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".
The Tinderbox
Cocteau Twins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'd feel danger there
[Repeats throughout song]
Through the edged are beaten
You'd feel danger there
Tinderbox of a heart left a shell is all
How heavy you are on this faded hatch
Tinderbox of a heart left a shell is all
[Repeat: x2]
Bleed in your fate's ground through the edge
It's so bloody and blunt of big crystal eyes
How heavy you are; it's fading your hatch
Tinderbox of a heart left a shell is all
[Repeat: x2]
The lyrics to Cocteau Twins' "The Tinderbox" present abstract and enigmatic imagery that can be interpreted in different ways. The repeated phrase "They are beaten/ You'd feel danger there" suggests a threatening atmosphere where someone or something has suffered harm, possibly a physical beating. The emotions that arise from sensing the aftermath of violence are also emphasized by the repetition.
The other main verse "How heavy you are on this faded hatch/ Tinderbox of a heart left a shell is all" describes a person's emotional weight and the frailty of their heart that has been reduced to a shell, possibly by heartbreak or other traumatic experiences. The image of a tinderbox, a box used for holding flammable objects, adds another layer of metaphorical meaning, suggesting the potential for destructive fires to ignite from the unattended or suppressed passions of the heart. The phrase "Bleed in your fate's ground through the edge/ It's so bloody and blunt of big crystal eyes" is also intriguing, hinting at the inevitability and brutality of fate, which can be seen through the lens of the crystal eyes, sharp and clear.
Overall, "The Tinderbox" is a rich example of Cocteau Twins' lyrical style that prioritizes sound and emotion over literal meaning, leaving room for the listener to create their own internal visions.
Line by Line Meaning
They are beaten
Even though they are defeated, they still persist
You'd feel danger there
The situation is fraught with peril
Through the edged are beaten
Even though they have been hurt over and over again, they remain resilient
How heavy you are on this faded hatch
The burden is too great on this deteriorating threshold
Tinderbox of a heart left a shell is all
The heart is fragile and empty, with only a shell remaining
Bleed in your fate's ground through the edge
They are bleeding on the ground where their fate lies, on the brink of collapse
It's so bloody and blunt of big crystal eyes
The situation is stark, a harsh reality reflected in their eyes
How heavy you are; it's fading your hatch
The burden is causing the threshold to fade away, almost gone
Tinderbox of a heart left a shell is all
The heart is broken and empty, nothing left but a shell
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELIZABETH FRASER, ROBIN A. GUTHRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind