Raised in Cornwall, James began DJing at free parties and clubs in the area in the late 1980s. His debut EP Analogue Bubblebath, released in 1991 on Mighty Force Records, brought James an early following; he began to perform across the UK and continental Europe. James co-founded the independent label Rephlex Records the same year. His 1992 debut album Selected Ambient Works 85-92, released by Belgian label Apollo, garnered wider critical and popular acclaim. James signed to Warp in 1993 and subsequently released charting albums such as ...I Care Because You Do (1995) and Richard D. James Album (1996), as well as Top 40 singles such as "Come to Daddy" (1997) and "Windowlicker" (1999); the latter two were accompanied by music videos directed by Chris Cunningham and brought James significantly wider international attention.
After releasing Drukqs in 2001 and completing his contract with Warp, James spent several years releasing music on his own Rephlex label, including the 2005 Analord EP series under his AFX alias and a pair of 2007 releases as the Tuss. In 2014, he made available a previously unreleased 1994 LP as Caustic Window. He returned later that year with the Aphex Twin album Syro on Warp, winning the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album. He has since released charting EPs including Cheetah (2016) and Collapse (2018).
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphex_Twin
Studio albums
Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (1992)
Selected Ambient Works Volume II (1994)
...I Care Because You Do (1995)
Richard D. James Album (1996)
Drukqs (2001)
Syro (2014)
Nanou2
Aphex Twin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blue Parade
Twin Moon
hey Mister Paper
better get your story straight
we're not from the sixties
and it's Sarah with an H
the way you read things
the way you see things
hurts my heart
I fear
somehow they'll find the need
To spit out my name
like a watermelon seed
sometimes
I think what am I doing?
this business of bleeding
a dime for showing
my heart
oh twin moon
you are my twin moon
take me up-sky so I can kiss you
drink your starlight
I want to show you
I want to show you
my heart
The lyrics to Aphex Twin's song Nanou2 are enigmatic and open to different interpretations, but one possible reading is that the singer is addressing different people and things in their life. The first lines refer to a certain Sarah who corrects people about the spelling of her name and dislikes being associated with the hippie era ("we're not from the sixties"). Then the singer seems to address a figure called Mister Paper, perhaps someone in the media or publishing industry, warning them to be truthful in their reporting or storytelling. The line "sometimes the way you read things / the way you see things hurts my heart" suggests that the singer feels misunderstood or misrepresented.
Line by Line Meaning
Slean Sarah
Referring to a person; a name
Blue Parade
Referring to something unknown; perhaps a metaphor
Twin Moon
Referring to the moon, which appears as two when it is low and bright.
hey Mister Paper
Addressing someone; not clear what they are referring to.
better get your story straight
Giving advice to Mister Paper; make sure to have the right information.
we're not from the sixties
Not part of a specific era, probably confirming something previously assumed.
and it's Sarah with an H
Correcting the spelling of the name Slean Sarah.
and oh sometimes
Introducing a new idea or thought.
the way you read things
Referring to how someone interprets things, which can be hurtful.
the way you see things
Referring to how someone perceives things, which can be hurtful.
hurts my heart
Emotionally painful.
I fear
Expressing fear or worry.
somehow they'll find the need
Anticipating a future event.
To spit out my name
Imagining a situation where someone is speaking poorly of them.
like a watermelon seed
Comparing the way their name is being spoken to the way watermelon seeds are ejected from someone's mouth.
sometimes
Not always, but occasionally.
I think what am I doing?
Expressing uncertainty or doubt about their actions.
this business of bleeding
Referring to what they are doing for work and possibly the emotional drain it has on them.
a dime for showing
Possibly referring to how much they are getting paid or the amount spent on expressing themselves.
my heart
Referring to their innermost feelings.
oh twin moon
Expressing love and admiration for the moon.
you are my twin moon
Repeating their love for the moon.
take me up-sky so I can kiss you
Asking to be taken to the moon to show affection.
drink your starlight
Describing an action to take in the properties of the moon.
I want to show you
Expressing a desire to share something.
my heart
Referring again to their emotional self.
Writer(s): Richard D. James Copyright: Chrysalis Music Ltd.
Contributed by Caroline M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
marcesquare
on IZ-US
Richard is the Messi of the music