TRAGIC KINGDOM
(E. Stefani)
from the album Tragic Kingdom

The album closer and set opener (from the late 1996 shows onward), this track depicts a twisted view of commercialism (in this case, Disneyland). The outro of the recorded version of this song includes a snatch of the Star Wars main theme. The track was played live in concerts as early as 1993.

Remain seated please...

Once was a magical place
Over time it was lost
Price increased the cost
Now the fortune of the kingdom
Is locked up in its dungeon vaults
The castle floor lies in traps
With coiled wires set back
Decoyed by old cheese
Now the drawbridge has been lifted
As the millions
They drop to their knees

They pay homage to a king
Whose dreams are buried
In their minds
His tears are frozen stiff
Icicles drip from his eyes

The cold wind blows as it snows
On those who fight to get in
On heads that are small
Disillusioned (disillusioned)
As they enter (as they enter)
They're unaware what's
Behind castle walls
But now it's written in stone
The king has been overthrown
By jesterly fools
And the power (and the power)
Of the people (of the people)
Shall come to believe they do rule

They pay homage to a king
Whose dreams are buried
In their minds
His tears are frozen stiff
Icicles drip from his eyes

Welcome to the tragic kingdom
Cornfields of popcorn
Have yet to spring open

Have they lost their heads
Or are they just all blind mice
We've heard all their stories
One too many times
Hypnotized by fireflies
That glow in the dark
Midgets that disguise themselves
As tiny little dwarfs
The parade that's electrical
It serves no real purpose
Just takes up a lot of juice
Just to impress us

They pay homage to a king
Whose dreams are buried
In their minds
His tears are frozen stiff
Icicles drip from his eyes
Ooh they drip from his eyes into the night (tragic kingdom)
They drip from his eyes (tragic kingdom)
They pay homage to a king
King who's buried, buried in their minds (tragic kingdom)
They drip from his eyes (tragic kingdom)

Welcome to the tragic kingdom
Cornfields of popcorn
Have yet to spring open

Welcome to the tragic kingdom
Welcome to the tragic kingdom
Welcome to the tragic kingdom
Welcome to the tragic kingdom
Welcome to the tragic kingdom
Welcome to the tragic kingdom
Welcome to the tragic kingdom
Welcome to the tragic kingdom