Polly

The Tiger Lillies' song 'Polly' paints a vivid and unsettling picture of life in the red light district of Copenhagen. The protagonist, Polly, works in a bar where she serves drinks and makes her living from tips. The lyrics immediately set a grim tone, highlighting the harsh realities of her environment. The repeated imagery of Polly putting the beer pump between her thighs is a stark metaphor for the exploitation and objectification she endures daily. This act symbolizes her role in a world where her body is a tool for survival, reflecting the dehumanizing nature of her work.

The song delves deeper into the sordid activities that take place in the bar's backrooms. Transvestites wait to be abused by men in dirty raincoats, and a family engages in bestiality. These shocking scenes underscore the depravity and moral decay that Polly witnesses. The lyrics do not shy away from the grotesque, instead, they confront the listener with the raw and unfiltered reality of this underworld. The use of explicit and disturbing imagery serves to highlight the extreme conditions and the lack of humanity in this environment.

As the night ends and the perverts go home, Polly is left to clean up the aftermath. The final verse emphasizes her isolation and the emotional toll of her experiences. She cleans the floor and goes home alone, a poignant reminder of her loneliness and the psychological scars she carries. The song's bleak narrative and haunting imagery offer a powerful commentary on the exploitation and suffering of those working in the sex industry, forcing the listener to confront the often-ignored dark side of society.