phrase-meaning
What does this phrase in the song Wow – Kate Bush mean?
We're all alone on the stage tonight.
We've been told we're not afraid of you.
We know all our lines so well, uh-huh.
We've said them so many times:
Time and time again,
Line and line again.Ooh, yeah, you're amazing!
We think you're incredible.
You say we're fantastic,
But still we don't head the bill.Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! Unbelievable!
It's a reference to the cliche of metaphorically putting your head in the lion's mouth.
Apologies for the substantial "cut&paste", but I'm concerned about "link rot"...
Back in the days when a circus would travel from town to town, most would have a lion tamer (a guy who had trained lions and other large animals). One standard trick would be for the trainer to have one lion open his mouth; the tamer would actually put his head in the lion's mouth to show how well trained the animal was.
Since then, "putting your head in the lion's mouth" means knowingly doing something dangerous.
binderbound is right. This metaphor comes from swimming. You can cautiously wade into the water ... or you can dive in head first
Best Answer
It's usually top the bill (bill = billing = billboard = a flat surface or board, usually outdoors, on which large advertisements or notices are posted.
To top the billing literally means to be listed at the top of the advertising posters (as the most important of several attractions), but it can be used figuratively. Note that in some contexts (bands at a concert, actors in a movie, etc.) the alternative sequence order of appearance may used instead of importance. Rarely, you may come across head the bill (but not, I think, top the bill) to mean be listed first in the promotional material because you're the first act to go on stage.