
And yet we keep on dreaming
we dream eternally
That we are in our palace
our palace by the sea
The Tiger Lillies' "Palace By The Sea" is a haunting song that speaks of people's dreams and how these dreams remain alive in them despite the certainty of their downfall. The first verse sets the ominous tone of the song with the screaming serpents and brewing storm clouds. The serpent represents the forces of evil, while the storm clouds signify impending doom. Despite this, the singer keeps on dreaming of calm waters and freedom. The palace they are building symbolizes their hopes and dreams, which are doomed to crumble and drown within the sea.
In the second verse, the serpent tightens its grip around their throat, choking them. The dream of freedom remains alive within them, but it will soon be snuffed out. The third and final verse reveals the certainty of their fate. The serpent strangles them, tearing their hands apart as they take their last breath. Nevertheless, they continue to dream eternally, believing that they are in their palace by the sea.
The song captures the beauty of hope and dreams, but also the despair of knowing that they will never come to fruition. The Tiger Lillies' use of vivid imagery and haunting vocals makes "Palace By The Sea" a powerful and moving song that stirs deep emotions in its listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear the serpents screaming
The warning signs of danger are loud and clear, but we choose to ignore them.
and know they will win
We acknowledge the inevitable destruction that will come as a result of ignoring the warning signs.
I see the storm clouds brewing
The negative consequences of our actions are slowly but surely becoming more apparent.
I feel an evil wind
We can sense the approaching danger and the malicious intent that will accompany it.
And yet I keep on dreaming
Despite the clear signs of danger, we hold onto the hope that things will work out in the end.
of calm waters and us free
We dream of a peaceful and liberated future, despite the current chaos and danger.
I know the palace we are building
We are aware of the false hopes and expectations we have built for ourselves and our future.
will drown within the sea
We know that our unrealistic dreams and goals will ultimately lead to our downfall and destruction.
And so the serpent tightens
The danger and destruction we have caused is becoming increasingly severe and suffocating.
his grip around our throat
The consequences of our actions are literally choking us, leaving us powerless.
So soon we will be gagging
The negative consequences of our actions are becoming so severe that we won't be able to ignore them anymore.
how soon we will choke
Our downfall is imminent and it will be a painful and choking experience.
And yet I can’t stop dreaming
Even as our situation becomes more dire, we hold onto hope that we can somehow change our fate.
that one day we will be free
We cling to the hope of a liberated future, despite the current circumstances.
And we will live eternal
In our dreams, we imagine ourselves as immortal and everlasting, immune to the consequences of our actions.
in our palace by the sea
Our ideal future, free from danger and conflict, is represented by the image of a palace by the sea.
And so the serpent strangles
As our situation becomes more desperate, we feel the grip of danger and our own actions becoming stronger and suffocating.
so certain is our fate
We acknowledge that our situation is hopeless and that our fate is sealed.
Our hands are ripped apart
Our last ditch efforts to change our fate are futile and we are left powerless, unable to escape our own consequences.
as our last breath we take
We are resigned to our fate, knowing that our last moments will be spent choking on the consequences of our actions.
And yet we keep on dreaming
Even in our final moments, we continue to hold onto hope and the dream of a better, liberated future.
we dream eternally
Our hopes and dreams will never die, even as we are literally dying from the consequences of our actions.
That we are in our palace
Our ideal future is still within reach and we hold onto the image of the palace by the sea as a symbol of hope.
our palace by the sea
Our ideal future, free from danger, conflict, and consequences of our actions, is represented by the image of a palace by the sea.
Contributed by Jake B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.