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
Roots Of My Hair
CocoRosie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wandering wayward
Trouser is caught in a thorny bramble
Sun soon be slipping
Down spine of the meadow
Swamp candle flower
A watery fellow
The monarch my right hand
Left is the sparrow
Twilight blue my bone and marrow
The river's path is old and narrow
First evening star
To comfort the scarecrow
Pull me up by the roots of my hair
Into the rosy atmosphere
Pull me up by the roots of my hair
Into the rosy atmosphere
Marveling over dead branches
Wind in the grasses
The lyrics in CocoRosie's song "Roots Of My Hair" evoke a sense of being lost in nature, tangled in the thorny brambles and ensconced by the elements. The opening lines of "Wet is my whistle, wandering, wayward" set the tone for a nomadic and restless journey in a world where even the smallest flower – the swamp candle flower - can stand out as "a watery fellow". The reference to the "monarch" and "sparrow" suggest a certain duality, of power and fragility or of elitism and simplicity, two extremes that can coexist in the natural world. The sense of twilight and the first evening star that appears set the scene for a magical place, which offers comfort even to the scarecrow.
In the chorus, the singer yearns to be lifted from the physical pain and confusion of the natural world, eager to be taken into the "rosy atmosphere". The use of the phrase "into the rosy atmosphere" feels powerful and transformative, perhaps even utopian, implying a place of harmony and tranquillity yet somewhat removed from the day-to-day experience of nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Wet is my whistle
I am thirsty and need a drink
Wandering wayward
I am aimlessly roaming around with no specific direction in mind
Trouser is caught in a thorny bramble
My pants have been snagged by the sharp thorns of a bush
Sun soon be slipping
The sun will be setting soon
Down spine of the meadow
The rays of the setting sun will illuminate the meadow from top to bottom
Swamp candle flower
The flower that grows in the swamp
A watery fellow
It is a flower that thrives in water
The monarch my right hand
The butterfly called monarch is perched on my right hand
Left is the sparrow
On the other hand, the sparrow has flown away from my left side
Twilight blue my bone and marrow
My very being is imbued with the blue hues of the evening twilight
The river's path is old and narrow
The path of the river has been there for a long time and is quite narrow
First evening star
The first star that appears in the evening sky
To comfort the scarecrow
It serves to comfort the lonely and abandoned scarecrow in the field
Pull me up by the roots of my hair
Lift me up by grasping my hair at the roots
Into the rosy atmosphere
Take me up to the pink-tinted sky
Marveling over dead branches
I am admiring the lifeless branches around me
Wind in the grasses
The gentle blowing of the wind is ruffling the blades of grass
Contributed by Emily O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
creepykimmy13
i really love this happy little song.cocorosie is indescribable. i love them.they are inspiring me to make music.i never felt that way before.cocorosie,i love you.
Kaz Zamora
Cocorosie has some weird ass songs but then they also have really cute ones that make me feel like im in a fairytail or some shit ♥
Luis Garcia
lol omg totally agree ! <3
Krisi Stephens
absolutely amazing! poetry and music, love knows love.
Retrofire
1:45 is so fucking beautiful
Amanda Brewer
Sweet
Flanigan a-go-go
Transcendence