High register operational

In the land of the gauching skiving sun
Their bodies are in the room, lad
Never an honest day's work is done
They call it the Tomblands

They got to me
No, they're never gonna get me no
Never gonna get me no
Never gonna get me no

Fifteen holes in the dealer's chest
Yo ho ho he was a mini martial man
Serve the girls and shovel up the rest
Pieces of eight in the jukebox

Oh you know
Didn't want to be the one to tell you
She was only fourteen
Sussed out your dirty sordid little scene

No, never gonna get me no
Never gonna get me no
Never gonna get me no
Yeah, they're never gonna get me, no


Lyrics submitted by on_a_plain_11

Tomblands Lyrics as written by Peter Doherty Carl Barat

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Tomblands song meanings
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15 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    pete wrote this when he was in jail for burgling carl's flat. i think it illustrates a very bad time in his life

    albionpaulon May 08, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    mini martell bottles are used for smoking crack.

    thereuon June 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Fifteen holes in the dealer's chest Yo, ho, ho, he was a mini Martell man

    Serve the Girls and shovel up the rest Pieces of eight in the dukebox

    The Likely Ladon March 01, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is one of my fav song o the Libertines.. sounds like he trying to tell that the world is so Dirty and perverse, and he dont wanna go with them...

    Greengoon March 08, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love this song.

    miton March 24, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "Fifteen holes in the dealer's chest" as in a box chest and or anatomical chest.

    does anyone know what a Martell man is?

    regretablyon March 15, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i thought 'fifteen holes in the dealers chest' was as in a drug dealer was shot dead?

    Martell is brand of whisky so a mini martell would be a glass of whiskey in the pub 'pieces of eight in the jukebox' his drug money which he used to play a tune on the juke box in the pub

    but i could be wrong thats just what i make of it

    ourkidof91on August 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    It sounds like a sea shanty in quite a few parts, goes well with the piraty lyrics (pieces of 8, yo ho ho)

    fanglefishon November 21, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yeah, mini Martell bottles are often linked to crack use. I've always thought the line 'Pieces of Eight in the jukebox' was referring to the Styx album called Pieces of Eight. I suppose it could also just mean money in the jukebox because the spanish dollar is often referred to as a piece of eight and could be linked in with the yo ho ho pirate theme. I don't know to be honest.

    UncleBiggleson March 26, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song reminds me of where I grew up, not because it was like the Tomblands, but it had a reputation as being rough... And I always thought the lyrics went: "Yo ho ho another mini-mart Taliban" meaning some kind of organisation/gang centred around a corner shop or something... Now it makes much more sense...

    PiazzaNewYorkCatcheron November 26, 2010   Link

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