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'.

Violet
Tiger Lillies Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Violet said she was angry,
She said she was angry with me,
She said she was coming round my house to murder me.

She had a big knife,
She wanted to stick it in me.
I took out a baseball bat,
Now it's her that's dead, not me.

And the judge brings down his hammer,
There's a black hat on his head.
They're going to take me from here
And hang me 'till I'm dead.

I'm sitting here on death-row
Hoping they might pardon me,
Or they're going to take me from here
And hang me on Tuesday.

Hang me on Tuesday, they're going to hang me on Tuesday
Hang me on Tuesday, they're going to hang me on Tuesday
Hang me on Tuesday, they're going to hang me on Tuesday
Violet's mum, she found a note.
And the note, the note it said,
That violet was coming round my house,
And she wanted me dead.

Well this is my tragedy,
It's a tragedy for me.
They found the note on Wednesday
And they hung me on Tuesday.

So now I'm up in Heaven,
The noose is still around my neck,
That Violet Harrison was a right pain in the neck,

They hung me on Tuesday
They hung me on Tuesday
They hung me on Tuesday
They hung me on Tuesday
They hung me on Tuesday

They hung me on Tuesday
They hung me on Tuesday

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Tiger Lillies' "Violet" narrate a story of a man who is sentenced to death for killing a woman named Violet. The story begins with Violet expressing her anger towards the singer, stating that she intends to murder him. The man then defends himself by taking out a baseball bat, ultimately resulting in Violet's death. The judge condemns him to be hanged, and the man spends his remaining days in jail hoping for a pardon. Unfortunately, he is eventually hanged on a Tuesday, with the noose still around his neck in heaven.

The lyrics of "Violet" are haunting and dark, with a twisted plotline that highlights the worst in human emotions. It seems to present the idea that violence and anger can lead to irreversible consequences, and that individuals must be held accountable for their actions. The use of religious symbolism, including the image of the judge wearing a black hat and descriptions of the singer's time in heaven, adds to the grim emotions being portrayed in the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Violet said she was angry,
Violet expressed that she was upset

She said she was angry with me,
She directed her anger towards me

She said she was coming round my house to murder me.
She threatened to kill me in my own home

She had a big knife,
She was armed and dangerous

She wanted to stick it in me.
She wanted to stab me to death

I took out a baseball bat,
I defended myself with a weapon

Now it's her that's dead, not me.
I ended up killing Violet in self-defense

And the judge brings down his hammer,
The judge delivers his verdict

There's a black hat on his head.
The judge is wearing formal attire

They're going to take me from here
I will be transferred to a new location

And hang me 'till I'm dead.
I will be sentenced to death by hanging