CocoRosie began as a duo, with Sierra singing, playing the guitar, piano and harp, and Bianca singing and manipulating various children's toys, electronic and percussion instruments, as well as other exotic noisemakers. They subsequently added various backing musicians, usually a bassist, keyboardist, and beatboxer. They have been a very active touring group, playing across Europe, the United States, and elsewhere.
They have released seven full-length albums: La maison de mon rêve (2004), Noah's Ark (2005), The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn (2007), Grey Oceans (2010), Tales of a GrassWidow (2013), Heartache City (2015) and Put the Shine On (2020).
In 2003, Bianca was growing restless and decided it was time for a change. Leaving her apartment in Brooklyn to travel the world, she ended up at Sierra's apartment in Paris. Over the course of the next two months, the women spent nearly every waking hour in Sierra's bathroom, chosen as the most acoustic and isolated room in the apartment. Soon, they had completed both a hip-hop recording (never released) called "word to the crow" and their proper debut album La Maison de Mon Rêve.
Originally, La Maison de Mon Rêve was only intended to be distributed within a close circle of friends. However, by 2004 the lo-fi album had been released on independent label Touch and Go Records, who had obtained a copy of the CD and had uncharacteristically pursued signing the artists. Since the creation of their first album, the Casady sisters have been virtually inseparable.
Stylistically they may be assigned to the indie rock, psychedelic folk, folktronica genres, and are sometimes associated with the New Weird America movement. Sierra, who studied operatic vocal techniques, takes the lead vocals and also plays guitar, harp and flute. Bianca is a percussionist and also beatboxes. The group also uses various objects such as toys to construct their unique sound. Popular indie bands such as The xx name them as a major influence.
They were actively touring during most of 2004, playing across the U.S. and throughout Europe with artists such as TV on the Radio, Bright Eyes, Battles, Devendra Banhart, and Busdriver among others.
Official website: http://www.cocorosiemusic.com
After The Afterlife
CocoRosie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Welcome to the afterlife
Sitting by the river
I think I smell some rain
Silver puddles glitter
Behind the old jail
Wet snails get wetter
Moth wings crumble by a daylit fire
Ash of deadwood pil higher
Pyre for fox guts blazing mire
Welcome to the afterlife
Welcome to the afterlife
Afternoon time
After lifetime
Twilight's best for venus fly trap
Cloudless drops tare at my cheek
Bruised speaker raven's beak
Neon stars twinkle in the night
Sage-smoke, rainbow, money signs
Welcome to the afterlife
Welcome to the afterlife
The lyrics to CocoRosie's 'After The Afterlife' are open to multiple interpretations. The opening lines, 'Welcome to the afterlife', are repeated throughout the song, which can be taken as the duo's way of creating a mystical and enigmatic atmosphere, inviting the listener to dive in and discover the various layers of meaning contained within the poetic lyrics. The first verse takes place by the river, with a hint of rain and silver puddles adding to the scenery. The mention of the old jail and wet snails could possibly be emphasizing the idea of stagnation and confinement that comes with death, yet there exists an enigmatic peace and beauty in the surroundings, demonstrated by the moth wings crumbling around the daylit fire and the ash of deadwood piling high, indicating a sense of release and transformation.
