Latin rockers Tito and Tarantula are headlined by singer/guitarist Tito Larriva, previously best known for founding the seminal Los Angeles punk band the Plugz. Larriva was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico but spent his early years living outside Fairbanks, AK; his family later relocated to El Paso, TX, where he studied violin and flute as a member of his school orchestra. After high school he flirted with attending Yale University before landing in L.A. during the mid-1970s; there Larriva formed the Plugz, which in 1979 released their debut LP Electrify Me, the first album to emerge from the city's thriving punk scene. Shortly after scoring Alex Cox's 1984 cult classic Repo Man, the Plugz were rechristened the Cruzados, signing to Arista to release a self-titled 1985 LP; After Dark followed two years later, and the group disbanded in 1990. From there Larriva continued writing film music, also turning to acting; with guitarist Peter Atanasoff and a host of other L.A. session vets he eventually formed Tito and Tarantula, which quickly emerged as a major favorite on the local club scene. Among their most vocal supporters was filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, who not only enlisted the group to contribute material to his movies Desperado and From Dusk till Dawn but also found small roles for Larriva in both; Rodriguez additionally helped produce 1997's Tarantism, released on the band's own Cockroach label.
Since the release of Andalucia, Tito & Tarantula have made numerous personnel changes, starting with the departure of drummer Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez. Achim Farber was hired in his place, but left the band later on as well. One of the most notable changes, however, was the loss of the band's valuable founding member Peter Atanasoff. Little is known about his departure, but on the band's myspace blog, it says, "...So if ever you find yourself in Switzerland you want to make your way to the Moonwalker and say hello to Peter..." Io Perry quit the band to pursue a solo career, but stayed in business with Larriva by having him produce her first solo album. Along with Atanasoff, Perry, and Hernandez, the band lost multi-instrumentalist Marcus Praed, eventually leaving Larriva and Steven Hufsteter as the only remaining members who had played on the last album. Dominique Davalos (who had played bass on Little Bitch) took over on bass and Rafael Gayol took over on drums. The only members from the previous line-up were Larriva and Hufsteter. With this new "fab four" incarnation, they toured Europe thoroughly. At some point in mid-2007, Davalos left the band, and was replaced by Caroline "Lucy" Rippy. With her, the band has continued to tour its usual areas in western Europe.
In late 2006, the band promised an album out in early 2007 on their myspace blog. In early 2008, the band finally announced the approaching arrival of their next album, titled Back Into The Darkness. The album was released on April 18, 2008.
Discography:
*Tarantism (1997)
*Hungry Sally and other Killer Lullabies (1999)
*Little Bitch (2000)
*Andalucia (2002)
*Back Into The Darkness (2008)
Bleeding Roses
Tito & Tarantula Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Talking Among Themselves
As The Fountain Sprayed Beautifully
Into The Clear Blue Sky,
I Ask Myself
Once, Were U Me
Cause Many Times I Was Not
Salt In The Wound
I'Ve Been Writing
Dots R Flying Everywhere
Our Children'S Noses -
R Bleeding Roses
Bleeding Roses - In My Garden
Bleeding Roses
My Memory Metamorphosized
Standing In The Thorns & Fire
Porcelan Dream Suicide
Single Solid Sleep 2 Nite
I Wanted Somebody
But I Bit To Soft
It'S Starting To Rain Now
In My Heart
Our Children R Bleeding Roses
The lyrics of Tito & Tarantula's song, Bleeding Roses, vividly describe the inner turmoil of a person who seems to be struggling with their past actions and their consequences. The opening lines, "Over Amsterdami saw the dogs talking among themselves, as the fountain sprayed beautifully into the clear blue sky," present a calm but fleeting moment. The singer is then presented with an intense bout of introspection, and they ask themselves whether they have been in the same position as someone else since they can relate to this person. The lyric "once, were u me cause many times I was not" indicates that the singer acknowledges that they have not always been the best version of themselves.
The next set of lyrics, "Salt in the wound, none on the carp, I've been writing, dots r flying everywhere," suggest that the singer is trying to deal with their internal conflicts by writing them down. However, their writing seems confused as they use a metaphor of salt and carp that don't seem to be related. The final set of lines, "our children's noses - r bleeding roses, bleeding roses - in my garden, bleeding roses, my memory metamorphosized," indicate that the consequences of their actions seem to have affected their children deeply. The metaphor of "bleeding roses" suggests that the things the singer has done have caused pain and hurt that may never fully heal.
Line by Line Meaning
Over Amsterdami Saw The Dogs
While in Amsterdam, I witnessed dogs talking among themselves.
As The Fountain Sprayed Beautifully
At the same time, a fountain sprayed water beautifully into the clear blue sky.
Into The Clear Blue Sky,
The clear blue sky was the backdrop for the beautiful fountain display.
I Ask Myself
During this experience, I questioned myself.
Once, Were U Me
I wondered if you ever had an experience like this one.
Cause Many Times I Was Not
As for me, there have been many times when I haven't had experiences like this.
Salt In The Wound
Whenever I go through painful experiences, it's like rubbing salt into a wound.
None On The Carp
Despite this experience, there is no one to confide in about my pain.
I'Ve Been Writing
To cope with the pain, I have been writing about my experiences.
Dots R Flying Everywhere
The thoughts and emotions that I've been writing down are quickly pouring out of me.
Our Children'S Noses -
The noses of our children are a symbol of innocence and purity.
R Bleeding Roses
Unfortunately, even our innocent children are experiencing pain and suffering.
Bleeding Roses - In My Garden
The pain that I've been feeling is present everywhere in my life, including my own personal space.
Bleeding Roses
The image of bleeding roses continues to haunt me.
My Memory Metamorphosized
The memories of the painful experiences I've had are changing and evolving.
Standing In The Thorns & Fire
I feel like I am standing in the midst of painful and dangerous situations.
Porcelan Dream Suicide
The situation I am in feels fragile and like it could break at any moment.
Single Solid Sleep 2 Nite
Despite the pain, I hope to get good sleep tonight and face tomorrow fresh.
I Wanted Somebody
Throughout all this pain, I've wanted someone for comfort and support.
But I Bit To Soft
Unfortunately, I wasn't willing to take the risk of getting hurt again.
It'S Starting To Rain Now
As if things weren't bad enough, it is starting to rain, adding to the gloominess of the situation.
In My Heart
Despite external circumstances, the pain and suffering is being felt deeply within me.
Our Children R Bleeding Roses
The image of our innocent children experiencing pain continues to weigh heavily on my heart.
Contributed by Victoria S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.