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
Gallows
CocoRosie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Her weary heavy head in
The gallows and the graves of
The milky milky cradle
His tears have turned to poppies
A shimmer in the midnight
A flower in the twilight
A flower in the twilight
And our screaming
Is in his screaming
Our screaming in the willow
They took him to the gallows
He fought them all the way though
And when they asked us how we knew his name
We died just before him
Our eyes are in the flowers
Our hands are in the branches
Our voices in the breezes
And our screaming
Is in his screaming
Our screaming in the willow tree
We're waiting by the willow
Our milky milky cradle
Our lockets long have rusted
His picture worn and weathered
Our hair is in the garden
Our voices in our toeses
Our heart are in the blossoms
Our eyes are in the branches
And our screaming
Is in his screaming
Our screaming in the willow tree
The song "Gallows" by CocoRosie tells the story of a man who has been sentenced to death and is being taken to the gallows. The lyrics describe the moment just before the moon sets, with the gallows and graves in the background. The man's tears turn into poppies, which are seen shimmering in the midnight and twilight. The song then shifts perspective and speaks from "our" point of view. "Our" screaming is in his screaming, and "our" screaming is in the willow tree, implying that the story belongs to a group of people who are connected to the man in question.
As the man is taken to the gallows, he fights them every step of the way. When asked how "we" knew his name, "we" died just before him. The lyrics then depict a scene of the "we" waiting by the willow tree, associating with the "milky milky cradle." The lockets are rusted, the picture of the man is worn and weathered, and the hair is in the garden. The chorus is repeated, describing how "our" screaming is in his screaming and also in the willow tree.
Line by Line Meaning
It was just before the moon hung
Right before the moon appeared in the sky
Her weary heavy head in
The moon seemed tired and heavy
The gallows and the graves of
Referring to a place where people were hanged and buried
The milky milky cradle
Describing a dreamlike or surreal setting
His tears have turned to poppies
Mourning the loss of a loved one
A shimmer in the midnight
Glimmering in the darkness
A flower in the twilight
Standing out in the fading light of day
And our screaming
The collective cries of a group of people
Is in his screaming
Sharing the same anguish as the person being mourned
Our screaming in the willow
The willow tree serves as a symbol of mourning and sadness
They took him to the gallows
The person being mourned was executed
He fought them all the way though
He resisted until the very end
And when they asked us how we knew his name
Someone asked the mourners how they were connected to the deceased
We died just before him
The mourners passed away before the deceased
Our eyes are in the flowers
The flowers may represent the mourners' souls or spirits
Our hands are in the branches
The branches may represent the mourners' connection to nature
Our voices in the breezes
The mourners' voices are carried by the wind
We're waiting by the willow
The mourners are still present at the willow tree
Our milky milky cradle
Referencing the surreal setting from earlier in the song
Our lockets long have rusted
The mourners' sentimental objects have deteriorated over time
His picture worn and weathered
A physical representation of the deceased that has aged and degraded
Our hair is in the garden
The mourners' physical remains have returned to the earth
Our voices in our toeses
The mourners' presence is felt throughout their entire being
Our heart are in the blossoms
The flowering trees represent the mourners' emotional attachment to the deceased
Our eyes are in the branches
The mourners' spirits are still present at the willow tree
Contributed by Victoria Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Salome Kinkladze
It was just before the moon hung
Her weary, heavy hating
the gallows and the graves hold
the milky, milky cradle
His tears have turned to poppies
shimmer in the midnight
Flower in the twilight
a Flower in the twilight
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow
They took him to the gallows,
He fought them all the way though,
And When they asked us how we knew his name
We died just before him
our eyes are in the flowers
our hands are in the branches
our voices in the breezes
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow tree
We're waiting by the willow
our milky, milky cradle
our lockets long have rusted
his picture worn and weathered
our hair is in the garden
our voices in mitosis
our wombs are in the blossoms
our arms are in the branches
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow tree
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow
The Night Talker - Memorie d'orrore
👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻
It was just before the moon hung
Her weary, heavy hating
the gallows and the graves hold
the milky, milky cradle
His tears have turned to poppies
shimmer in the midnight
Flower in the twilight
a Flower in the twilight
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow
They took him to the gallows,
He fought them all the way though,
And When they asked us how we knew his name
We died just before him
our eyes are in the flowers
our hands are in the branches
our voices in the breezes
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow tree
We're waiting by the willow
our milky, milky cradle
our lockets long have rusted
his picture worn and weathered
our hair is in the garden
our voices in mitosis
our wombs are in the blossoms
our arms are in the branches
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow tree
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow
It was just before the moon hung
Her weary, heavy hating
the gallows and the graves hold
the milky, milky cradle
His tears have turned to poppies
shimmer in the midnight
Flower in the twilight
a Flower in the twilight
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow
They took him to the gallows,
He fought them all the way though,
And When they asked us how we knew his name
We died just before him
our eyes are in the flowers
our hands are in the branches
our voices in the breezes
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow tree
We're waiting by the willow
our milky, milky cradle
our lockets long have rusted
his picture worn and weathered
our hair is in the garden
our voices in mitosis
our wombs are in the blossoms
our arms are in the branches
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow tree
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow
Rissa Arei
This is a stunning throwback song to classic murder ballads. The lyrics and music are hauntingly beautiful and poetic, the visuals on top complement the song by incorporating Vanitas imagery. All those little souns, that would be random, but are actually there to help paint a bigger picture of the times and the area this story is taking place in. A piece of art for the ages!
Christina Spencer
Makes me shiver every time. I absolutely adore this song.
Stellula
Yes my fave forever lol
Salome Kinkladze
It was just before the moon hung
Her weary, heavy hating
the gallows and the graves hold
the milky, milky cradle
His tears have turned to poppies
shimmer in the midnight
Flower in the twilight
a Flower in the twilight
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow
They took him to the gallows,
He fought them all the way though,
And When they asked us how we knew his name
We died just before him
our eyes are in the flowers
our hands are in the branches
our voices in the breezes
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow tree
We're waiting by the willow
our milky, milky cradle
our lockets long have rusted
his picture worn and weathered
our hair is in the garden
our voices in mitosis
our wombs are in the blossoms
our arms are in the branches
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow tree
And our screaming
is in his screaming
our screaming in
the willow
Ferial Dayal
Thank you for this 💛
hannibal karas
thnks!
Diogo Mascarenhas Andrade
I find this poetic...not creepy as some said it was, in my opinion. This is a very good song and artistic video. Thanks for the upload!
Luis Batista
Creepy? Rather boring instead.
Ceridwynn Haven
Poetic & beautifully eerie ✨🖤✨
Mara R.
I swear I fell off the bed when I heard this in Euphoria. I've been listening to Cocorosie since I was twelve and I never thought I'd be hearing their songs in a popular teen series