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".
Aloysius
Cocteau Twins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sassy shear near
She should've
She sighed the grove
Ska pop
Sa pum
Sa po
As with many Cocteau Twins songs, the lyrics in "Aloysius" are quite abstract and open to interpretation. It is possible that the opening lines of "Silly silly saliva/Sassy shear near" are meant to convey a sense of playfulness or irreverence, perhaps as a way of signaling that what follows should not be taken too seriously. The lines "She should've/She sighed the grove" are more difficult to pin down, but they could be references to missed opportunities or regrets, with "the grove" suggesting a natural setting that the singer yearns for but cannot reach. The remaining lines are completely nonsensical and do not meaningfully contribute to an interpretation of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Silly silly saliva
Absurd drool that lacks meaning
Sassy shear near
Bold and confident cutting tool that is close by
She should've
She ought to have done something differently or regretful about what has happened
She sighed the grove
She exhaled deeply in the woodland area
Ska pop
A style of music with a lively rhythm combined with an explosion-like sound
Sa pum
A meaningless syllable used as a sound effect
Sa po
Another meaningless syllable used as a sound effect
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELIZABETH FRASER, ROBIN A. GUTHRIE, SIMON PHILIP RAYMONDE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind