02 five ten fiftyfold
Cocteau Twins Lyrics


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Wheezing and sneezing
Tenfold it blew apart
It halved it in half
And went gushing gust wind

Five ten fiftyfold
Five ten fiftyfold
Wheezing and sneezing
And in hand a little hand
By taking it forward
It went gushing gust wind

Five ten fiftyfold
Five ten fiftyfold

Wheezing and sneezing
Tenfold it blew apart
When gushing gust winds
Turned just up north

Wheezing and sneezing
In hand a little hand
By taking it forward
It went gushing gust wind

Five ten fiftyfold
Five ten fiftyfold
Five ten fiftyfold
Five ten fiftyfold
Five ten fiftyfold

Wheezing and sneezing
Tenfold it blew apart
When gushing gust winds
Turned just up north

Wheezing and sneezing and
Sneezing and wheezing and sneezing and
Sneezing and wheezing and sneezing and
Sneezing and wheezing and sneezing and

Five ten fiftyfold
Five ten fiftyfold




Five ten fiftyfold
Five ten fiftyfold

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cocteau Twins' song "Five Ten Fiftyfold" are cryptic and somewhat nonsensical, yet they still manage to evoke a sense of wonder and excitement. The track begins with the lines "Wheezing and sneezing, tenfold it blew apart/ It halved it in half and went gushing gust wind." The imagery here is fragmented and difficult to parse, but it does seem to suggest a sudden, explosive force that overwhelms the senses.


The chorus of the song is the repetitive mantra "Five ten fiftyfold," which is also difficult to interpret but seems to symbolize a multiplying, accelerating power. The second verse repeats the opening lines almost verbatim, but adds the image of "a little hand" being taken forward. This could suggest a child being led on an adventure or journey, or simply the idea of something small being propelled by a larger force.


The final verse introduces a new element: the "gushing gust winds turned just up north." This hints at a broader context for the song's events, possibly suggesting a natural phenomenon like a storm or hurricane. Yet even as the song seems to be building toward a climax, it ends abruptly with the same repeated chorus: "Five ten fiftyfold." It's a tantalizingly enigmatic conclusion that leaves the listener to puzzle over the song's meaning long after it's over.


Line by Line Meaning

Wheezing and sneezing
Coughing and sneezing


Tenfold it blew apart
It blew apart at ten times its original force


It halved it in half
It reduced it to half of its original size


And went gushing gust wind
It was blown away by a strong gust of wind


Five ten fiftyfold
The situation was multiplied by 5, then 10, and then 50 times


And in hand a little hand
Holding a small hand


By taking it forward
By moving forward with the small hand in tow


Wheezing and sneezing
Coughing and sneezing


When gushing gust winds
During powerful gusts of wind


Turned just up north
Changed direction to the north


Sneezing and wheezing and sneezing and
Repeated cycles of coughing and sneezing




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELIZABETH FRASER, ROBIN A. GUTHRIE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

HaleG

one of the most underrated songs of the Cocteau Twins - love it! Thanks for uploading.

J

I love so much this video and song 🧡🖤

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