In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
The crimson tide is flowing through your fingers as you sleep
The promise of a clean regime are promises we keep
Do you like it rough I ask and are you up to task?
The catacombs of bet and bone where cultures come to clash
Several of my best friends wear,
The colors of the crown
And Mary wants to fill it up,
And Sherry wants to tear it all back down, girl
The savior of your light
The monarchy of roses
The monarchy of roses tonight
The cloth between my former queen, her legendary stare
The holy tears that I am in, the lovely cross to bear
Several of my best friends know,
The secrets of this town
And Mary wants to raise it up,
And Sherry wants to spit it all around, girl
The sailors of the night
The monarchy of roses
The monarchy of roses tonight
Several of my best friends wear,
The colors of the crown
And Mary wants to fill it up,
And Sherry wants to tear it all back down, girl
The savior of your light
The monarchy of roses
The monarchy of roses
Hey yeah
We all want the rose you know
I said, hey yeah
Show us love before you go
Say I will, and then say I'll want to
The story of love that I'll never taunt you
Hey yeah
We all want the rose you know
I said, hey yeah
Show us love before you go
Say I will, and then I'll say I want to
The story of love that I'll always want you
Hey
The promise of a clean regime are promises we keep
Do you like it rough I ask and are you up to task?
The catacombs of bet and bone where cultures come to clash
Several of my best friends wear,
The colors of the crown
And Mary wants to fill it up,
And Sherry wants to tear it all back down, girl
The savior of your light
The monarchy of roses
The monarchy of roses tonight
The cloth between my former queen, her legendary stare
The holy tears that I am in, the lovely cross to bear
Several of my best friends know,
The secrets of this town
And Mary wants to raise it up,
And Sherry wants to spit it all around, girl
The sailors of the night
The monarchy of roses
The monarchy of roses tonight
Several of my best friends wear,
The colors of the crown
And Mary wants to fill it up,
And Sherry wants to tear it all back down, girl
The savior of your light
The monarchy of roses
The monarchy of roses
Hey yeah
We all want the rose you know
I said, hey yeah
Show us love before you go
Say I will, and then say I'll want to
The story of love that I'll never taunt you
Hey yeah
We all want the rose you know
I said, hey yeah
Show us love before you go
Say I will, and then I'll say I want to
The story of love that I'll always want you
Hey
Lyrics submitted by aristuma21, edited by Kalico37, strychninetwitch
Monarchy of Roses Lyrics as written by Anthony Kiedis Michael Balzary
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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My theory is it's inspired directly from the thirty-year conflict in the mid 15th century for the throne of England: the War of Roses.
The "crimson tide" would be the blood spilled in the conflict or the blood in the seas. "The promise of a clean regime" would literally mean the hopes of a king to restore order. "The colors of the crown" would mean the two main factions of the war: the white rose House of York and the red rose House of Lancaster. Mary could be the Queen of Scotland Mary of Gueldres who was an ally of Lancaster. The song title and main line "Monarchy of Roses" would therefore be a direct reference to the above-mentioned houses and the roses they represented. The "Holy tears of Ireland" could be a reference to Richard of York's post as its Lieutenant and how the war spilled over into the nation. The "cross of the former queen" could refer to the previous queen or her symbol the fleur de lis.
I first took it for a straight-up reference to Catholicism, but the "Monarchy" stood out like a sore thumb.
@cyberpunksurvivor Lol that is what i thought, yay, now i can send to my british friend who loves rhcp!