Yellow Angel -- The Tiger Lillies

The Tiger Lillies live in Karlsruhe, Tollhaus, Feb 3 2010

Yellow Angel

In bars and in restaurants
In the cheapest Paris fairground
Each night he is found

With fury and handwringing
Each night he's singing
Until he's laughed out of town

Jazz band goes jingle jangle
Vicious monkeys scramble
To show their crippled teeth all worn down

He's drunk and he's obnoxious
And then he's feeling nauseous
He spreads his faded blooms upon the ground

He's drunk on his nirvana
Asleep at the piano
In this crazy celebration drowns

Jazz band goes jingle jangle
Vicious monkeys gamble
Shouting Merry Christmas and come on

The musicians they are leaving
Here comes the end of evening
But he can't even raise his head to frown

And from the green fir branches
A yellow angel drops down
And says poor maestro you've lost your crown

They say you sang the tango
In the brothels dens and night streets
You're a sad and tired clown

And up in the high heavens
God extinguishes the candles
And the yellow angel drowns

http://www.tigerlillies.com/2003/index.php?main=recordings&pubId=22

ITV.com interview
Martyn Jacques:
...there's also a song inspired by Alexander Vertinsky, who was a very famous Russian cabaret singer from the 20s to the 40s, one of the few people who Stalin didn't kill, something about him being a poet. He wrote a beautiful song called 'Yellow Angel', and I adapted the lyrics with the help of some Russian friends.

http://www.tigerlillies.com/2003/index.php?main=news&id=186

Category:

Music

Tags:

• The Tiger Lillies
• Yellow Angel
• Urine Palace
• Martyn Jacques
• Vertinsky

[RosieCotton09]

finally a video with martyn on the uke :-) lovely x

[Takac1979]

I was waiting so long for someone to post this song... THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[niklespikles]

.....yeahhh...!!!...

[ihadmyownaccount]

Gorgeous!