Cocteau Twins were a Scottish band active from 1979 to 1997. They were form… Read Full Bio ↴Cocteau Twins were a Scottish band active from 1979 to 1997. They were formed in Grangemouth by Robin Guthrie (guitars, drum machine) and Will Heggie (bass), adding Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) in 1981 and replacing Heggie with multi-instrumentalist Simon Raymonde in 1983. The group earned critical praise for their ethereal, effects-laden sound and the soprano vocals of Fraser, whose lyrics often eschew any recognisable language. They pioneered the 1980s alternative rock subgenre of dream pop.

The band's early work drew influence from Siouxsie and the Banshees and Joy Division. After signing with the British record label 4AD in 1982, they released their debut album Garlands later that year. The addition of Raymonde in 1983 solidified their final lineup, which produced their biggest hit in the UK, "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops", peaking at No. 29 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1988, Cocteau Twins signed with Capitol Records in the United States, distributing their fifth album, Blue Bell Knoll, through a major label in the country. After the 1990 release of their most critically acclaimed album, Heaven or Las Vegas, the band left 4AD for Fontana Records, where they released their final two albums.

After nearly 20 years together, the band disbanded in 1997 in part due to issues stemming from the disintegration of Fraser and Guthrie's romantic relationship. In 2005, the band announced that they would reunite to headline Coachella and embark on a world tour but the reunion was cancelled a month later after Fraser refused to perform on stage with Guthrie. In a 2021 interview, Raymonde confirmed that Cocteau Twins "will never reform".

8. Wolf In The Breast
Cocteau Twins Lyrics

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Under my shirt
Have to amass
Sling the tainted words
I'm each arms they fall on

It's my body
Puzzles the trick in me
I lend it out to borrow

It might survive

My baby's cries
Laughing on my bed
I've pretended I knew the way
Especially when

I'll revenge
All I'll need's that day
It's my body
Puzzles the trick in me

I lend it out to borrow
It might survive
My baby's cries
Laughing on my bed

I've pretended I knew the way
Especially when
I'll revenge
All I'll need's that day

I'll feel perpetual
I feel perpetual
I feel perpetual
True blue and real

I feel
I feel
True blue and real
Laughing on my bed

I've pretended I knew the way
Especially when
I'll revenge
All I'll need's that day

I'll feel perpetual
I feel perpetual

I'll feel perpetual
True and real

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Cocteau Twins' song "8. Wolf In The Breast" are introspective and cryptic, as is typical of their music. The song seems to be addressing issues of identity and self-worth. The opening lines, "Under my shirt, have to amass, sling the tainted words, I'm each arm they fall on" suggest that the singer is hiding something beneath their exterior, something that they are accumulating and using as a form of protection. The "tainted words" could represent the negative thoughts or behavior that the singer has internalized and is now projecting onto others.

As the song progresses, the singer repeatedly mentions their body and how it "puzzles the trick in me." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the complexity of the self, and how difficult it can be to understand one's own motivations and desires. The line "I lend it out to borrow, it might survive" suggests that the singer feels they are using their body as a bargaining chip in order to survive, possibly in a relationship or in society in general.

The final lines of the song, "I'll feel perpetual, true blue and real," seem to be a declaration of the singer's desire for authenticity and a sense of lastingness. They want to be true to themselves and not just exist in a state of perpetual pretense.

Line by Line Meaning

Under my shirt
Concealed beneath my clothing

Have to amass
Must gather and collect

Sling the tainted words
Speak hurtful and damaging phrases

I'm each arms they fall on
I am the one to whom those affected turn

It's my body
I possess sole ownership of my physical form

Puzzles the trick in me
The mysteries inside my being confound me

I lend it out to borrow
I allow others to use my body temporarily

It might survive
There is a chance that it may endure

My baby's cries
The wails of my child

Laughing on my bed
Joyous while lying down

I've pretended I knew the way
I have pretended to understand the path forward

Especially when
Particularly so

I'll revenge
I will seek retribution

All I'll need's that day
I require only one instance of action

I'll feel perpetual
I will experience eternity

I feel perpetual
I am in a state of everlasting existence

True blue and real
Genuine and authentic

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELIZABETH FRASER, ROBIN GUTHRIE, SIMON RAYMONDE, LOU REED

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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