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.

Way Out
Cocco Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

わたしのこの目をあげましょう
わたしの耳さえ惜しみなく
助けを求めたりしないでいいように
期待は捨てたはずだけど
わたしの唇も全部あげましょう
ここから出してくれるなら
いつまで何のために
いつまで誰のために

腫れ上がる頭をかかえて
どれだけ崩れ堕ちて
どれだけ血を吐いても
答えなんてどこにもなかった
私は誰なの Ah

わたしのこの血をあげましょう
わたしをリボンで飾りつけ
わたしの涙まで全部あげましょう
もし抱き上げてくれるなら
いつまで何のために
いつまで誰のために
腫れ上がる頭をかかえて
どれだけ崩れ堕ちて
どれだけ血を吐いても
答えなんてどこにもなかった
背中を打ちのめす
ムチはもう折れてた
それでもまだ誰かを呼んでる
出口はどこにあるか教えて
どこまで行けばいいか教えて
独りにしないで独りにしないで

出口はどこにあるか教えて
どこまで行けばいいか教えて

Overall Meaning

The song "Way Out" by Cocco is an emotional cry for help that touches on themes of despair, hopelessness, and the need for human connection. The lyrics talk about the struggles of an individual who is at a breaking point and feels like they cannot go on anymore. They question the purpose of their suffering, and they long for someone to save them and show them a way out.

The first verse begins with the plea to give up their eyes and ears to spare themselves from seeking help. The lyrics are heavily loaded with a sense of despair and exhaustion from constantly struggling. The second verse is where the singer reaches out with desperation and offers their blood, tears, and every part of themselves to be rescued. There is an acknowledgment of their state, of their crumbling world, and a lack of answers or any guidance to get up again. Finally, there is the call to be reached out to, to be taught where the exit is, and how much they need to endure before they can reach the end. The song depicts the struggle that many people face with depression and thoughts of suicide.

Line by Line Meaning

わたしのこの目をあげましょう
Let me lift up my eyes

わたしの耳さえ惜しみなく
Even my ears I won't hold back

助けを求めたりしないでいいように
So as not to need to ask for help

期待は捨てたはずだけど
I should have already given up on expectations but

わたしの唇も全部あげましょう
I'll give everything, even my lips

ここから出してくれるなら
If only you'll let me out of here

いつまで何のために
How much longer, for what purpose

いつまで誰のために
How much longer, for whom

腫れ上がる頭をかかえて
Holding my swollen head

どれだけ崩れ堕ちて
No matter how much I fall apart

どれだけ血を吐いても
No matter how much blood I spill