The second verse, 'Afternoon time / After lifetime', continues with the strange yet charming imagery that CocoRosie often uses in their music. The words 'Twilight's best for venus flytrap' seem to denote a sense of danger and allure, with the 'cloudless drops tare at my cheek' perhaps indicating the emotional response of the singer to their surroundings. The 'bruised speaker raven's beak' and 'neon stars twinkle in the night' add further to the surrealist imagery of the song. The final lines of the song, 'sage-smoke, rainbow, money signs', follow the same pattern, creating a sense of wonder and confusion in equal measure, as the listener is invited to explore the hazy realm of afterlife.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome to the afterlife
A greeting to the world beyond our death
Welcome to the afterlife
A repetition of the above, reinforcing the idea of welcoming to the afterlife
Sitting by the river
The singer is sitting beside a body of water
I think I smell some rain
The artist senses that the rain is coming
Silver puddles glitter
The water on the ground is shining brightly
Behind the old jail
The singer is positioned behind an old prison building
Wet snails get wetter
The already damp snails become even more wet due to the rain
The air sifts like snow
The air moves silently around the artist just as snow swirls gently around in the air
Moth wings crumble by a daylit fire
The wings of the moths break apart and disintegrate as the flames of the fire weaken in the light of the day
Ash of deadwood pil higher
The ashes from burning the firewood pile higher with time
Pyre for fox guts blazing mire
The singer sets up a fire for the guts of a fox that blazes brightly
Welcome to the afterlife
A repetition of the earlier line
Welcome to the afterlife
Another repetition, reinforcing the idea that the singer is entering the afterlife
Afternoon time
It is the afternoon
After lifetime
The time that has passed after someone's death
Twilight's best for venus fly trap
The best time for the Venus Fly Trap plant to catch its prey is at twilight
Cloudless drops tare at my cheek
Tears without clouds fall on the artist's cheek, meaning that the artist is alone and shedding tears
Bruised speaker raven's beak
The singer's voice is hoarse and rough like the beak of a raven
Neon stars twinkle in the night
The stars shine brightly in the darkness and appear like neon lights
Sage-smoke, rainbow, money signs
The artist sees a combination of dense smoke, a rainbow, and the sign of the dollar
Welcome to the afterlife
Repeating the words yet again, as if preparing oneself for the new reality
Welcome to the afterlife
Reinforcing the idea that one has now entered the realm of the afterlife
Contributed by William P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
さくらら
Sitting by the river, I think I smell some rain
Silver puddles glitter behind the old jail
Wet snails get wetter, crawling towards perfume
The air silks like snow
Moth wings crumble by a day-lit fire
Ash of dead wood pile
Higher, pyre for false gods,
Blazing mires
Welcome to the afterlife...
High afternoon times, afterlife times,
Twilight's best for Venus flytrap
Cloudless drops tear at my cheeks
Brusque speak a raven beak
Neon stars twinkle in the night
Sage smoke, rainbow, money signs
Welcome to the afterlife...
さくらら
Sitting by the river, I think I smell some rain
Silver puddles glitter behind the old jail
Wet snails get wetter, crawling towards perfume
The air silks like snow
Moth wings crumble by a day-lit fire
Ash of dead wood pile
Higher, pyre for false gods,
Blazing mires
Welcome to the afterlife...
High afternoon times, afterlife times,
Twilight's best for Venus flytrap
Cloudless drops tear at my cheeks
Brusque speak a raven beak
Neon stars twinkle in the night
Sage smoke, rainbow, money signs
Welcome to the afterlife...
Jamie Michele
The people who know, and get to enjoy their music, are truly lucky. My favorite band since I was 14 years old. <3 xoxo.
gwatso10
;) ear to ear! You girls are absolutely, beautifly amazing. I cannot express in words how much you & your music means to me. Every song on every album has a place in my heart. I love you CocoRosie!
larcnnyw
words cannot express my feelings for cocorosie at all ♥
Random Guy
Pure poetry.
John Barnes
This band are a whole different class of amazing.
Ricardo Rivera Vasallo
Qué hermosa canción. Me encanta el sonido del piano como si se estuviera quebrando. 🤍
Maksym M.
I love this. "We are from the earth, she is our mother; we must protect her.” B.Casady
Crystal Alien
I listened to this song in the car when I was 16, 3 years ago.
I was in the car in the garage. The garage door was closed and the car was on, I had a tube running from the exhaust to my nose/mouth. I wanted this song to be what I heard as I left. I wasn't sad like you'd think though, I was excited to finally "escape".
Obviously that failed. Someone heard the car and called 911, the police knocked the door down.
Just felt like sharing that.
BJ 444Hunt
Sometimes it’s not our time/choice to transition into the unknown...
thank you for your vulnerability in sharing this