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
Armageddon
CocoRosie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And lets all say a prayer
To Walter Disney and Mike Tyson
At Madison Square Garden
And then the lights came on
In the middle of the night
What I should do with my life
I'll be a stock broker and get me a wife
Have the diamonds cut
Have the diamonds
And Jesus said there a girl's best friend
And hell they'll last forever
And Jesus said now take her hand
And raise this harlot's bastard sun
And then the lights....
And afterwards we'll all go to hell
When the money's all spent
When the money's all gone
There'll be a place for us in heaven's gate
Waiting for us on lay away
And then the lights....
And oh what a pity the world's no white
And oh what a shame I don't have blue eyes
God must have been a color blind
If I made the world it would be all white
The song Armageddon by CocoRosie features a haunting melody with cryptic lyrics that seem to explore themes of religion, consumerism, and the nature of humanity. The opening lines call for people to gather at Times Square and pray to both Walter Disney and Mike Tyson, two cultural icons that seem to represent very different ideals. Disney is known for his wholesome, family-friendly entertainment, while Tyson is a controversial boxer with a history of legal troubles. This contrasts with the call to prayer, suggesting that perhaps there is a conflation of values at play here.
As the song progresses, the singer contemplates what to do with their life and how to spend their time. They fantasize about becoming a stockbroker and acquiring material wealth, including diamonds, which they describe as being "a girl's best friend." However, the juxtaposition of this with the mention of a "harlot's bastard son" implies a critique of consumerism and the exploitative nature of the capitalist system. The repeated refrain of "and then the lights" suggests a kind of spiritual awakening or realization.
The song also contains a dark undercurrent, with references to the inevitability of damnation ("And afterwards we'll all go to hell / When the money's all spent / When the money's all gone") and a desire to make the world "all white." This raises uncomfortable questions about the singer's motives and beliefs, and adds to the unsettling atmosphere of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Lets all gather at time square
Let's all come together amidst the hustle and bustle of Times Square.
And lets all say a prayer
And let us all take a moment to offer a prayer.
To Walter Disney and Mike Tyson
We pray to the iconic Walt Disney and legendary boxer Mike Tyson.
At Madison Square Garden
And we do so at the famous Madison Square Garden.
And then the lights came on
And suddenly, the lights came on.
In the middle of the night
It was nighttime, and yet, the city was illuminated.
What I should do with my life
At that moment, I contemplated the purpose of my life.
How I should spend my time
I wondered how best to spend my precious time.
I'll be a stock broker and get me a wife
I will pursue a career in finance and find a life partner.
Have the diamonds cut
I will have my diamonds expertly cut.
Have the diamonds
I will acquire a collection of valuable diamonds.
And Jesus said there a girl's best friend
I recalled the popular saying that diamonds are a girl's best friend, attributed to Jesus.
And hell they'll last forever
I believed that my diamonds will endure for eternity.
And Jesus said now take her hand
Jesus urged me to take the hand of a woman.
And raise this harlot's bastard sun
Jesus beckoned me to raise a child born out of wedlock.
And afterwards we'll all go to hell
After our hedonistic pursuits deplete our material wealth, we'll all be condemned to Hell.
When the money's all spent
Once we've exhausted our financial resources,
When the money's all gone
And all our money has vanished,
There'll be a place for us in heaven's gate
Despite our earthly failings, a place in Heaven awaits us.
Waiting for us on lay away
This place in Heaven has already been purchased for us and is simply waiting to be collected.
And oh what a pity the world's no white
It's a shame that the world isn't completely white.
And oh what a shame I don't have blue eyes
I regret that I don't have blue-colored eyes.
God must have been a color blind
I sarcastically suggest that God must have been blind to create a world with different colors and races.
If I made the world it would be all white
I arrogantly claim that if I were the creator, I would have made the world entirely white.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: PRINCE FAR I
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind