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
To Be Or Not To Be
The Tiger Lillies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The great cadaver they do view
In the brain the blood clot
Another ten their livers rot
|:To be or not to be:|
A hundred revolution plot
They dream of sweet revenge
Another hundred round the bend
|:To be or not to be :|
A thousand haven’t got a friend
They’re lonely right until the end
A thousand fires on the railway line
A thousand bottles of red wine
A hundred thousand nights divine
A hundred thousand pearls and swines
A million tears
A million fears
A million laughs
A million cheers
|:To be or not to be:|
If looks could kill a million spears
A million get me out of here
A billion heartbeats
A billion breaths
A billion pounds
They all invest
|:To be or not to be:|
The lyrics to The Tiger Lillies’s song To Be Or Not To Be are thought-provoking and carry a heavy weight to them. The song touches on themes of life and death, revolution, loneliness, and the pursuit of happiness. The first stanza refers to a funeral where ten men are viewing the “great cadaver,” which can be interpreted as a commentary on mortality and the inevitability of death. The mention of blood clots and rotting livers suggests that the dead died of alcoholism, a prevalent issue in our society.
The second stanza talks about a revolution; however, unlike traditional revolutions, this one dreams of sweet revenge and seeks to change the world without a shot. The phrase “round the bend” suggests that this revolution is not on track and may not be successful. The stanza challenges ideas of what constitutes a “successful” revolution and the methods employed to achieve it.
The subsequent stanzas introduce different numbers while exploring universal experiences -- loneliness, indulgence, and despair. The lyrics suggest that despite the varying numbers of people or experiences, these emotions and situations are shared and relatable to all. The song concludes with the phrase “To be or not to be,” a famous Shakespearean line that confronts the idea of existence and the purpose of life. The phrase repeats throughout the song, symbolizing the constant internal dialogue that people have about their own existence and whether to continue living.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten men at the funeral queue
Ten men standing in line at a funeral.
The great cadaver they do view
They see the dead body laid out in front of them.
In the brain the blood clot
A blood clot in the brain.
Another ten their livers rot
Ten more people with diseased livers.
To be or not to be
The ultimate question of existence.
A hundred revolution plot
One hundred plans for overthrowing the current system.
Change the world without a shot
Revolution without violence.
They dream of sweet revenge
Desire for retribution.
Another hundred round the bend
Another one hundred waiting in the wings.
To be or not to be
The ultimate question of existence.
A thousand haven’t got a friend
Lonely people.
They’re lonely right until the end
Their loneliness never leaves them.
A thousand fires on the railway line
A thousand fires burning on the train tracks.
A thousand bottles of red wine
One thousand bottles of red wine.
A hundred thousand nights divine
One hundred thousand incredible nights.
A hundred thousand pearls and swines
A hundred thousand people of all kinds.
A million tears
One million tears shed.
A million fears
One million fears present.
A million laughs
One million laughs shared.
A million cheers
One million cheers heard.
To be or not to be
The ultimate question of existence.
If looks could kill a million spears
The power of a gaze to cause enormous destruction.
A million get me out of here
One million people wishing they could escape.
A billion heartbeats
One billion heartbeats.
A billion breaths
One billion breaths taken.
A billion pounds
One billion currency units.
They all invest
Everyone seeks to put their money to work.
To be or not to be
The ultimate question of existence.
Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
K. Manjericão
This album is amazing.
Tamta Nachkebia
Ten men at the funeral queue
The great cadaver they do view
In the brain the blood clot
Another ten their livers rot
|:To be or not to be:|
A hundred revolution plot
Change the world without a shot
They dream of sweet revenge
Another hundred round the bend
|:To be or not to be :|
A thousand haven’t got a friend
They’re lonely right until the end
A thousand fires on the railway line
A thousand bottles of red wine
A hundred thousand nights divine
A hundred thousand pearls and swines
A million tears
A million fears
A million laughs
A million cheers
|:To be or not to be:|
If looks could kill a million spears
A million get me out of here
A billion heartbeats
A billion breaths
A billion pounds
They all invest
|:To be or not to be:|
el ectrecuted
so fuckin'' nice... I think "Hamlet" is one of their best shows...
Алексей Пичугин
I saw this show yesterday in Moscow's theatre. Wonderfull !