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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Uniform
The Tiger Lillies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Restraint and discipline we should feel glad
We can't express what we feel
We must be meek, mild and brought to heel
So wear your uniform with pride, bend over, open wide
We cannot laugh at feasts of fools
Without our piety become sin's tool
Delude ourselves decorum's yoke
So wear your uniform and laugh
As they fuck you up the arse
The carnival it must be shut
For if we think our throats they'll cut
Wear your uniform and lie every day until you die
Every day in every way
They'll keep you dumber it's what pays
The Tiger Lillies's song "Uniform" is a satirical commentary on the concept of conformity and how it impacts the individual. The lyrics highlight the emphasis that society places on good manners, restraint and discipline, oftentimes at the cost of personal expression and freedom. The opening lines suggest that society expects men to have good manners and to be restrained and disciplined, but the singer questions whether this is something to be celebrated. The lyrics speak of the need to be meek and mild, and to wear a uniform as if it is a badge of honor, even if it means sacrificing one's own personal values and beliefs.
The lyrics also reveal the hypocrisy that exists within society, where one is expected to maintain a certain level of decorum and piety, but at the same time, indulge in acts of debauchery without being found out. This dichotomy is evident in the lines, "We cannot laugh at feasts of fools without our piety become sin's tool." The chorus of the song is a call to action, urging people to wear their uniform with pride and bend over to open wide, mocking those who follow the rules blindly. The singer suggests that society is bent on keeping people dumb and compliant, and that the only way to survive is to lie every day until you die.
Overall, the song "Uniform" is a vicious indictment of conformity, which asks the listener to question the value of following rules blindly, and to consider the cost of sacrificing individuality for the sake of social norms.
Line by Line Meaning
Good manners are what a man must have
A man must always follow the rules of society, behave in ways considered acceptable to others
Restraint and discipline we should feel glad
We should feel happy about restraining ourselves, sticking to the norms and rules of society
We can't express what we feel
We cannot be honest about our emotions, share our true feelings with others
We must be meek, mild and brought to heel
We must be submissive and obedient, under control of those in power
So wear your uniform with pride, bend over, open wide
Follow the rules and be proud of your subservience to authority, even if it means being violated
We cannot laugh at feasts of fools
We are not permitted to make fun of or ridicule what the authority deems as foolish behavior
Without our piety become sin's tool
Without obedience to morality imposed by the authority, we become sinners
Delude ourselves decorum's yoke
We convince ourselves that following societal norms is a form of freedom
Our freedom now it must be choked
Our true freedom is constricted and repressed
So wear your uniform and laugh
Follow the rules and pretend to enjoy the limited pleasure provided by the authority
As they fuck you up the arse
The authority violates you and your dignity
The carnival it must be shut
Joy and pleasure must be suppressed and censored to enforce control
For if we think our throats they'll cut
If we express dissent or resistance to the authority, we fear recriminations and losing our lives
Wear your uniform and lie every day until you die
Always obey the authority and never express your true self until your death
Every day in every way
All the time, in every situation and aspect of life
They'll keep you dumber it's what pays
The authority intentionally keeps you in ignorance and stupidity for their own benefit and power
Contributed by Jasmine I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.