After working together in the noise rock band Leitoh Lychee, Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda formed Cibo Matto around 1994. While recording tracks for their first album, Viva! La Woman, they collaborated with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's Russell Simmons and others, on a side project called Butter 08. The album was released in 1996.
They later enlisted band members Sean Lennon, Timo Ellis and Duma Love to help record their Super Relax EP and final full-length album, Stereo Type A. While Viva! La Woman had strong hip-hop and trip-hop elements, Stereo Type A leaned more more towards their rock, pop and Latin side. The group continued to play live concerts until disbanding near the end of 2001. Yuka Honda went on to release solo albums and continued to collaborate with Sean, while Miho Hatori moved onto bossa nova, teaming up with guitarist Smokey Hormel to form Smokey & Miho, then joining Gorillaz for their self-titled first album and eventually releasing her own solo album.
In 1997, the band guest-performed on the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer's second season premiere in the fictional club The Bronze, performing "Spoon" and "Sugar Water".
Since the break-up in 2001, their songs have been played in many different places, including the video game Jet Set Radio Future. "Birthday Cake" was featured in the Kids in the Hall's feature-length film, Brain Candy.
The band announced their reunion on March 18, 2011, to perform as part of a benefit concert for victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The concert, which took place on March 27 at Columbia University in New York City also included Yoko Ono, John Zorn, Sonic Youth, and Mike Patton, among others. Following on the success of this show, a second was added, this time featuring the Plastic Ono Band and Patti Smith along with Cibo Matto. They've since performed at the Hollywood Bowl on June 26 in another benefit with Yellow Magic Orchestra. Cibo Matto then went on their formal US reunion tour titled "Yeah Basically Cibo Matto." The tour's first part was from June 21 to June 26 at the Hollywood Bowl and the second part was July 12 to July 20 with stops in NYC, Chicago, Toronto, Washington, D.C. and Boston.
Cibo Matto released Hotel Valentine, their first album in 15 years, on Valentine's Day 2014 through Chimera Music, a label founded by Sean Lennon. They are touring the United States with Salt Cathedral and their current drummer Yuko Araki, as well as guest musicians on some songs.
Clouds
Cibo Matto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can see my tears are dry
You're staying there higher in the sky
7 layers of the air
We've never ever moved together yet so beautiful
I'm moving fast like birds in the sky
You are staying there further in the sky
7 layers of time
I'm proving past and breaking new ground
Slowly my eyes open wide
You're staying there and playing new sounds
7 layers of light
The song "Clouds" by Cibo Matto is a surrealistic masterpiece that explores the duality between movement and stillness, distance and closeness, and past and present. The lyrics are metaphorical and the message is hidden between the lines, but the main theme is the idea of constant evolution and how everything changes with time. The first verse describes the singer's quick movement "like clouds in the sky," emphasizing the ephemeral nature of human existence. The tears are dry, which could be interpreted as a sign of acceptance or resilience. On the other hand, the second verse uses the image of birds in flight, which implies freedom and joy. The singer's eyes turn bright, indicating a state of ecstasy or euphoria. However, the listener is reminded that distance still separates the two characters. The line "7 layers of the air" seems to imply that there are many obstacles to overcome before they can truly be united.
The chorus of the song represents the turning point of the narrative. The line "We've never ever moved together yet so beautiful" is both a statement of fact and a question about the potential of what could be. The idea of movement is reiterated, but this time there is a sense of optimism and hopefulness that was not present before.
The third verse is the most obscure, but it seems to suggest that the singer is moving on from the past and looking towards new experiences. The line "I'm proving past and breaking new ground" could be interpreted as a reference to personal growth, while the "7 layers of light" might signify a journey towards enlightenment or self-discovery. The final line "You're staying there and playing new sounds" could represent the people or experiences left behind, but it is open to interpretation.
Overall, "Clouds" is a song that invites multiple interpretations and requires a close attention to detail. It is a beautiful piece of music that rewards the listener with new insights on each listen.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm moving fast like clouds in the sky
I'm moving quickly through life, constantly evolving like the ever-changing clouds in the sky
You can see my tears are dry
I may have gone through difficult times, but I've moved past it and have become stronger
You're staying there higher in the sky
You've found stability and peace in life and are content with where you are
7 layers of the air
Refers to the atmosphere's 7 distinct layers, representing the various layers of emotions and experiences that make up our lives
We've never ever moved together yet so beautiful
We've never moved in the same direction, but our individual paths are still beautiful in their own way
I'm moving fast like birds in the sky
Similar to the clouds, I'm swiftly moving through life, like birds flying through the sky
You can see my eyes turn bright
My eyes light up with excitement and curiosity towards all the possibilities life has to offer
You are staying there further in the sky
You've grown distant in the sense that our paths have taken us to different places, but we still have a connection
7 layers of time
Refers to the various stages of life we all go through as we mature and evolve over time
I'm proving past and breaking new ground
I'm overcoming my past struggles and paving the way for a new and better future
Slowly my eyes open wide
I'm becoming more aware and enlightened with each passing experience
You're staying there and playing new sounds
You're staying true to yourself and finding new ways to express yourself creatively
7 layers of light
Represents the various stages of enlightenment and self-awareness we can achieve throughout our lives
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MIHO HATORI, YUKA HONDA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind