Cocco (real name: Tomoko Makishi, 真喜志智子, born January 19, 1977 in Naha, Oki… Read Full Bio ↴Cocco (real name: Tomoko Makishi, 真喜志智子, born January 19, 1977 in Naha, Okinawa, Japan) is a Ryukyuan J-Pop singer who debuted in 1996 with an EP titled "Cocko". A track from the EP, "Sing a Song ~No Music, No Life~", was used in an advertising campaign for Tower Records Japan.
In March 1997, she released her major label debut single "Kauntodaun" and a full-length album followed shortly after. It wasn't until 1998 when she scored a big hit in Japan with "Tsuyoku Hakanai Monotachi" ("The Strong and Ephemeral"), selling more than 250,000 copies of that single.

Cocco went on to record three more albums, "Kumuiuta" in 1998, "Rapunzel" in 2000, and "Sangurōzu" in 2001. Before the release of "Sangurōzu", Cocco announced she was retiring from the music business. Later that year, her label released a career retrospective, Best + Ura Best + Mihappyōkyokushū, which contained her singles, some b-sides and five unreleased tracks.

Her retirement didn't last too long. In 2002, she published her first art book, "Minami no Shima no Hoshi no Suna". In August 2003, she organized a benefit concert to raise awareness about cleaning up beaches in Okinawa. A DVD documentary titled "Heaven's Hell followed in December".

2004 saw her appearance on the Yutaka Ozaki cover album "BLUE" and the publication of her second book, "Minami no Shima no Koi no Uta", which was accompanied by a limited edition single, "Garnet / Celeste Blue". In 2005, Cocco collaborated with photographer/singer nanaco on CD/book combination titled "The Bird".

In late 2004, Cocco teamed up with Shigeru Kishida of the Japanese rock group Quruli (くるり) to re-record "Sing a Song" for Tower Records' 25th Anniversary in Japan. The sessions inspired the formation of Singer Songer, a band featuring Cocco, Kishida, Quruli's bassist Masashi Sato, Cornelius' support keyboardist Hirohisa Horie and former Feed's drummer Dai Taro.

Singer Songer made its live debut as a special guest at Quruli's year-end concert in December 2004, and in May 2005, the band released a single, "Shoka Rinrin". An album, "Barairo Pop" was released in June 2005. It contains a selection of country-flavored tracks that are much happier than Cocco's previous works.

On July 7, 2007, Cocco performed at the Japanese leg of Live Earth at the Makuhari Messe, Tokyo.

歌姫
Cocco Lyrics

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蚊は血を吸うからパチン
目は疲れるから瞬き
悪い子お仕置き良い子はねんね
私は見苦しいからブスリ
卑しい歯並びで笑う
へこんだ胸なのに痛む
真白な衣裳も台無しだし
笑えない笑顔で今日も笑う

嘘だけ連ねる口横顔はママ似で美人
可愛い子ブリブリ下品にウインク
私は帰れないからズドン
卑しい歯並びで笑う
へこんだ胸なのに痛む
真白な衣裳も台無しだし
笑えない笑顔で今日も笑う

馬鹿げたやさしさに揺れる
膨らむ胸に銀の針グサリ
お行儀良くお辞儀を済ませたら

さよならを言わなきゃ
みんなさよなら

Overall Meaning

The song "Utahime" by Cocco tells a story of a woman who feels unhappy with herself and her appearance. The lyrics express the vulnerability and self-doubt she experiences as she tries to conform to society's standards of beauty and behavior.

In the first verse, she compares herself to a mosquito that sucks blood, implying that she feels like a nuisance or a burden to others. She also mentions that her eyes are tired and she blinks frequently, suggesting that she may be hiding her true emotions or discomfort. The lyrics mention punishment for being a "bad child" and encouraging good children to go to sleep, possibly reflecting societal expectations and pressures to conform.

The second verse continues to highlight the woman's dissatisfaction with her appearance, particularly her crooked teeth, which she laughs through. Despite feeling down and in pain, she forces herself to smile with an inauthentic smile. The mention of a pure white costume being ruined implies that she feels her true self is being hidden or destroyed by the facade she presents to the world.

The chorus signifies the woman's struggle with her own identity and her desire to break free from societal expectations. She sees herself as a liar and makes a reference to her mother's resemblance, suggesting that perhaps she inherited the pressure to conform. The mention of a cute and vulgar wink could represent her attempt to fit in and be seen as desirable. However, she feels trapped and unable to leave.

The final lines express her conflict between feeling foolish for being too kind and feeling hurt because of it. The mention of a silver needle poking her swollen chest implies that she feels the pain of not being true to herself. She realizes that she must say goodbye to everyone in order to find her own path.

Overall, "Utahime" captures the struggle of identity and conforming to societal standards, while also conveying the desire for individuality and self-acceptance.

Line by Line Meaning

蚊は血を吸うからパチン
Because mosquitos suck blood, I swat them away

目は疲れるから瞬き
Because eyes get tired, I blink

悪い子お仕置き良い子はねんね
Bad kids get punished, good kids go to sleep

私は見苦しいからブスリ
I'm ugly, so I sulk

卑しい歯並びで笑う
I smile with crooked teeth

へこんだ胸なのに痛む
My depressed heart hurts

真白な衣裳も台無しだし
Even my pure white costume is ruined

笑えない笑顔で今日も笑う
I force a smile that holds no joy today too

嘘だけ連ねる口横顔はママ似で美人
With a side profile that only tells lies, I resemble my mother - a beauty

可愛い子ブリブリ下品にウインク
Cute girls flirtatiously wink, but with vulgarity

私は帰れないからズドン
Because I can't go home, I feel a heavy thud