Their first major hit as Coldcut was the house-inflected People Hold On, featuring a then-unknown Lisa Stansfield. The single took the U.K. by a storm, and the subsequent album featured such luminaries as Junior Reid (on the single "Stop This Crazy Thing") and Queen Latifah.
In 1991 they started their own record label, Ninja Tune, which continues to release groundbreaking and extremely diverse music by a small army of like-minded artists. In 1997 the duo unveiled their own real time video manipulation software, VJamm. Coldcut's current live and DJ sets rely on video as much as records, taking the concept of multimedia performance into largely uncharted territory.
Conceptually, Coldcut owes as much to the ideas of beat writer and cut-up theorist William S. Burroughs, 1970s art / industrial group Throbbing Gristle, and the religious writings of J. R. "Bob" Dobbs as much as to hip-hop originators like Grandmaster Flash or later innovators Double D and Steinski.
Recognizing the power inherent in Burroughs' cut-up technique and its presence in hip hop music, More and Black have relentlessly pushed the D.I.Y. ethic and an understanding of play as a means of fostering greater interaction with and understanding of the world around you. The similarities between this ethos and that of hacking need hardly be stated. Ninja Tune uses a corporate facade to communicate via the marketplace itself, an idea first implemented by Throbbing Gristle via their own Industrial Records imprint.
One of the key aspects of the Ninja Tune ethos, Stealth, implies that their following of DJs and listeners are "agents" in a Burroughsian sense, propagating the D.I.Y. ethic of play as an essentially subversive act by replaying and manipulating media under the radar of mainstream culture. Nowadays Coldcut reach a worldwide audience through their syndicated radio show Solid Steel. Black has recently (2003) worked with Penny Rimbaud (ex Crass) on Crass Agenda's Savage Utopia project.
In 2006, Coldcut released their fifth album, Sound Mirrors. single True Skool featured rapper Roots Manuva and featured an Indian sample from a cult Bollywood era, making the track popular on the bhangra and desi scene and with most of the British Asian urban nation.
Autumn Leaves
Coldcut Lyrics
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The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold
Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall
C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
Nous vivions tous deux ensemble
Toi qui m'aimais moi qui t'aimais
Mais la vie separe ceux qui s'aiment
Tout doucement sans faire de bruit
Et la mer efface sur le sable les pas des amants desunis
The lyrics of Coldcut's "Autumn Leaves" convey a deep sense of longing and nostalgia. The song begins with an image of falling leaves drifting by the window, setting the tone for the entire piece. The following line, "The autumn leaves of red and gold," paints a vivid picture of the season, emphasizing the beauty and transitory nature of life. The singer then reminisces about the past, recalling the "summer kisses" and "sun-burned hands" of a lost love.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes increasingly introspective, acknowledging the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The refrain, "But I miss you most of all my darling when autumn leaves start to fall," is a poignant expression of grief and wistfulness. The final verse, sung in French, provides a contrast to the English lyrics. Although the melody remains the same, the words convey a different message, highlighting the universality of love and loss.
Overall, Coldcut's "Autumn Leaves" is a powerful meditation on memory, loss, and the fleeting nature of human experience. The lyrics are simple yet evocative, capturing the essence of the changing seasons and the emotions that accompany them.
Line by Line Meaning
The falling leaves drift by the window
The leaves of fall are drifting past my window, as though they are moving towards an unknown destination.
The autumn leaves of red and gold
The leaves of autumn are ornamented with shades of red and gold.
I see your lips, the summer kisses
When I think of you, I remember the kisses we shared during the summer.
The sun-burned hands I used to hold
I remember holding your hands, which were warm from the sun.
Since you went away the days grow long
Ever since you left, the days seem to be getting longer and longer.
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
Winter is approaching, and soon its cold tune will be heard.
But I miss you most of all my darling
Out of all the things I miss about you, my darling, I miss you the most.
When autumn leaves start to fall
The sadness of the autumn season is accentuated by the falling leaves. It is a reminder of what has been lost.
C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble
This is a song that is true to us, reflecting who we are and what we feel.
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
You loved me, and I loved you back in return.
Nous vivions tous deux ensemble
We once lived together, in harmony and love.
Toi qui m'aimais moi qui t'aimais
You loved me, and I loved you back.
Mais la vie separe ceux qui s'aiment
But life has a way of separating those who love one another.
Tout doucement sans faire de bruit
Slowly, without making any noise or fuss.
Et la mer efface sur le sable les pas des amants desunis
The sea washes away the footprints of separated lovers on the sand.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Springstoff GmbH, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jacques Prevert, Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind