Martyn Jacques, the founder of The Tiger Lillies, spent much of his early y… Read Full Bio ↴Martyn Jacques, the founder of The Tiger Lillies, spent much of his early years living above a brothel in London's Soho. His songs describe (in lurid detail) pimps, prostitutes, drug addicts, losers and other unsavoury characters. He wrote the music for Shockheaded Peter and won an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical for his memorable role in the work. He is currently working on several theatrical projects.
"James Joyce on drums" exclaimed David Byrne on seeing Adrian Huge at work with the Tiger Lillies. Adrian has worked in butchers, pie shops, banks, motorcycle shops, and as a ham-fisted-but-cheap car mechanic before co-founding, in 1982, Dover's only surreal, theatrical jazz/punk/calypso comedy ensemble : Uncle Lumpy and the Fish Doctors. The group floundered shortly after arriving in London in 1989 which coincided with the formation of The Tiger Lillies and the start of his bashing ever smaller, re-cycled drums, toys and kitchen-ware.
The man that once turned up to gig in the Czech Republic expecting to find a drum kit waiting for him only to discover a pile of freshly polished kitchen utensils instead. This did not deter him for a second as he went on to deliver an amazing performance that night armed only with pots, pans and spatulas. With his usual drum kit looking like a cross between a modern sculpture and a childrens toy shop its all in a days work for Adrian.
Adrian Stout - Contra Bass, Musical Saw, Theremin, Vocals.

Adrian Stout had played Blues, Jazz, Country, and other primitive musical forms in various known and lesser known bands throughout the UK, Europe and as far afield as India, and recorded two albums for Blues diva Dana Gillespie before being co-opted by The Tiger Lillies for 1995's Edinburgh Festival. This once serious musician has since then found himself dancing in leider hosen, making love to inflatable sheep and dressing as a cheap prostitute. He designed and maintains both the Tiger Lillies and Shockheaded Peter websites.

In 2007 he released a cd with cult icon Sexton Ming called "A Taste of Wood" on their own Crapping Clown label. He co-wrote all the songs with Sexton and recorded, mixed, produced and mastered the cd. Click here to buy "A Taste of Wood". He also toured and played bass on 2 albums for Stuart A Staples/Tindersticks, 'Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04' and 'Leaving Songs'.

Darkness
Tiger Lillies Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Darkness the master, darkness the king,
Open your heart, only darkness it brings,
Only darkness, darkness.
You're a slave, a servant to this thing,
You're only messiah, the only thing,
Only darkness, only darkness.

Give them a penny, they will take a pound,

That's the only justice there is to be found in this darkness
Darkness.

Well England is fine, it's on the TV,
It makes you feel sick when you tell it to me,
Only darkness, only darkness.

In the bars of Marseilles, down the Old Kent road,
You might as well face it, it's hard and it's cold in the darkness, in the darkness.
Well, give them a penny, they will take a pound,
That's the only justice there is to be found in this darkness

[Repeat: 28]
Darkness

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Darkess by Tiger Lillies express the idea that darkness is a powerful force that can control us and make us its slaves. The song starts by saying that darkness is the master and king, and by opening our hearts to it we only invite more darkness. The singer talks about how we are all servants to this thing, and that darkness is the only messiah we know. The repetition of the phrase "only darkness" reinforces the idea that it is all-consuming and overpowering.

The following verses suggest that the darkness may be linked to certain negative aspects of society. The singer talks about giving a penny and having a pound taken, suggesting that people will take advantage of each other given the opportunity. He also mentions England, saying that it may seem fine on TV but in reality, it makes us feel sick. Similarly, the bars of Marseilles and the Old Kent Road are described as hard and cold, suggesting that the darkness is present everywhere.

Overall, the song appears to be a commentary on the darkness that exists within ourselves and the world around us, and how it can be all-encompassing and difficult to escape.

Line by Line Meaning

Darkness the master, darkness the king,
The figure of darkness rules over everything, absolute and supreme.

Open your heart, only darkness it brings,
If one lets darkness into their heart, it will consume and fill them entirely.

Only darkness, darkness.
There is nothing else but darkness, no other force or light to guide.

You're a slave, a servant to this thing,
One who submits to darkness becomes nothing more than a servant or slave, unable to resist its pull.

You're only messiah, the only thing,
Darkness becomes the single purpose and meaning for its followers, as if it were a savior or deity.

Give them a penny, they will take a pound,
Those who dwell in darkness will always take more than what they are given, never satisfied with their share.

That's the only justice there is to be found in this darkness
In a world of darkness, justice is measured by how much one can take and keep for themselves, rather than fairness or morality.

Well England is fine, it's on the TV,
The media portrays an idyllic image of England, which is far from the harsh reality.

It makes you feel sick when you tell it to me,
The contrast between this idealized image and the truth behind it is so nauseating that it causes a physical response.

In the bars of Marseilles, down the Old Kent road,
Whether in France or England, darkness pervades all corners of the world, even in the seemingly mundane locations.

You might as well face it, it's hard and it's cold in the darkness, in the darkness.
There is no escape from the hardness and coldness of darkness, and one must confront it head-on.

Darkness
The repetition of the word underscores the all-encompassing nature of darkness, repeating endlessly and without end.

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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