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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Tiger Lillie Line
The Tiger Lillies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your livers piccalilli, your kidneys are unkind.
Wake up every morning, you'd lie if you felt fine,
Stick you fingers down your throat now, nihilistically inclined.
That's the Tiger Lillie line.
You're hungry for the glory, on the radio you'd mime.
They're feasting at the table, but only scraps and crumbs you find.
You're angry and you're bitter, your hat is full of dimes
Well that's the Tiger Lillie line
You wake up every morning when the clock forgets to chime
You go to sleep each evening, with the whiskey and the wine
That's the Tiger Lillie line
That's the Tiger Lillie line
That's the Tiger Lillie line
Tiger Lillie line
The Tiger Lillie Line is a song about a person who is struggling with addiction and the hardships that come with it. The first stanza describes the physical toll the addiction is taking on the singer's body, with their liver and kidneys failing. Despite feeling unwell, they are unable to stop their destructive behavior and are nihilistically inclined, suggesting they have given up on finding pleasure in life.
The second stanza delves into the emotional struggles of the singer. They crave fame and recognition but are unable to achieve it, only finding scraps and crumbs. They are consumed by alcohol which has become their mind, suggesting that they have lost touch with reality. They are angry and bitter, with their hat full of dimes symbolizing their poverty.
The repetition of "That's the Tiger Lillie line" at the end of each stanza emphasizes that this is a recurring cycle of addiction and despair, with no escape. The Tiger Lillies are a band known for their eccentric and theatrical style, and this song fits their aesthetic with its dark and moody lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Things are getting hard now, getting hard to find.
It's becoming difficult to find the things you need to survive.
Your livers piccalilli, your kidneys are unkind.
Your liver is diseased and your kidneys are failing due to excessive alcohol consumption.
Wake up every morning, you'd lie if you felt fine,
Even though you feel terrible every morning, you pretend to be okay.
Stick your fingers down your throat now, nihilistically inclined.
Feeling hopeless and empty inside, you resort to purging as a coping mechanism.
You're hungry for the glory, on the radio you'd mime.
You desire fame and recognition, but you lack the talent to achieve it.
The alcohol consumes you, piccalilli is your mind.
Alcohol has taken over your life and your mind is clouded.
They're feasting at the table, but only scraps and crumbs you find.
Everyone else seems to have abundance, while you struggle to survive on very little.
You're angry and you're bitter, your hat is full of dimes
You harbor resentment towards the world and the small amount of money you have is all you have left.
You wake up every morning when the clock forgets to chime
You wake up early due to insomnia and the sense of timelessness in your life.
You go to sleep each evening, with the whiskey and the wine
You rely on alcohol to help you fall asleep every night.
That's the Tiger Lillie line
These struggles and hardships are the hallmark of The Tiger Lillies.
Tiger Lillie line
The unique and dark style of The Tiger Lillies is summed up in these lyrics.
Contributed by Sarah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.