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
Bear Hides and Buffalo
CocoRosie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pocahontas came to me in a reverie
War paint and tobacco stains
Piss on the earth
A pile of dead men
A pile of dead dead men
Bare hides and buffalo
In a time of wintryness
Naked bronze trembling queen
Stolen from Egypt
Buried in England
Island of the blue dolphin
The lyrics to CocoRosie's "Bear Hides and Buffalo" paint a hauntingly vivid picture of the collision of different cultures and histories. The line "Lead canoes collide inside" seems to reference the conflict and violence that occurred during the colonization of America. This is further reinforced by the presence of Pocahontas in a "reverie" - she is a symbol of the tension between the native people and the invading Europeans. The references to war paint and tobacco stains evoke images of both Native American and European colonial culture.
The lines "Piss on the earth / A pile of dead men / A pile of dead dead men" are particularly striking in their brutality. They speak to the idea of conquest and destruction, and the ways in which these actions affect the land and the people. The repetition of "dead men" emphasizes the waste and loss of life that often accompanies these conflicts.
The final lines of the song, "Bare hides and buffalo / Mildew with fever / In a time of wintryness / Naked bronze trembling queen / Stolen from Egypt / Buried in England / Island of the blue dolphin," continue the theme of collision and loss. The juxtaposition of the natural world with the human-made (bare hides and buffalo alongside mildew and fever) speaks to the idea of a world thrown out of balance by the actions of humans. The references to historical figures like Pocahontas and an unnamed "naked bronze trembling queen" who has been "stolen from Egypt" remind us of the many ways in which culture and history have been erased and appropriated by those in power.
Line by Line Meaning
Lead canoes collide inside
Conflicting thoughts and ideas constantly clash within oneself
Pocahontas came to me in a reverie
A spiritual connection with Native American culture, possibly through dreams or meditation
War paint and tobacco stains
The physical marks and remnants of a warrior's battle and lifestyle
Piss on the earth
Showing disdain for the environment and a disrespect for nature
A pile of dead men
The aftermath of a violent and deadly conflict
A pile of dead dead men
Highlighting the sheer magnitude and tragic nature of the death toll
Bare hides and buffalo
Symbolizing Native American culture and history, including their reliance on buffalo for survival
Mildew with fever
Sickness and disease that can ravage a population amidst harsh living conditions
In a time of wintryness
Surviving through harsh and difficult times
Naked bronze trembling queen
A woman of color, possibly a Native American or African, who is vulnerable and faced with adversity
Stolen from Egypt
Revealing the history of colonialism and exploitation, including the theft of cultural artifacts and treasures
Buried in England
Further highlighting the cultural erasure and destruction caused by colonialism
Island of the blue dolphin
A reference to a popular children's book about a Native American girl who is left alone on an island and must survive on her own
Contributed by Declan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.