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".
Alas Dies Laughing
Cocteau Twins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crush a crushing stone
Tie a starching walls
Wake takes a mumbling form
Wake takes a mumbling form
Flaxen, the dress is old
Fingers, this dress is tied
Wake takes a mumbling form
Wake takes a mumbling form
Wake takes a mumbling form
Wake takes a mumbling form
Wake takes a mumbling form
Wake takes a mumbling form
Wake takes a mumbling form
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a mumbling form
Wake takes a mumbling form
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
Wake takes a
The lyrics of Cocteau Twins' "Alas Dies Laughing" may at first seem cryptic and difficult to understand. The song features a repeated image of a flaxen dress, and the phrase "wake takes a mumbling form" is repeated throughout. The tone of the song is haunting and atmospheric, with the ethereal quality that is typical of Cocteau Twins' music.
One possible interpretation of the lyrics is that they relate to the passage of time and the ephemeral nature of life. The flaxen dress may represent youth or beauty, which fades over time. The crushing stone could be a symbol of the weight of mortality, and the starching walls may signify the attempts to hold back or resist the inevitable. The repeated phrase "wake takes a mumbling form" could suggest the difficulty of grasping the meaning of life or understanding one's place in the world.
Another possible interpretation is that the song is about the loss of innocence or a traumatic experience. The flaxen dress could again represent youth or purity, but the fact that it is "old" now suggests that something has happened to tarnish it. The tying of the dress may signify the violation of boundaries, and the mumbling form of the wake could indicate the confusion and disorientation that follow a traumatic event.
Line by Line Meaning
Flaxen, the dress is born
A yellow dress is being created
Crush a crushing stone
Destroy a difficult obstacle
Tie a starching walls
Secure an unyielding boundary
Wake takes a mumbling form
The awakening takes on an ambiguous shape
Wake takes a mumbling form
The awakening takes on an ambiguous shape
Flaxen, the dress is old
The yellow dress is now aged
Fingers, this dress is tied
The dress is tightly fastened using one's fingers
Tie a starching walls
Secure an unyielding boundary
Wake takes a mumbling form
The awakening takes on an ambiguous shape
Wake takes a mumbling form
The awakening takes on an ambiguous shape
Wake takes a mumbling form
The awakening takes on an ambiguous shape
Wake takes a mumbling form
The awakening takes on an ambiguous shape
Wake takes a mumbling form
The awakening takes on an ambiguous shape
Wake takes a
The awakening takes on
Wake takes a
The awakening takes on
Wake takes a
The awakening takes on
Wake takes a
The awakening takes on
Wake takes a
The awakening takes on
Wake takes a
The awakening takes on
Wake takes a
The awakening takes on
Wake takes a mumbling form
The awakening takes on an ambiguous shape
Wake takes a mumbling form
The awakening takes on an ambiguous shape
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELIZABETH FRASER, ROBIN A. GUTHRIE, WILLIAM HEGGIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind