Lady Of The Flowers

A bit of input..."Our Lady Of The Flowers" was a book by Jean Genet (the Jean Genie!)

she's got vacuum cleaner eyes suck you in.

for me: all the irrationalities and desperate raw needs she creates for herself in her imagination.

she wears her tears on her blouse... she stole the keys to my house and then she locked herself out.

she's doing it all to herself, but she can't help it. (vicious cycles?)

I think this song is about a transvestite.

'Scuse me, I apologize he likes your attitude, he tries it on for size' -I think is about how he prefers his female personality to his real male one.

'he spends the afternoon, between your thighs how's that for gratitude, I apologize' -Is ( I think) about how he hates seeing his penis, cause it reminds him that he's male, when he'd prefer to be female, so he tucks it between his legs, ('spends the afternoon between your thighs')

And 'hows that for gratitude?' is saying like, he's not grateful that he's male, and is resentful of it.

Also, it changes from 'he' to 'she', which is indicative that he's changing his gender.

''She wears her tears on her blouse confused and racked with self-doubt'' -Is about she/he feels confused about wether or not she's doing the right thing by becoming female.

''she stole the keys to my house and then she locked herself out.'' -Possibly means, that by becoming female, she has alienated her family, and so is no longer welcome in the family home, or has been 'locked out.'

'She lays me down she lays me'

Is her finally shedding her male personality/body. Laying it to rest, and never thinking of it again, and just accepting herself as female.

Yes, its prob about a transvestite, but when I first started listening to this song this is what i thought:

'Scuse me, I apologize he likes your attitude, he tries it on for size he spends the afternoon, between your thighs how's that for gratitude, I apologize.'

This song always came off as a story about a young delicate woman (lady of the flowers) who is being used. The man who is with her, loves what she represents and 'wears her attitude' without any consideration for the actual person. The time he spends 'between her thighs' is what he gives her in return. Its hollow and emotionless for her.

It seemed to last for hours It seemed to last for days This lady of the flowers and her hypnotic gaze.

Shes been in this cycle for what feels like years (and very well maybe) whether he's faithful or not isn't really the issue (to me) its more the feeling that while he may not truly want her, he can't seem to let her go. (her hypnotic gaze)

'Scuse me, I apologize she's got vacuum cleaner eyes suck you in she's got magazines, filled with pear pies 'scuse me, I apologize

I can see where people start to think that the woman is domestic. I think this section cements the earlier description of how 'lovely' she is.

She wears her tears on her blouse confused and racked with self-doubt she stole the keys to my house and then she locked herself out.

This seems like the breaking point for her. She understands she isn't happy (most likely the narrator broke her happy-life-bubble) She angry that shes in this situation but doesn't know how to get out, she lashes out at the person trying to help her. The narrator has 'fallin under her gaze' but she keeps him out.

As the song continues so does this cycle wearing her down more and more, then finally (though it might not be healthy) She 'lays me down'.

It ends with the feeling that though she broke the cycle she might just be starting a new one. I think the tragic thing is that its her own fault. She just has this aura that people can't resist and she traps them and herself into this haze. What breaks me is that the narrator knows this, hes the one telling this story after all. He just sounds so resigned about the situation.

Again this isn't the 'true' meaning, but this song gets to me like crazy!

I read an aricle where mr molko said the song was about a transvestite. I don't know if it's ture, or just his sense of humour. Anyway it's a beautiful song.

I thought this has to do with Opium? Flowers=poppies etc..."It seemed to last for hours It seemed to last for days This lady of the flowers and her hypnotic gaze"

These refernces sound very domestic,

''Scuse me, I apologize she's got vacum cleaner eyes suck you in she's got magazines, filled with pear pies'

Perhpas this song is about a lonely housewife whose husband does not respect her,

'he spends the afternoon, between your thighs how's that for gratitude'

But likes her 'attitude' because she stays in all day reading cookery magazines and vaccuming. 'Blouse' strikes me as a very 1950s word, and the entire song smacks somewhat of "white picket fence" stereotyped perfection.

The 'electronic haze' and 'seemed to last for hours, seemed to last for days' could either be referring to drudgery and monotony of her life, or could be a reference to some sort of anti-depressant drug.

The repetition of 'I apologize' makes it sound as though somebody is telling her she could do more with her life, and trying not to offend her. This song could be an attack on stereottypes within society and how we should not allow ourselves to fall into them or judge other people in this way.

Placebo songs always make me play a little film in my head. I don't know what the actual meaning is, but it makes me think of someone who was in love with someone who was addicted to drugs, and was really worried about her but never could help her. She could have convinced him to try drugs once or twice "vacuum cleaner eyes, sucks you in" but he doesn't want to live his life that way and want her to come clean. The girl seems really insecure anyway "She wears the tears on her blouse, confused and racked with self-doubt" which is perhaps why she started doing drugs, and maybe she doesn't feel like she deserves to be loved. The guy feels guilty because he doesn't know how to help her and the girl is unable to help herself. "She stole the keys to my house and then she locked herself out" Makes me think the girl tried to get herself out of the guy's life because she knows he worries about her but she can't stop being the way she is. The end seems like the girl's finally convinced him to let her go, as if she's laying him down to sleep/rest or something.

In any case, a very beautiful song. Enchants me.

I think its about Brian's sexuality, and being with a domineering woman (He likes your attitude and tries it on for size) who is most likely called Hannah (Lady of the flowers - because the woman doesn't sound 'delicate' and almost every girl I ever met called Hannah tells me that her name means flower in Japanese)

Plus the "vacunm cleaner eyes" line is followed by the line "they suck you in", and there are other lines such as "electronic gaze" and "her hypnotic gaze" (which is used twice)... Signifying it REALLY is about her eyes and not a hidden drug reference...

She stole the keys to my house And then she locked hersef out

One of my favourite lyrics ever.